White Rock Theatre piano

Historic moment for Hastings and White Rock Theatre

At 7pm on Saturday 4 March, Hastings’ famous White Rock Theatre will once again be the location of a national radio broadcast, after Classic FM confirmed that they will be recording for later broadcast Hastings International Piano’s Prize Winners’ Gala Concert. Dominika Hicks writes. All photos by Peter Mould.

In the early part of the 20th Century, Hastings played a host to many of the worlds finest classical musicians including Rachmaninoff, Horowitz and founder of the BBC Proms, Sir Henry Wood. To celebrate Hastings’ classical music pedigree, the BBC would often record concerts in Hastings for broadcast, including a special Christmas Eve broadcast in 1933.

Shunta Morimoto

Hastings International Piano are thrilled to be carrying on this tradition, when we welcome the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and pianists, Shunta Morimoto and Mariamna Sherling back to the historic White Rock Theatre for a special Prizewinners’ Gala Concert. These young pianists thrilled the capacity audience with their performances in the final of the 16th Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition in March 2022.

Mariamna Sherling

PROGRAMME
Dvorak Carnival Overture
Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 (Shunta Morimoto)
Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet
Rachmaninov Paganini Variations (Mariamna Sherling)

The White Rock Theatre has hosted performances by Rachmaninov, Clifford Curzon, Harriet Cohen and many other luminaries of the piano world since its opening as a state-of-the art performing and recording venue in 1927.

White Rock Theatre

The Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition has evolved from its earliest days as part of Hastings Music Festival to become an internationally-renowned competition for young concert pianists from around the world. The Sixteenth Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition took place for the first time in both Rye at Rye Creative Centre (Stage 1) and Hastings, at the White Rock Theatre from 24 February to 5 March 2022.

https://www.hastingsinternationalpiano.org/concerto-competition/
https://www.hastingsinternationalpiano.org/
Facebook @HastingsConcertoCompetition
Instagram @hastingspianoconcerto
Twitter @hipc

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