That was Florence Price's The Goblin and the
Mosquito and it was performed by Alexandra D
'Ariescu. I'm Erica Worth and welcome to this
Pianist Podcast. Today I am catching up with
a Romanian -British pianist who gives her BBC
proms debut this August. Alex, it's great to
have you on the podcast today. Thank you so much
for having me. It's great to be here. Oh, you're
very welcome. Well, we are here to talk about
your proms debut on the 5th of August. So should
we kick off with that and tell listeners what
we are going to expect? Yes, well, it's definitely
one of the biggest highlights of my career. And
it's something that I've been dreaming of for
a very long time. But, you know, good things
happen to the people who wait. Of course. And
this Prom's debut will be incredibly special
because we're doing a Prom's premiere. I'll be
performing the Fantasy Varieté by Nadia Boulanger,
written in 1912. And I'll be collaborating again
with the Hallé Orchestra and the music director
with Kachun Wong. And I'm just so excited. You
know, I've played at the Royal Albert Hall many
times, but the proms is just such a special atmosphere.
And of course, you know, I've been going to so
many concerts and sort of on the way there cycling,
it was actually the other way thinking, oh my
goodness, I will be actually performing at the
prom. So it's really, really cool. Yeah, I'm
sure as a student, you often, who would have
dreamt you would be performing there one day
yourself? I know. It's a beautiful feeling. And
I think it's just something that inspires the
younger generation as well. The fact that if
you persevere and you work really hard and you
never give up your dream, because the easiest
thing is to give up. But honestly, in all truth,
I think. Any young musician will tell you that,
that sometimes, of course, even if it's challenging,
you just have to keep going and really believe
in your dream. And this has always been the dream,
you know, to travel and to be a concert pianist
and perform all over the world. And it's such
a blessing that I get to do what I love every
single day. That's amazing. I mean, you have
undergone an extraordinary journey to get here.
I mean, you were determined to become a pianist
whilst growing up in communist Romania. in the
80s. What was that like in the 1980s? 1980s born
towards the later part of that but um it was
hard of course any communist country going through
that regime it was just very difficult and um
I I remember my mom sacrificed everything basically
I don't come from a family of musicians so we
never um had a set path or anything but my first
encounter with music was through the church choir
the whole family would singing it and I was brought
up in the Orthodox Church and it was just the
most beautiful way to spend summers. I used to
go with my gran in the mountains to the monasteries
and the monks chanting was probably one of the
first things I remember to do with music and
singing in the church choir every Sunday and
every holy day, you know, we had this beautiful
four -part choir and that was the introduction.
And for me, music, it was all about bringing
people together and that beautiful feeling that
community brings and the joy of singing, of course.
And I think the singing quality in my playing
has always been something so, so important to
me. Absolutely. But mum saved a lot of money
to buy an upright piano and she bought it just
before I turned seven. I went to the specialist
music school then. I auditioned and I got in
and I had my debut with an orchestra when I was
nine. So that was quite an incredible journey
in two years to step on stage and the whole orchestra
was full of adults and I was the only child.
So after doing that debut, which was probably
one of the biggest things in my life, you know,
I very, very confidently declared that I'm going
to be a concert pianist. What did you play? What
did you play for your nine years old debut? I
played Mozart, Rondo in D major. And I think
I was one of those children that really knew
what they wanted from a really young age. And
I never, and I consider myself really blessed
because especially nowadays, kids want to do
everything, you know, every week there's something
different. But it's really a blessing to know
what you want and to be focused and to be determined.
And just whatever happens, you keep going. My
goodness, yes. And I mean, You won your first
competition in Italy at the age of 10 as well,
didn't you? Yeah, and that's a really funny story
because my mum and dad would always go on a little
summer holiday to the seaside. And that summer,
I very... strongly declared that I'm not going
on holiday because I need to practice and I'm
going to stay home with Gran to practice and
go and take part in this competition and I'm
not going to lie but there was some friction
within the family but I did stay home with Gran
this is how determined I was age 10 and I went
to this competition in Italy and I won first
prize and I think it was the first time when
my dad actually looked at me with a bit of pride
Gosh, age 10, that's amazing. And then you moved
to London. Age 16, age 17? 17, yes. Well, I did
lots of competitions when I was younger, and
one of them was... the Constantine Silvestri
scholarship. And this is how I moved to Yorkshire,
actually, to Pocklin School, which was a beautiful
school. And I had an amazing teacher. She was
only nine years older than I was. Very different
to what I was used to in Romania. After that
year, which basically gave me so many wings and
sort of that energy and my first time in contact
with the UK, I loved it and everyone just welcomed
me with open arms. And then I had an audition
at the RNCM and I got a full scholarship for
four years, which was very unheard of because,
of course, everyone worries so much about the
financial situation. And I was an overseas student
as well. And this was the associated board, the
ABRSM scholarship I got for four years. My time
at the RNCM for my undergrad was really, really
transformative. It was really great because I
had fantastic teachers. I studied with Mark Ray
and with Nelson Goerner and Alexander Melnikoff.
