Beatrice Rana gives her BBC Proms debut tonight, 24 July!

 

The Italian pianist will play Schumann Piano Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sir Andrew Davis

 

Beatrice Rana first fell in love with Schumann’s romantic piano concerto when she was a teenager and she badgered her teacher to let her play it. ‘But he said it was too early and I had to wait,’ the Italian pianist recalls. ‘I was so frustrated, but now I think him, as it’s a very special and delicate concerto that requires maturity.’

The 24-year-old Rana, who was our issue 87 Cover, is now ready! This will be her BBC Proms debut.

 

To discover a more personal side to Beatrice, here are some questions we asked her some months back: 

 

If you could play only one piece in the whole repertoire from now on, what would it be?

Bach: Goldberg Variations.

Watch her play the stunning opening here, recorded for Warner Classics: 

 

 

If you could play only one composer from now on, which would it be?

Bach.

 

One pianist, dead or alive, you’d travel long and far to hear?

Vladimir Horowitz.

 

One concert hall you’d love to play in?

The Berlin Philharmonie.

 

Any technical struggles?

Trills, because in our school of pianism we had Aldo Ciccolini who had magnificent trills, and if I can’t do trills like his then I’m not satisfied!

 

What would be your advice to amateur pianist about how to improve?

Don’t let yourself be destroyed by technical struggles – that’s our business.

 

If you weren’t a pianist, what would you be?

Space Woman! I would love to have been an astronaut or astrophysicist.

 

One person you’d love to play for?

Krystian Zimerman.

 

One composer you’re not quite ready to tackle?

Brahms.

 

Beatrice Rana appears at the BBC Proms, tonight 24 July. Tickets are still available!  You can also hear the concert live on BBC Radio 3.

 

Pianist 87 is still available as a digital back issue!