Chetham’s International Piano Summer School

Alicja Fiderkiewicz Recital
2026-08-14 19:00 - 20:00 (Europe/London) | Stoller Hall
We are thrilled to welcome back Alicja Fiderkiewicz to give a solo recital in Stoller Hall.
“Her playing is distinguished by her innate sense of style and immaculate articulation. These qualities combine with true musicianship to give performances of uncommon interest, Her interpretation of Beethoven’s “Pathetique” Sonata was masterly; the strength which underlies her playing is always finely controlled and her phrasing delineates the development of the music. The slow movement especially, was most beautifully played with a sober elegance and a wealth of controlled feeling.” Daily Telegraph
Alicja has performed widely throughout the UK including number of recitals in the Wigmore Hall, St. John’s Smith Square, St-Martin’s-in-the-fields in London. She has performed in Manchester, Isle of Man, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow to name a few. As well as performances in the UK Alicja has performed concertos and recitals in Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Cyprus, Spain, Finland, Japan, USA, Singapore & Malaysia.
Chopin , Nocturne in F# minor op. 48 no 2
Chopin, 3 Mazurkas op 59
Schubert ,Sonata in Bb major ,960

© Martin Lijinsky

Benjamin Frith Recital
2026-08-14 20:30 - 21:30
Prolific recitalist and recording artist, Benjamin Frith is one of the most versatile, respected and engaging pianists in the UK. With over 60 recordings – from Scarlatti to MacMillan – and many acclaimed reviews, Frith is at the forefront of the craft of music making.
Gold Medal winner of the Artur Rubinstein Piano Masters International Competition, Tel Aviv, and Top Prize Winner in the Busoni International Piano Competition, Frith has performed with many of the worlds finest orchestras and conductors. Zubin Mehta with the IPO and Mosche Atzmon with the Warsaw
Philharmonic amongst some of Frith’s many memorable musical experiences.
Renowned for his critically acclaimed recordings, Frith made Gramophone ‘Disc of the Year’ with his C.V. Stanford 2nd Piano Concerto and his Schumann Davidsbundler Op. 6 won top recommendation in the Radio 3 ‘CD Review’. In high demand as both soloist and chamber musician, Frith enjoys a busy and versatile career. As pianist in the Gould Piano Trio he has toured extensively throughout North America; and as guest pianist in the illustrious Nash Ensemble he has performed and recorded to critical acclaim. Solo tours have taken him to America, Europe, the middle and far East with upcoming
solo tours to Japan.

© Martin Lijinsky

Lunchtime Recital - Chetham’s School of Music
2026-08-15 13:45 - 14:30
The daily lunchtime recital in the Stoller Hall.
Today we welcome pianists who are currently studying at Chetham’s School of Music.
Tickets available through the Stoller Hall. Free to all summer school participants and observers.

Ji Liu Recital
2026-08-15 19:00 - 20:00
Dr Ji Liu combines a distinguished and multifaceted career as a pianist, composer, scholar and educator. As an international soloist, he has performed at venues and festivals including Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Barbican Centre, Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Auditorium du Louvre, Royal Concertgebouw, National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing, Henley Festival, Petworth Festival, Bristol Proms, Verbier Festival, etc. At Classic FM’s 25th anniversary, Ji Liu performed for His Majesty King Charles III and other distinguished guests at the Dumfries House.
We are thrilled to welcome Ji to Stoller Hall for the first time, in a thrilling recitl of all 24 Chopin Studies.
Chopin
Etudes Op 10
Etudes Op 25

Gülsin Onay Recital
2026-08-15 20:30 - 21:30
Gülsin Onay holds the title of State Artist in her native Turkey, where for many years she has been official soloist for the Presidential Symphony Orchestra in Ankara. She is “Artist in Residence” at Bilkent University in Ankara and holds honorary doctoral degrees from Bosphorus University in Istanbul, and from Hacettepe University in Ankara. In 2007 she was honoured with the award of a State Medal by the Polish nation for her interpretation of the music of Chopin.
She has performed as a soloist with such leading orchestras as Dresden Staatskapelle, Philharmonia Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, Japan Philharmonic, Munich Radio Symphony, St Petersburg Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony, Warsaw Philharmonic and Vienna Symphony Orchestras. Conductors with which she has performed include Vladimir Ashkenazy, Erich Bergel, Michael Boder, Andrey Boreyko, Jorg Faerber, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Edward Gardner, Neeme Jarvi, Emmanuel Krivine, Ingo Metzmacher and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Lunchtime Recital - Yuanfan Yang
2026-08-16 13:45 - 14:30
The final lunchtime recital on part one.
We are thrilled to welcome back Yuanfan Yang on the faculty and to perform a solo recital.
“…exceptionally fine for a pianist of any age…brilliantly
executed, beautifully organised, breathless in its
excitement and deeply affecting in its sentiments”.
— International Piano Magazine
Yuanfan Yang is establishing himself as one of today’s most interesting and distinctive voices, as an award-winning multi-faceted pianist, composer, and improviser. His interpretations of Schumann and Liszt ‘rivalled those of the young Ashkenazy’ (International Piano Magazine), and his own compositions have been praised for their ‘soulful poignancy’ in The Observer.

