St Mary’s Church, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EB. Doors open 6.30pm. Refreshments.

A magic combination of four hands on one keyboard, this extraordinary piano duo brings us a monumental arrangement of Holst’s The Planets in the first half with a delightful selection of pieces after the interval. We welcome Imma for the first time but Nigel is not a stranger to Hay Music and we look forward to his return.

Tickets: tba

Programme

Gustav Holst:  The Planets, Op. 32

Emmanuel Chabrier/André Messager:  España

Philip Wilby:  Diptych

Sergei Rachmaninoff/Philip G Anderson:  Vocalise

Sergei Rachmaninoff:  Italian Polka

Sergei Rachmaninoff:  Slava, Op. 11 No. 6

Claude Debussy:  Dialogue du vent et de la mer

For Nigel and Imma, bringing Classical Music to a wider audience in an engaging way has always been at the heart of their work together. Recently they have been touring the complete Planets by Holst in his anniversary year across the country and abroad. They have also been engaged in a number of cross-arts projects, one of the most significant ones has been Debussy La Mer working with visual art and dancers at the Turner Contemporary Gallery, for Trinity Laban Arts Festival and the Deal Festival. Together they have performed recitals at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, St John’s Smith Square in London, Cowdray Hall in Scotland, various music clubs and festivals across the UK, as well as in collaboration with a choir (Joyful Company of Singers), with the Musical Rainbow Ensemble for a programme based on Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince, Kings’ Chamber Orchestra in Jersey, and supporting charities such as Everyone Matters, The Hunger Project and Aid to the Church in Need. Extremely keen to expand repertoire for piano duet, they have commissioned and premiered pieces by Philip Wilby, Paul Robinson, Jean-Francois Michel, and in conjunction with Celebrating Australian Music, premiered a piece by Wendy Hiscocks. Both share a love of teaching and have designed several courses/workshops in piano duet, chamber music, solo piano and Art of Teaching for aspiring musicians.