And it was the first time when I met Sarandra
Shiv, who invited me to my debut at Carnegie
Hall. And it was just incredible. And while I
was at the RNCM, I won YCAT, which was the biggest
step in any... one's career basically as a young
artist to be selected by such a big organization
and they were my first agents and they gave me
so many opportunities and just sort of everything
built up little by little um and then I moved
to to the Guildhall to London for my pride and
for my fellowship and it was just extraordinary
I mean moving from Manchester to London it It
was even bigger than moving from Romania to the
UK. I can't believe that. Yeah, it just felt
like that because the RNCM was sort of like the
centre of the universe, you know, in Manchester.
And you went to the Bridgewater and you came
back and that was it, basically. Your whole life
was around the RNCM, whereas in London, of course,
you know, it's... such an incredible city and
there's so much to do and so many orchestras
and concert halls and everything so and of course
the distances are a lot bigger than Manchester.
Did you find it a bit overwhelming at first?
I did, I did yeah it took me about a year to
get used to the whole thing and It was a great
lesson. And I sort of, as soon as I moved to
London, I said, especially in the first year
of studying at the Guildhall, I said, every week
I'm going to do something different. So I visited
so many museums and I went literally, I learned
London like the back of my hand. It was brilliant.
I mean, they say. I mean, I'm from the middle
of England originally, but they say the northerners
are much warmer than the southerners. Did you
find it hard to connect to people or did you
find it a bit frostier down in London than up
in Manchester? I think it was the fact that in
Manchester, everyone was living around the college.
And if you wanted to make plans for tonight,
you could. Whereas in London, let's face it,
you need to make plans at least a week in advance,
even as students, you know, because distances,
everyone is living sort of an hour and a half
away. But of course, you know, London came with
this incredible energy. And don't they say that
when you're tired of London, you're tired of
life. Oh my goodness. Yes, that is so true. And
it just, to be amongst the best, you know, like
this is the thing that makes you be a better
musician and makes you listen differently. And
this is one thing that I always tell the younger
generation, my students and everyone else, go
to as many concerts as you can, because that's
how you learn. You learn from either being in
the audience or being next to the performers
or playing with them on stage, of course. But
at the beginning, you just go to everything and
you inhale in stuff. thirst that curiosity that
you need to have not just for piano recitals
you know you learn most from orchestral concerts
from chamber music from from songs so it's you
need to to love that as much as practicing you're
a great example I mean makes me think I should
be going to more concerts but um my goodness
any memorable ones I mean there must be dozens
but are there some that you were like they that
changed you Forever. I don't know. Let's face
it. We've got the best of the best in London.
And I think when Enescu's Oedipe was brought
to the Royal Opera House, for me as a Romanian,
that was something really incredible. It was
just fantastic. And I remember Yourofsky brought
the third symphony of Enescu at the Royal Festival
Hall. And that was just an extraordinary occasion.
Well, of course, you know, just every concert
you go to, you learn so much from it. That's
amazing. And talking about Romania, you're the
first female pianist to perform at the proms,
aren't you? First female Romanian pianist to
perform at the proms. Yes. I mean, it's so humbling.
It's so exciting. No pressure. Just to know that
from very far apart, honestly, I am stepping
in Radu Lupu's footsteps because he was the only
other Romanian that performed at the proms. And
it's really interesting because I was on a panel
for the Royal Philharmonic Society and we're
talking about nationality and identity, you know,
and I've lived in this country for more than
half of my life. You know, I've been British
for so long and it's so interesting, you know,
like no one chooses where they're born. That's
not something that you choose, but it's so important
when you live in a country, especially like Britain,
you know, to really get involved in everything.
And I really feel like. Like I am a Romanian,
but I am so proud to be British as well. And
it's an extraordinary combination of the both.
And I feel so, so lucky really and blessed that
I've had the best out of both cultures and being
able to train from the best in both countries
as well. I know, I agree. Did you ever hear Lupu
live? I did. And I met him and he took my hands.