Tickets available through the Stoller Hall. Free to all summer school participants and observers.

Adam Swayne Recital
2026-08-16 19:00 - 20:00
Adam Swayne has created an acclaimed tribute to honour those who fell or endured the tragedies of 9/11. His program marks the 25th anniversary by offering reflection, catharsis, intimacy, community and hope for audiences in the 2026-27 concert season.
Throughout the recital, voices from a diverse range of American communities are heard, with three focussed on private reflections of 9/11. These include African American composer Karen Walwyn, gay New York composer David Del Tredici, and a new work by Kevin Malone: “Sudden Memorials”. This 30-minute composition captures in sound the instant and fleeting memorials that friends and relatives leave at the scene of a tragedy. The work embraces polystylism, bringing further inclusivity into the narrative, and asks the pianist to use theatrical gestures and improvisation as part of the performance. Alongside three pioneering works by Henry Cowell, a very slow piece by Scott Joplin called “Solace” completes the programme by challenging the stereotype projected onto this composer during the twentieth century.

Reflections on 9/11 (2008) Karen Walwyn
3. Anguish
6. Burial

Karen Walwyn was the first female African American pianist/ composer to receive the Steinway Artist award. Her 2-CD series for Albany Records entitled ‘Dark Fires’ includes premiere recordings of works by American composers of African descent. ‘Reflections on 9/11’ received its premiere at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and won a Global Award Gold Medal of Excellence.
Walwyn is also an expert on the music of Florence Price, having made the first recording of Price’s Piano Concerto with the New Black Music Repertory Ensemble. She is currently Professor of Piano at Berklee College of Music.
www.karenwalwyn.com

The Tides of Manaunaun (1917) Henry Cowell (1897 – 1965)
Aeolian Harp (1923)

In between the three works that respond directly to the 9/11 attacks, I wanted to programme pieces that draw upon American traditions. For me, Henry Cowell represents the traditions of innovation, experimentation and marginalisation. Alongside his work as a composer, pianist and theorist, Cowell was John Cage’s teacher. He was also imprisoned for four years in San Quentin State Prison on “morals” charges (Cowell was bisexual).
These two works draw upon piano techniques that Cowell could fairly claim to have invented. They also draw upon romantic and folk styles (Manaunaun was the Irish god of the sea).

Sudden Memorials (2021) Kevin Malone

The idea to write an eighth work about 9/11 came up during an April 2021 video call with my friend and long-time collaborator, the pianist Adam Swayne. I hadn’t composed a piano work about 9/11, and the 20th anniversary of these tragic events was approaching. Memorial works were tentatively scheduled for performance, but the COVID-19 pandemic’s social distancing remit made commemoration difficult.

In 2006, I took a photo in Shanksville, Pennsylvania of a makeshift wire fence near the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93. On the fence, visitors had been attaching objects of remembrance, loss, honour and thanks since the crash. The photo captured a sudden, transient moment of hundreds of items, some carefully designed and brought to the site, while others were spontaneously offered when visitors were moved upon seeing it.

Sudden Memorials was completed on 31 May, 2021, and has a duration of 30 minutes, with an option for the pianist to improvise while looking at the photo for an additional two minutes. During concert performances, the pianist is asked to seek invisible memorial objects from within the piano, the score and the air. These gestures coincide the start of a subsequent musical “object”, some of which sound intimate or hesitant, others being extrovert and jarring.

The work is in two parts. Part 1 ends with a rowdy, communal wall (fence) of noise. Part 2 brings the listener to a mysterious resonance which attempts to remember exactly what was lost, and yet, somehow, end the piece, but finds it difficult. The pianist is attempting the unobtainable.

Sudden Memorials is dedicated to Adam who gave the premiere at Wigmore Hall, London on 11 Sept 2021 at 1pm, the exact hour in Britain 20 years on the from the beginning of 9/11. The work was released on the Coviello label in September 2021.

