Nicola Lisle on this summer’s nine-day piano jamboree

It’s late July, so it must be time for the Piano Festival. A regular fixture on Oxford’s cultural calendar since 1999, the Oxford Philomusica’s Piano Festival and Summer Academy attracts students, professional pianists and distinguished professors from across the globe, resulting in a glorious, nine-day celebration of the piano.

New this year is the inclusion of a choral work, Mozart’s Requiem, in the concert line-up, featuring London-based choir Echoris and legendary pianist Menahem Pressler, who will also play Mozart’s Piano Concerto no.23 in A Major, K488. Soloists for the Requiem are Julia Kogan (soprano), Katie Bray (mezzo), James Edwards (tenor) and Quentin Hayes (baritone).

Marios Papadopoulos, who will conduct the concert, is delighted to see Menahem back at the festival.

“He made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic this year, and immediately the offer came to become artist in residence,” he says. “So welcoming him back to Oxford after that huge success of his is particularly nice for us.”

Other popular pianists and professors returning this year include Steven Kovacevich, John Lill, Neil Immelman and Dame Fanny Waterman, but there are some exciting new names among the galaxy of stars.

“We have a legendary professor of the piano, Ferenc Rados, the teacher of András Schiff, so András will try to come and hear his recital,” Marios says. “I’m immensely looking forward to Rados’s class, because my music education was from Hungarian teachers.”

Oxford Mail:
Return: Stephen Kovacevich

But of course the Piano Festival isn’t just about today’s stars — it is also about the stars of tomorrow. Marios had a record number of applications for this year’s Summer Academy, and for the first time there is an upper age limit of 26 to encourage a greater number of young prodigies to come along.

“We have retired a number of recurring students who have been with us four or five years, simply to give the new blood a chance. So we’ll be seeing a lot of new faces.”

Some of the youngest participants come from Lang Lang International Music Foundation in New York, which was formed in 2008 to make classical music more accessible to children and to encourage young talent to flourish.

“They send three or four of their scholars each year, so with the two or three that we select anyway from the younger category we have probably a third of the students being aged between eight and 12. The rest are more senior.”

Despite the latest innovations, the festival has changed little in 16 years and Marios is happy to stick with what he sees as a winning formula.

“I am not somebody who is interested in change for the sake of change. If something works, it works.

“I think I would like to bring back more chamber music, and some more lieder accompaniment so people can view the piano in that role, and maybe have a class of violin and piano.

“But the festival is still attracting more and more visitors, particularly from overseas, so I think we’ve got it about right. I’m looking forward to hearing the youngsters from New York, as they always promise to be very exciting, and working with Menahem Pressler again. I don’t think there will be any dull moments!”

Oxford Philomusica Piano Festival and Summer Academy 
Various venues
July 27 to August 4
Call 01865 980980 or visit www.oxfordphil.com