Oh, my goodness. This was the last concert that
he did. He did Beethoven 4 with Pablo Yerby in
London. And it was his last performance in London.
And I went backstage and he took my hands and
he had the most velvety fingers. And it was sort
of like he gave me this giant hug and he said,
I've heard you Tchaikovsky. And I literally teared
up because I was like, I didn't even know he
knew of me. And he became ill. Well, he was already
ill, but he gave me his mobile number and he
said, just get in touch and I would love to hear
you. And it was sadly never happened because
he was so ill and he didn't do that towards the
end of his life. But it was just the most beautiful
encounter. What an amazing story. Because he
wasn't known to be very social either, was he?
So just to know you would be so... That was a
surprise. He was so, so sensitive and so generous.
And I remember there was a very big queue at
the festival hall, you know, and he just had
time to speak to everyone. And he was incredibly
kind. And I think, you know, any musician...
They're just opening their soul when they perform,
whether they like to do interviews or not, you
know, like you see their heart and soul when
they perform. And I think that was his, that
was such a beautiful thing from his character.
That's amazing. You're very lucky there. Now,
moving on more to today, you've become quite
an authoritative voice on women composers. It's
an important mission of yours, yes? It really
is because, you know, So let's put things in
perspective. Women were not allowed in the Berlin
Phil until 1982. Well, that was before I was
born. But Vienna Philharmonic was 1997. So if
you think about that, it's just unbelievable.
And I grew up like probably most of us with music
by Bach, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky,
you name it. All incredible voices and never
taken away any of their credit or anything. It
was only when I came to the RNCM that I actually
met a female composer. And it was Emily Howard
who actually wrote a concerto for me, Mesmerism,
that we performed with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.
And we recorded it and it received the British
Composer Award. And that was the first time when
I thought, whoa, women do write. And that was
the start of my journey. So this is really a
long time ago. And I've been very fortunate to...
to be invited to play with different orchestras.
The BBC Symphony for certain is just such a great
champion in promoting female composers. And they
opened up so many new horizons for me. The Nadia
Boulanger, I performed in London the first time
with them. It was at the Barbican. And there's
so many concertos like the Doreen Carwiden or
Leukadia Kasperova or Dora Pejacevic, Florence
Price, of course. There are incredible voices
that I really feel, especially in this day and
age when everyone is fighting for equality. It's
so important for us, especially in classical
music. We are a lot more behind than, let's say,
film or any other art industries. To give a voice
to... to women, to composers of colour, to any
other minorities that have not had the chance
to have their voices heard. So for me, it's not
taking away from the geniuses of male composers
that we've had in the past, but it's just giving
an equal voice to the other voices that really
need to be heard. Absolutely. And that's most
probably why in the 2024, the last Leeds International
Piano Competition, you... presented the inaugural
Alexander Dariuscu Award for an outstanding performance
of a work by a woman composer? I felt that was...
a really, I don't know, it was high time for
an award like that to take place. And I found
an amazing partner in the Leeds competition and
the team that is just so supportive. And, you
know, no one makes it on their own. So it's about
working together and collaborating and making
change, not just talking about it. And I feel
we need to start from a really young age with
this award. Of course, there was a financial
incentive, but there were performing opportunities
as well, solo. as well as concertos. And I think
if you give that incentive to a young artist,
well, the result was very clear because most
of them chose to perform a work by a female composer
in the competition. So that's slowly changing
the perspective. And I think the younger generation
nowadays has a different upbringing than we did.
We didn't know of all of these female composers,
whereas the Donne Foundation has more than 5
,000 female composers on their website. Which
foundation? Donne Foundation, D -O -N -N -E.
Okay. It's a brilliant foundation that basically
amplifies the voices of female composers. And
there are so many out there, you know, it's not
that... oh, there's no directory or there's no
research done into this. No, there is. And it's
a choice. But that's why I feel if we introduce
that from a young age, then the students learn
this repertoire, then the orchestras will program
it, then radio presenters will talk about it,
then radio orchestras will program it and so
on and so on. So that's why it's very much...
this this initiative that i really think it's
it's it's changing things and we will continue
with it for sure which was the piece then in
the leads in the 2024 which was the piece that
the winner of that award who was the composer
it was it was junian who won the second prize
and she won my award uh and she performed okay
that was the piece that she she won with and
she was a fantastic fantastic performer and i
think she's got a great career ahead of her absolutely
absolutely and talking about lead still um anything
about 2027 that's the next edition isn't there
anything you'd like to divulge i know you presented
at the 2024 um competition i know uh yeah 2027
is happening quite soon anything you'd like to
say about it Well, I'm thrilled I'll be joining
Petroc Trelawney again and we will be co -presenting
together, which will be such. I mean, I adored
working with him and of course with the whole
team of the leads. But I've learned so much from
Petroc and he's just so charismatic and energetic.