Kevin Malone is a composer of polystylistic, cross-genre music for electronics, solo singers and instrumentalists, choirs, orchestras and opera companies. His work demonstrates acute awareness of social concerns and global events. He was Professor of Social and Autoethnographic Composition at the University of Manchester until his retirement in 2024.
www.opusmalone.com

Solace (1909) Scott Joplin (1868 – 1917)

Drawing on an almost entirely different American tradition, Scott Joplin’s work is subtitled ‘A Mexican Serenade for piano’, although it is closer to other musical forms from Latin America – the Cuban habañera in particular, and also the Argentine tango, alongside hints of the African American ragtime for which Joplin is best known. However, this unusually introspective piece provides an insight into Joplin’s wider output, including his sole surviving opera ‘Treemonisha’.

Missing Towers (2004) David Del Tredici

Subtitled ‘Perpetual Canon’, this work thematises the emptiness created by the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York, the city in which the composer lives and works. The canon is in two parts (symbolising the two towers). According to Tim Rutherford-Johnson, who wrote the liner notes for 9/11:20, the work is “remarkable for its poise and humility in the face of unfathomable tragedy”.
www.daviddeltredici.com

9/11:20 is the CD of this recital, released on Coviello Contemporary in 2021. All artist royalties will be donated to the US-UK Fulbright Commission, whose mission is to advance knowledge, promote civic engagement and develop compassionate leaders through education exchange between the peoples of the US and the UK.

Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen Recital
2026-08-16 20:30 - 21:30
Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen are passionate advocates for the wide range
of four hands and two piano repertoire.
They began performing together in 2001 since when they have firmly established
themselves as one of the leading piano duo partnerships.
Their close collaboration stems from a shared teacher, the inspirational Irina
Zaritskaya, with whom they both studied at the Royal Colle ge of Music. Their
friendship dates from 1987 during a visit of students from the Gnessin School in
Moscow to the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey.
Charles & Katya have appeared in concerts together at many of the UK’s major
festivals – Cheltenham, Leicester, Ryedale, Music in Country Churches, Oxford
Chamber Music and Machynlleth. Their BBC Radio3 broadcasts include the
Brahms Haydn Variations from St George’s Bristol and Fauré for the BBC1 Andrew
Marr Show.
Internationally they have performed at the Moscow Conservatoire, the Elverum
Festival, Norway and in Mexico City playing the solo parts in the Mozart and
Poulenc Double concertos with the UNAM Orchestra conducted by Jan Latham
Koenig.
The duo released a highly acclaimed first recording for Quartz in 2016, featuring
Stravinsky’s two piano ballets, the Rite of Spring and Petrushka, with a dedication
to the memory of their teacher.
Together they are the Artistic Directors and founders of the London Piano Festival, which is held annually at Kings Place.
Free to all summer school participants. Tickets will be available through the Stoller Hall Website.

Opening recital with Mookie Lee- Menuhin and Jeremy Menuhin
2026-08-17 17:00 - 18:00
We are thrilled to welcome Mookie Lee- Menuhin and Jeremy Menuhin for the opening recital of part two.
“As if entirely of one mind” (Jessica Duchen) captures the essence of every performance by the dynamic Menuhin Duo. Whether performing on two pianos or side-by-side at the same keyboard, Mookie and Jeremy play as one, interpreting the classical repertoire with devotion and joy. The unique soundscape of the two-piano repertoire allows the Duo great flexibility of range, color, and depth in their performances of works by Mozart, Brahms, Schumann, Lutoslawski, Bartok, and many others.
While exploring existing literature by major composers, the Duo also incorporates music composed by Jeremy into their performances. A former student of Nadia Boulanger, Jeremy has transcribed the great chamber works of Schubert and Brahms, and created original repertoire specifically suited to the Menuhin Duo.
Schubert-Menuhin Transformation of the variation movement from the quartet, ‘ Death and the Maiden’ (2014)
Jeremy Menuhin Suite for Two Pianos in the Baroque Manner (2016)
Prélude
Fuga
Siciliano
Invention
Sarabande
Gigue
Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56
Tickets available from Stoller Hall. Free to all summer school participants and observers.

