Brilliant Japanese pianist, Maki Sekiya, presents a recital that juxtaposes two Shostakovich piano sonatas with Russian contemporary pieces. ‘Yarilo’ by Moscow-trained composer, Nikolay Korndorf, is one of the great classics of Russian contemporary keyboard music. Maki will be joined for the pieces by Yusopova and Popoff by the exceptional theremin player, Lydia Kavina, for an exclusive performance of this rarely played instrument.

Programme:

Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1

Iraida Yusopova: Kitezh-19

Nikolai Korndorf: Yarilo

Andrew Popoff: Wind from the East

Pavlenko: La musique a bis

Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 2 

MAKI SEKIYA

Japanese virtuoso pianist Maki Sekiya has had a successful international career based in Russia and in Japan, after graduating from the Moscow Conservatoire, where she studied with legendary Vera V. Gornostayeva. She recently returned to live in the United Kingdom, where she had studied during her teenage years at the Purcell school. Since then she has received outstanding reviews for her UK concerts. Maki's extensive repertoire ranges from the Baroque to new 21st century works. She regularly collaborates with well-established composers and delivers world premiere performances, including pieces written especially for her or dedicated to her.

LYDIA KAVINA

Born in Moscow and currently living in Oxfordshire, UK, Lydia Kavina is one of the world’s leading performers of the theremin. She began studying the theremin at the age of 9 under the direction of Léon Theremin, who was first cousin of her grandfather.  Five years later she was ready to give her first theremin concert, which marked the beginning of her exceptional career that has so far led to more than a thousand concerts and theatre, radio and television performances of classic and contemporary music, throughout the world.