And my goodness, so much to learn from him. So
I'm thrilled they've asked me again. It was my
first time presenting. So that was a baptism
by fire. Really? Yes, it was extraordinary. It
was such a cool experience. I remember the first
session, it was sort of Petrok leading on all
the questions. And the second day, they gave
me a tiny little segment. And the third day,
they were like, okay, go backstage and do an
interview on your own. So I felt, well, yes,
Haram, doing something right. Excellent. But
no, it was great energy. And of course, the competitors
were fantastic. And I mean, it's the place to
be in September, really. Yes, absolutely. And
it'll come about so quickly now. We're already,
yeah. Oh, I know. Just time flies. It really
does. Absolutely, absolutely does. And now onto
your recordings. I mean... You've come up with
such lovely, interesting recordings such as The
Nutcracker and I and A Child's Dream. Which was
first? It was The Nutcracker and I, wasn't it?
It was, yes. I mean, The Nutcracker and I is
a production. It was the first time when I was
a producer. It was the biggest undertaking of
my entire life, honestly. And we did the world
premiere of this production for Piano Ballerina
in digital animation in 2017, which seems like
100 years ago. And ever since the premiere, so
we did this audio book as well with Lindsay Russell,
who was on Blue Peter. She was the presenter
on Blue Peter. This incredible show, I mean,
it's a piano recital really with one ballerina
that plays Clara and all the other characters,
they're digitally animated. So we incorporated
very cool technology in order to attract the
younger generation in the concert hall and to
build bridges for those that were perhaps new
to classical music. And it's been an... Unbelievable
journey. I mean, I could have never in my wildest
dreams hoped or dreamt that it would be such
a huge success. And we've traveled the entire
world with it. That's amazing. And do you travel
with the ballet dancer or do you? It's the three
of us. So it's the nutcracker for three people.
Myself, the ballerina and the technical producer.
And we set up and then we normally do two performances
in a day because the recital is 50 minutes. It's
the hardest piece of music I've ever played because
it's all the Pletnev and the Percy Granger arrangements.
So it's not an easy piece whatsoever. But it's
incredible. And the most fulfilling thing for
me was, one, to travel the world with it, but
second, to see three or even four generations
from the same family at the same piano recital,
which, let's face it, it doesn't happen. So it
shows that when you use technology in a constructive
way and when music is still at the forefront.
let's face it, us artists, we are storytellers.
So if we're actually taking the audience on a
journey and we're showcasing what we're imagining
and it's inspiring and beautiful, then you see
grandparents with their grandchildren coming
at the same show, essentially. And it's been
the ride of my life. We celebrated 100... 100th
performance back at Milton Court at the Barbican
last December. And we keep on going. It's the
ninth year that we're touring this Christmas.
And actually, we're doing it at the Colmar Festival
in France in July. So it doesn't have to be around
Christmas time then. I don't know. That's remarkable.
It seems that every single idea you have just
becomes a huge success. Isn't that amazing? It
must be your passion. Your passion. A lot of
passion. It's relentless work. I'm not going
to lie. But of course, they say, you know, when
you do what you love, it's not really work. But
there is a lot of work. And I'm very blessed
because I have an incredible team behind me that
really help. And I just believe so much in teamwork.
But I think artists nowadays, you know, it's
all about... creating and coming up with new
ideas and even with the recordings a child's
dream this was basically one of my most special
recordings. And it was recorded with the Academy
of St. Martin in the Fields, an orchestra that
I basically grew up listening to. And I never
imagined I would record with them. But the reason
why I called this album A Child's Dream is because
it was 30 years since my debut with the orchestra.
And that's why we recorded the Mozart Rondo.
And it was sort of going back in time to the
very, very beginning and reflecting on my goodness,
that tiny little child who was nine. And when
I stepped on stage as a nine -year -old, I tripped
and I fell and the music stands were on the floor
and the sheet music was flying and the conductor
thought that was the end of it and my mum all
the time. hard to type um but in those situations
you either start crying and you give up or you
pick yourself up and that's what i did of course
and that was the best lesson i could have had
from the very beginning that if you fall and
we all do physically or otherwise you have to
pick yourself up and keep going and um yeah going
back on this album um a child's dream recording
most of the encores that have been with me from
the beginning um a lot of female composers a
lot of composers of color a lot of we had four
premieres on this on this disc and it's basically
a showcase of a concerto and chamber music and
solo pieces. So it's, it's, it's what I do now.
