"PPP, Passion, Piano, Politics"; A brief history of piano music in Iran, particularly last 50 years.
2025-08-19 17:15 - 18:00 (Europe/London) | Stoller Hall
Today we welcome Neysun Rouhani to give this fascinating lecture- a brief history of Piano in Iran and then the effects of the 1978 Islamic Revolution on the music. Neysun will introduce composers who have written music for piano and performances of their music will be given by young pianists including Deedeh Rouhani, Luca Boston and Rose McLachlan.
Neysun started learning piano at an early age under the tutelage of his father, esteemed British-Iranian composer, Mehran Rouhani. Showing a lot of potential, he went on to study with professors Gagik Babayan and Raphael Minaskanian in Iran and Gerhard Geretschläger in Vienna.
His greatest influence came from his teacher and mentor Benjamin Kaplan in London. In addition to his training as a pianist, he had the privilege to participate in masterclasses with Menahem Pressler, Charles Rosen and Martino Tirimo.
A notable solo recording includes the album ‘3 Piano Pieces’ featuring piano music composed by Mehran Rouhani (released on Hermes Records and available on Spotify).
Neysun Produced and organised ‘Epic Persia’ at Cadogan Hall in London, which showcased the works of many composers from Persia and was a co-director of the ‘Epic Persia Composition Competiton’.

Lecture
2026-08-13 17:15 - 18:00
The first of the lectures for the 2026 course.
Full details will be updated soon.
Free to all summer school participants and observers. Tickets to public available from the Stoller Hall.

Murray and Callum McLachlan in 2025 lecture – Musical Rhetoric

Lecture
2026-08-14 17:15 - 18:00
Full details for todays lecture announced shortly.

Dina Parakhina giving a lecture recital on Medtner in 2025

Lecture - with Murray Mclachlan
2026-08-15 17:15 - 18:00
Today we welcome Murray Mclachlan for the daily lecture.
Full details will be announced soon.

Margaret Fingerhut Recital
2026-08-18 17:15 - 18:00
“One of the most radiantly musical of pianists, she plays with such alluring sensitivity & effortless command that one cannot help but be won over” – International Piano
Described by Gramophone magazine as a pianist of “consummate skill and thrilling conviction”, Margaret Fingerhut has a distinguished career which has taken her all over the world. She is particularly known for her innovative recital programmes in which she explores the highways and byways of the piano repertoire. As a concerto soloist she has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the London Mozart Players, in major venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall and the Barbican. She is often heard on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM and many radio stations worldwide.

25 for 25 - part two
2026-08-19 17:15 - 18:00
To celebrate the summer school’s 25th course we are thrilled to present a very special recital series – in three parts.
Full details will be released early in the new year – but we can promise excitement, surprises, innovation and performances that will thrill.
Keep an eye out for more details.

25 for 25 - a Jubilee Celebration - part three
2026-08-20 13:45 - 14:30
The final part of the exciting 25 for 25 project.
Not only will the recitals leave a lasting impression but everyone will be able to take them home!
Look out for further details to be released soon.
25 for 25

Lecture - From Stress to Strength - with Mookie Lee-Menuhin
2026-08-20 17:15 - 18:00
In today’s high-pressure world, many of us — musicians and non-musicians alike — live in a constant state of survival mode: stretched thin, always “on,” and striving to stay in control while feeling increasingly depleted.
With soaring levels of stress and burnout worldwide — and with musicians facing significantly higher rates of mental ill-health than the general population due to performance pressure, job insecurity, physical strain and a demanding culture that still clings to the myth of innate, immutable talent — this talk explores how we can move from stress to strength, from merely surviving to truly living.
Drawing on neuroscience and life on stage, concert pianist and cognitive neuroscientist Mookie Lee-Menuhin offers a different perspective. She discusses how awareness, connection, and meaning can shift our physiology, build resilience, and transform our relationship with ourselves and others even under stress and pressure. Backed with simple, science-based tools, she invites us to rethink stress and reimagine what is possible: not by avoiding difficulty, but by meeting it with presence and purpose.
Award‐winning pianist Mookie Lee‐Menuhin has performed worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician, touring major music halls and festivals throughout Europe, Scandinavia and Asia.

In addition to her musical pursuits, Ms. Lee-Menuhin is a cognitive neuroscientist. Her fascination and passion for knowledge of the intricacies of the brain and human behaviour earned her a master’s degree with distinction in applied neuroscience from King’s College London. Her unique path as a concert pianist and neuroscientist raised curiosity in the field of science and beyond, being featured in an interview by Women in Science and Technology at CERN (the European Organisation for Nuclear Research) as well as in her presentation for Korean female leaders at the SungJoo Foundation.
