Here is a great new series of concerts which are taking place throughout the year and are to be held at London’s Conway Hall, WC1. This free series aims to bring music to all, removing the barriers to classical music and offering a unique take on the classical recital experience. Each concert will be followed by a Q&A with the artist and a complimentary drinks reception.

Event Manager, Louise Greener says: “We’ve taken away the stage so the audience can get up close with the artist in-the-round and discover new and interesting repertoire from a breathtakingly close vantage point. It’s about presenting the absolute joy of live music in an informal, sociable and intimate light.”

“The Q&A which follows each recital will bring the programme notes to life, and find out why the artist has chosen the repertoire, what it means to them, how it fits in to their life story and the challenges they face in performing the music; in short we’re bringing the types of interviews we would usually conduct in the magazine off the page and in to the concert hall, in the context of a real life recital. So it’s very much a case of ‘here’s the artist, here’s the music, and here’s the meaning behind it all’.”

One of the inaugural artists, Julian Lloyd Webber says: “We are delighted to be the first musicians in this new ‘rush hour’ series. These are exactly the kind of initiatives needed to bring new audiences to classical music. It will be a very informal concert and we will introduce all the music as we go along.”

Despite a backdrop of funding cuts and uncertainty, and in a period of increasing pressure to justify the value of the arts, Rhinegold Publishing is launching this new series simply because it believes that fine musicians playing wonderful music should be within reach of all.

Rhinegold seeks to provide a uniquely personal experience, where leading artists choose their own repertoire and talk with the audience to explain why the pieces have been chosen, and the meaning behind their interpretation.

“Live classical music is too often a remote and impersonal experience”, says Rhinegold Publishing’s managing director Ciaran Morton, adding “we seek to humanise and personalise the recital experience, enlightening and welcoming a new audience while delivering artistically to our existing readers. I believe this new concert series is a logical extension of all the good work Rhinegold has done for the classical music sector over the years.”

There will be six concerts per year and the first Rhinegold LIVE artists will be cellists Julian & Jiaxin Lloyd Webber and their accompanist Pam Chowhan, who will perform on April 3rd 2014 at 6.30pm (concert starts at 7.15). Together they present a brand-new concert featuring world premiere performances of duets for two cellos with piano as well as featuring music from the great composers across the classical spectrum from Vivaldi to Arvo Pärt, Dvořák, Bach, Rachmaninov, Saint-Saëns, and many more. The Q&A will be conducted by Keith Clarke, Consultant Editor of Classical Music magazine.

The second concert of the season features renowned conductor Andrew Litton, who returns to his first love – the piano – for this very special recital. Based on scores transcribed by fellow pianist Steven Osborne, the programme spans four decades of Oscar Peterson’s legacy and launches Andrew’s forthcoming CD release, A Tribute to Oscar Peterson. The concert will be held on Monday June 2nd 2014 at 6.30pm. The Q&A will be conducted by Claire Jackson, Editor of International Piano magazine.

Publications

Melanie Spanswick has written and published a wide range of courses, anthologies, examination syllabuses, and text books, including Play it again: PIANO (published by Schott Music). This best-selling graded, progressive piano course contains a large selection of repertoire featuring a huge array of styles and genres, with copious practice tips and suggestions for every piece.

For more information, please visit the publications page, here.