So it was a beautiful celebration, you know,
for number 10. And of course, number 11 is coming
in September. So quickly. And that's Doreen Carr
-Whitham. A British composer, Doreen Carr -Whitham,
who was all only known as the wife of William
Alwyn. And she wrote a brilliant 30 -minute concerto
in 1948. We performed it actually at the Barbican
with the BBC Symphony and with Manchester Camerata.
And I'm thrilled that... And this disc is happening
and it's coming out on the 4th of September.
Yes. So a month after the proms. Brilliant. It's
an incredible piece. You know, Doreen Carwithin
was the first composer for film, female composer
for film. And she actually won so many awards.
But because she got married, then she thought
she had to be in the shadows of her husband.
So it's... It's wonderful to be able to give
her her voice back and do this recording. And
it was a brilliant collaboration with Manchester
Camerata and John Andrews, the conductor. So,
yeah, I can't wait for this match live. Can't
wait to hear it. Not long now. You've wrapped
it up then. You've done the edits and everything.
It's, yeah. It's almost. receiving life as it
is I mean you are very busy you're performing
a lot you're recording a lot but you you obviously
find the time to take your role as a teacher
seriously your professor at the Guildhall school
um you you find it important to teach yeah I
do yes I started four years ago I had I had the
job at the RNCM for two years and then the traveling
was just insane from London to Manchester and
then going on tour the next day so I am at the
Guildhall now and it's that's where I did my
master's so it's actually so nice to come back
in a different capacity in a different role and
it's tough I'm not gonna lie because you it's
one -to -one teaching and I do take mostly post
-grad students or artist diploma um but and I've
got a small class I've got four students but
they require a lot and everyone's so different
and you have to be tuned in into their psychology
and I think the younger generation are very different
than how we were as students you know yeah and
um in some good ways in in my opinion, not such
good ways, but it's about tailoring your teaching.
to each of them and trying, encouraging them
to be on their unique path because no one can
imitate someone else's journey and think, oh,
I want to be exactly like that. It's about them
finding their own voice. And I think the sooner
they find their musical identity, the better
it is. It's becoming increasingly harder and
harder, I feel, for the young generation. But
in the same time, you know, Sir Clive Gillinson
from the Carnegie Hall, he said this. no better
time to be an artist than now and I think we
need to have that positive outlook as well you
know and yes the the industry has changed so
much because 20 30 years ago you did one competition
or you did one wig more or one concert and you
got an amazing review in the times and your career
was set whereas nowadays there's so many competition
winners you know like they win 10 12 of them
and they don't actually have a career yes It's
so important to find whatever you believe in
and what you're good at as well, because as a
first year undergrad, everyone wants to play
the big Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky and everything.
And you don't even know whether you're. physicality
will help you yeah you have to think from so
many different perspectives you know to see what
actually suits you not just what you love listening
to so um it's it's a fascinating process and
i believe i'm learning as much as the students
as much as i'm learning from the students as
much as they learn from me and it's It's definitely
a two -way relationship. And I love the Guildhall,
I have to say. It's very close to home as well.
So I just go on my bike. Oh, is it? You live
in the neighborhood? You live in that neighborhood?
I live, yeah, very centrally so that I'm close
to any airports and transport. But no, it's brilliant
to do that. It takes a lot of energy, but it's
actually quite humbling and quite... grounding
especially after so many touring so much touring
oh wonderful i'm so glad you're enjoying it now
as we're coming towards the end this is whizzing
through of course i i'd like to ask you some
questions to round things off it there's some
light -hearted questions and if you just answer
them off the cuff yeah OK, so here we go. Here's
the first one. If you could play only one composer
from now on, who would it be? Mozart. Why? Because
you've got everything in Mozart. And when you're
a child, you think that's the easiest thing that
you can play. And when you're an adult, it's
the most difficult. But you've got joy, which
I really believe we all need in our lives. You've
got sorrow. You've got everything in it. So,
yes. Fantastic. I like that. One pianist, dead
or alive, you'd travel long and far to hear?
Dino Lipati. Oh. You'd listen to his recordings,
obviously. Oh, my goodness, yes. I would. Oh.
