Celebrating the piano in style
Newcastle Piano Festival promises music to excite and relax
It’s still pretty new, says Annie Ball, but Newcastle Piano Festival is full of promise – and it will coincide with Piano Day (March 29), founded in 2015 as a worldwide celebration on the 88th day of the year, corresponding to the 88 keys of the piano.
Annie is a North East concert pianist and teacher and founding director of Semibreve which was set up in 2013 with a mission to present live music in exciting and innovative ways.
It was established in 2023 as a community interest company and Newcastle Piano Festival, although still in its infancy, is one of its initiatives.
“Newcastle Piano Festival is still in its early days,” says Annie, “but we’re driven by a mission of excellence, innovation and community.
“While we haven’t commissioned new work yet, particularly by under-represented artists, it’s a key goal for the future, alongside our education outreach and mentorship programmes.
“We want to create a festival where there’s something for everyone to enjoy, and we’re thrilled to be part of the global celebration of Piano Day.”
The festival runs from March 28 to 30 at Jesmond United Reformed Church on Burdon Terrace (NE2 3AE) and it celebrates the piano and piano playing in various different ways.
The attraction on the opening Friday evening is the 8-Hands Extravaganza! featuring four pianists (Annie along with Victoria Robinson, Yoshie Kawamura and Alison Gill), two pianos and a programme featuring an eclectic array of compositions including Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals and Libertango by Astor Piazzolla.
The Saturday begins in laid back style with Rest & Resonance, a relaxation and lying down concert featuring music performed by Annie and longtime collaborator Victoria who is based in Denmark.
Yoga teacher Samantha Coe will start things off, getting everyone in a suitable frame of mind.
An interactive family concert, Carnival of the Animals, comes up at 4pm followed at 4.30pm by another family-friendly interactive attraction, Meet the Piano!
The day concludes with screenings of two silent films – The Rink by Charlie Chaplin and One Week by Buster Keaton – with piano accompaniment by pianist and composer Aura Mae who was born in Latvia but is based in the UK.
On the concluding day, the Sunday, at 3pm, pianists David Murray and Eileen Bown will perform Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring (on two pianos) after an introductory talk by David.
Then to close the festival at 6pm comes what many will regard as the highlight, young Ukrainian piano prodigy Khrystyna Mykhailichenko performing a programme of Debussy, Chopin and Schubert under the heading An Evening of Extraordinary Piano Mastery.
Says Annie: “Khrystyna’s music has been described as ‘poetry in motion’ and ‘pure artistry’.
“She has an exceptional gift for connecting with audiences, turning every performance into an unforgettable experience.
“Whether you’re a lifelong classical music lover or discovering these masterpieces for the first time, this concert will leave you inspired, moved and enriched.”
Khrystyna, born in the Crimea, moved to Corbridge with her mother and younger sister, a talented violinist, in 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
She is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music under Joanna MacGregor and is due to make her debut at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at London’s Southbank Centre in June performing George Gershwin’s Concerto in F.
Tickets for Newcastle Piano Festival are on sale now and Annie points out that there’s a 75% student discount off all concert tickets with the code STUDENT25.
A Semibreve Café will be open on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival (2-7pm), and the Semibreve Bar on Friday and Saturday (7-10pm) and Sunday (5-30-8.30pm).
Find ticket details online via Eventbrite or tel. 07972 178702.