Stephen Kovacevich Recital
2026-08-17 19:30 - 20:30
Stephen Kovacevich, hailed worldwide as one of the greatest interpreters of Beethoven and Schubert, brings a lifetime of artistry to the stage. From his electrifying debut at Wigmore Hall to decades of performances with the world’s leading orchestras, Kovacevich has captivated audiences with his fearless intensity, profound insight, and uncompromising devotion to musical truth. This recital is not just a concert — it is a rare chance to witness a master whose interpretations have shaped generations of pianists and listeners alike.
We are honoured to welcome him to perform in Stoller Hall for the first time.
Free to all summer school participants and observers.
Public tickets available through the Stoller Hall.

Gala Faculty Recital
2026-08-18 13:45 - 14:30
The now traditional Gala Recital featuring outstanding members of the faculty. An exciting and varied programme guaranteed.
Free for all summer school participants. Tickets available for the public from the Stoller Hall.

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.

Alexander Kobrin Recital
2026-08-18 19:00 - 20:00
“He surrendered neither the smoothness nor the dynamic fluidity that the modern piano allows, and he gave his sense of fantasy free rein, creating an almost confessional spirit .” — The New York Times
Distinguished pianist Alexander Kobrin, has received wide acclaim for his emotional, technically inspired performances, placing him at the forefront of today’s performing artists.
Mr. Kobrin is an active guest soloist with the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic, Orchestra Verdi, Russian National Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Berliner Symphony, Swedish Radio Symphony, Warsaw Philharmonic, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
He has collaborated with such conductors as Mikhail Pletnev, Mikhail Jurovsky, Sir Mark Elder, Vassiliy Sinaisky, James Conlon, Claus Peter Flor, Vassiliy Petrenko and Bramwell Tovey.
We welcome Alexander to perform in Stoller Hall for the first time.
Free for all summer school participants. Tickets available for the public from the Stoller Hall.

Steven Osborne Recital
2026-08-18 20:30 - 21:30
Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Instrumentalist of the Year in 2013, pianist Steven Osborne is one of Britain’s most treasured musicians. Celebrated for his insightful interpretations, his musicality and technique, Osborne is much sought after as soloist, chamber musician and recitalist. His residencies at London’s Wigmore Hall, Antwerp’s deSingel, the Bath International Music Festival, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and, this season, at the Royal Scottish National Orchestra are a testament to the respect with which he is held.
Described by The Observer as “always a player in absolute service to the composer”, Steven Osborne recently released a much praised recording of Beethoven’s last three piano sonatas for Hyperion. During the Beethoven anniversary year, Osborne will present his illuminating take on these late works across the UK, the Far East, and North America as well as part of his RSNO residency for which he’ll also play Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27. Other orchestral highlights during the new season include more Beethoven and Mozart with the Finnish Radio Symphony and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, as well as Ravel with the BBC Philharmonic and Brahms with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra.
Steven Osborne

Lunchtime Recital
2026-08-19 13:45 - 14:30
The daily lunchtime recital in the Stoller Hall.
Details of the recital will be announced shortly

Joanna MacGregor Recital
2026-08-19 19:00 - 20:00
‘MacGregor seems incapable of giving performances that are not at once extremely intelligent and entertaining’.
The Sunday Times
‘She is one of the most exciting and enterprising pianists of the moment.’
The Observer
‘Joanna MacGregor’s career is practically built on a reinvention of the star virtuoso
tradition… MacGregor’s verve, energy and astounding technique are always at the
service of the music.’
BBC Classical Review
We are thrilled to welcome back Joanna to Stoller Hall. Free to all summer school participants- public tickets available from the Stoller Hall.

Piers Lane Recital
2026-08-19 20:30 - 21:30
“No praise could be high enough for Piers Lane whose playing throughout is of a superb musical intelligence, sensitivity, and scintillating brilliance.” Bryce Morrison, Gramophone
We are thrilled that Piers is available to join us again at Chetham’s for a solo recital and teaching on the faculty.
Five times soloist at the BBC Proms, Piers Lane’s wide-ranging concerto repertoire exceeds one hundred works and has led to engagements with many of the world’s great orchestras, working recently with conductors like Sir Andrew Davis, Vassily Sinaisky, Gerard Schwartz and Brett Dean. Festival appearances have included Aldeburgh, Bard, Bath Mostly Mozart, Bergen, Cheltenham, Como Autumn Music, Prague Spring, Rockport, La Roque d’Anthéron, Ruhr Klavierfestival, Schloss vor Husum, Seattle and the Chopin festivals in Warsaw, Duszniki-Zdrój, Mallorca and Paris.

Lunchtime Recital
2026-08-20 13:45 - 14:30
The daily lunchtime recital. Details announced soon.