Yes, it would have been amazing to be around
him. What do you think was so special about his
interpretation? The sound. I think that was the
most unique thing. And his way of phrasing, but
the sound, the voicing. And it's very much like
Radalupo, you know, when he voiced, when he played
the chord. I mean, that had meaning. Every single
note spoke. Yes. Yes. Fantastic. Okay. One person,
dead or alive, you'd love to play for. Nadia
Boulanger. She probably would have ripped me
to bits. I would have loved to play to her for
sure. I mean, she's known as one of the greatest
influences on all musicians in the last hundred
years. I would have loved to be in her presence,
even from afar. No, she was a very tough cookie.
Yes. But I think I would have learned a lot from
her. Yeah. OK, wonderful. Do you have any technical
struggles? Well, it was interesting in my upbringing,
I had two brilliant teachers, but we always went
through the technicality of any piece by working
on sound. So I was never I was only sent one
summer away to learn the complete journey, which
I did. I mean, hell, I'm not going to lie. technique
for me was never taught separately was always
part of the piece and part of the storytelling
and working through yeah very good answer very
good answer what would be your advice to an amateur
pianist about how to improve even if you practice
a very short amount of time, it's perseverance,
it's consistency. And always start with the most
difficult passage. I know it's so easy to start
at the beginning because we know that bit, but
do start with the most difficult ones. And if
you do a mistake, don't think that it will automatically
correct itself. Just spend a bit of time and
slow practice. And I think this is valid for
amateur pianists, but also for students and for
anyone, you know. Any musician, slow practice
does it. Right. The hardest parts first. It's
difficult, isn't it? Okay. If you weren't a pianist,
what would you be? See, we went through COVID.
We went through so many challenges. And whatever
the challenges, I could never be anything else.
I've never, ever thought of becoming anything
else. Oh, my goodness. It's a calling. I really
believe that. It's not something that you just
decide to do. It's something that it's in you.
And as I said, I felt so blessed from a really
young age to know what I want to do. But it's
the same. The feeling is the same and it's the
same curiosity and energy that I get every morning
to practice, to live out of a suitcase and everything.
So I love this lifestyle. It's not a job. It's
interesting. I wonder what would have happened
if you hadn't been singing in those choirs when
you were a little girl. I know. I know. But,
you know, I never went to become a singer or
anything. Like even if we started with singing,
it was the piano. It was like as if it was just
meant to be. Wow. Yeah. Wonderful. Last question.
One composer you're not quite ready to tackle.
I'm still staying away from Schubert. And probably
there will be lots of time when I'm a bit wiser,
when I'm a bit older, when, I don't know, it's
just opening your heart in a completely different
way when you play Schubert. So I'm still not...
not tackling it. I've studied a lot of his sonatas
and impromptus and everything, but I'm not actively
performing them at the moment. It's a bit scary,
Schubert, isn't it? Mind you, Mozart really is
scary, but there's something about Schubert,
it's that same subtlety and every note matters,
but it does with every composer, doesn't it?
Oh, God! Well, listen, it's been wonderful speaking
to you. I know you're very busy because I think
you're off on tour shortly, aren't you? Yes,
it's a really busy time. But, you know, summer
festivals, they're always happening. And I'm
doing six different programs in the next six
weeks, culminating with the proms. But it's...
It's really cool. I'm very excited. Just before
the proms, four days before I'm in the US, performing
James Lee III, an Afro -American composer who
wrote a concerto for me, which we premiered with
Detroit and BBC Phil. And because it's the 250th
US Independence anniversary, we're performing
this concerto. And it's a mammoth piece. It's
about 37 minutes and it's a war horse. And I'm
performing that in Santa Cruz. And then literally,
as soon as I finish, whizzing to the airport,
San Francisco, London, and I go straight into
rehearsals for the proms with a heartache. You
better get over your jet lag. I think the adrenaline
and the energy, you know, the excitement of playing
at the proms will just carry me through. So very
exciting few weeks coming up. Well, that sounds
wonderful. I must say this conversation has been
very exciting. Thank you. I love the questions.
Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And I'll
definitely be there on the 5th of August at the
proms. So, yeah, I really look forward to it.
Everybody get your tickets now. But thanks so
much for speaking to me today, Alex. Thank you
so, so much. Loved it. And good luck with the
whole of the summer. Thank you. Bye bye. That
was Germaine Taillefer's Romance and it was performed
by Alexandra D 'Ariescu. Pianist podcasts are
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