The opening recital of Darlington Piano Society’s 2022-23 season, in Central Hall, the Dolphin Centre, at 3pm on Sunday 16th October, sees a return by one of the outstanding British classical pianists of our time, Leon McCawley. Praised for his unfailingly communicative playing, he has been delighting audiences worldwide since winning first prize in the 1993 International Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna and second prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition the same year. Leon is a frequent performer throughout the UK and overseas, as well as being regularly heard on BBC Radio 3 both in performance and interview with recent broadcasts including In Tune and Performance on 3.
During 2022, Leon has been an Artist-in-Residence in a series of four evening recitals at the Wigmore Hall, including one of the last four piano sonatas of Schubert in each recital, and he includes the final one in the second half of his programme for the Society. The sonata is one of the pinnacles of the classical piano repertoire matching those of his contemporary, Beethoven. Many of Schubert’s greatest works were written in his last year – 1828 – and he died, at the tragically early age of 31, two months after performing the sonata in public. The first half of the programme includes three works by Bach, Beethoven and Mozart.
Greg Johnson, Society chairman, said “We are very fortunate to be able to have Leon return here some three years after his first visit in 2019. It is particularly pleasing that he is performing three works in the first half requested by a member of the Society which, with the Schubert, form an appealing and marvellous programme.”
The recital takes place in Central Hall, the Dolphin Centre, at 3pm on Sunday 16th October. Details of the full programme are available at www.dpiano.co.uk. Tickets can also be purchased through the website and will also be available at the door on the day, price £15, with under 25’s free.