Alim Beisembayev – winner of the 2021 Leeds International Piano Competition

25 for 25 - part two
2026-08-20 17:15 - 18:00
To celebrate the summer school’s 25th course we are thrilled to present a very special recital series.
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.

Noriko Ogawa Recital
2026-08-20 19:00 - 20:00
We are thrilled to welcome back Noriko Ogawa for a solo recital.
“What sets her apart from other pianists is her wonderful sense of timing… [Ogawa] allows the music to breathe, while maintaining the forward momentum” The Times
“…poetry as well as virtuosity… what makes his playing so complete is the combination of an innate musical simplicity with a highly developed technique… ” Daily Telegraph
Brahms
Op 117 Three Intermezzi

Intermezzo in E♭ major
Intermezzo in B♭ minor
Intermezzo in C♯ minor

Op 118 Six pieces for piano

Intermezzo in A minor
Intermezzo in A major
Ballade in G minor
Intermezzo in F minor
Romanze in F major
Intermezzo in E♭ minor

Op 119 Four pieces for piano

Intermezzo in B minor
Intermezzo in E minor
Intermezzo in C major
Rhapsody in E♭ major

Ronan O'Hora Recital
2026-08-20 20:30 - 21:30
We are thrilled to welcome back Ronan O’Hora, who has been on the faculty many times from the very 1st course 25 years ago!
“His sound is lustrous; his playing is lyrical and full of feeling; he thinks not only of the passing notes but of the overall form. Moreover, O’Hora is blessed with meticulous taste – there was not a vulgar, swooning or overstated passage in the program.”
The Washington Post
The British pianist Ronan O’Hora has performed throughout the world, playing with such orchestras as the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, the BBC Symphony, Royal Philharmonic and English Chamber orchestras, the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Hallé Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Zurich Tonhalle, Netherlands Radio Chamber, Philharmonia Hungarica, Brno Philharmonic, Winnipeg Symphony, Florida Philharmonic and Queensland Philharmonic.
Ronan O’Hora is Head of Keyboard Studies and Head of Advanced Performance Studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Lunchtime Recital - Prizewinners of the EPTA UK competition
2026-08-21 13:45 - 14:30
The daily lunchtime recital in the Stoller Hall.
Today we celebrate young pianists who have recently been awarded prizes in the EPTA UK National piano competition.

Pavel Nersessian Recital
2026-08-21 19:00 - 20:00
We are delighted to welcome Pavel Nersessian to the Stoller Hall and the summer school. “His performance brought a veritable roar of approval from the audience,” wrote the Irish Times, after Pavel Nersessian received the 1st Prize in the GPA Dublin International Piano Competition in 1991. Being one of the most remarkable pianists of his generation in Russia, he is known for his ability to play equally convincingly in the whole palette of the piano repertoire. He won prizes in the Beethoven Competition in Vienna in 1985, the Paloma O’Shea Competition in Santander, and the Tokyo Competition.
For more than 25 years P. Nersessian has been assisting his teacher, professor S. Dorensky. He has worked with such talented pupils as N. Lugansky, D. Matsuev, V. Rudenko, O. Kern, A. Shtarkman, Yu. Stadler, I. Tasovats, F. Amirov, M. Amara, A. Dossin, V. Igoshina, A. Mamriev, V. Korchinskaya-Kogan, S. Simonian, Z. Chochieva, G. Chaidze, N. Pisareva, A. Sychev, F. Kopachevsky, P. Kolesnikov, A. Tarasevich-Nikolaev, L. Bernsdorf, P. Elisha, A. Malofeev, A, Kliuchko and many others.
Pavel Nersessian served as a jury member in many international piano competitions: Dublin, Hamamatsu, Sendai, Maria Canals in Barcelona, Hilton Head, Almaty, Valencia, Tbilisi and other competitions.
In 2013 he started to work as a professor of piano in Boston university, in 2022 as a professor of piano in New England Conservatory.

Peter Donohoe Recital
2026-08-21 20:30 - 21:30
“Peter Donohoe played as if visited by the spirit of Rachmaninov.” The Guardian
“I cannot imagine a living pianist capable of improving upon Donohoe’s outstanding artistry.” Robert Matthew-Walker, Musical Opinion
We are delighted to welcome back Peter Donohoe, former Chetham’s student and a much loved regular on the faculty of the summer school
Bach-Busoni Prelude and Fugue in Eb major (‘St Anne’)
Webern Variations Op 27
Schubert Sonata in C minor D958

© Martin Lijinsky
