Anton Lyakovsky playing last weekend at the second Phoenix Paino Series recital. He gave three encores to the enthusiastic audience (photo: Jonathan Bruce).

Two more recitals in Phoenix Piano Series

After a successful opening last weekend, the inaugural season of the Phoenix Piano Series concludes at the Opus Theatre this weekend, with recitals by Sunny Li and Oliver Poole. Nick Terdre reports.

The Phoenix Piano Series has been established by composer Polo Piatti and Richard Dain, the owner of Kent-based Phoenix Pianos, to bring world-class pianists to audiences in Hastings at accessible prices.

Friday’s recital at the Opus Theatre in the town centre will be given by Chinese pianist Sunny Li, who has made a mark in Britain since she came to study at the Royal Academy of Music, Royal Northern College of Music and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

In addition to receiving the highest degrees in music performance and an artist’s diploma, she has had lessons and master classes with leading pianists such as Daniel Barenboim, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Christopher Elton and Mitsuko Uchida.

Sunny has released several albums, including Sunny Li Piano, which was selected as Amazon’s best selling classical album. A video of her published by Classic FM attracted over a million views, causing a social media storm.

On her first visit to Hastings she will play a programme which includes Ravel, Liszt, Bridge and Beethoven.

Oliver Poole

Saturday’s recital features Oliver Poole, who, having been appointed Opus Theatre’s artist in residence, will no doubt be making further appearances here. At age seven he became the youngest winner of the EPTA – European Piano Teachers Association – trophy. He retained the trophy the following year, when he also made his first performance with the National Youth Orchestra.

Oliver has made his name in Russia, performing at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire, touring Siberia and founding the Siberian Appeal charity. He has been rcognised by the Russian parliament for services to music and charitable projects.

He is an enthusiastic supporter of charities, which include Unesco, Children in Need, the UN World Food Programme and Unicef, and regularly performs at international fundraisers.

Oliver’s programme will include works by Bach, Rachmaninoff and Liszt.

The first concerts in the Phoenix Piano Series were given last weekend by Nicholas McCarthy and Anton Lyakovsky. “It was a fantastic start to the new series,” Polo told HOT. “Both recitals were outstanding and the audience received the performances with admiration and passion.

“Anton Lyakovsky, for example, got a standing ovation and performed three encores to an incredibly grateful audience!”

Phoenix Piano Series Recitals by Sunny Li on Friday 20 April and Oliver Poole on Saturday 21 April. Both start at 7.30pm in the Opus Theatre, entrance at 24-25 Cambridge Street, Hastings TN34 1DS (opposite ESK). All tickets are £15, available at the venue 30 minutes before the concert or in advance from Hastings Tourist Information Centre, Muriel Matters House, 2 Breeds Place, Hastings TN34 3AA, by calling 07384 640 837 or online at www.opustheatre.co.uk.

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