Pianist Martin Roscoe at Wigmore Hall and Ribble Valley Piano Week

First you can hear him at the Wigmore Hall, London, on 20 June, with an all-Beethoven sonatas programme. Then there’s the Ribble Valley International Piano Week, which runs 8–14 July 2012, and of which he’s Artistic Director

‘We look forward to returning to Westholme Theatre for our second year, after the success of last year’s festival. In this my 60th year, we welcome musicians from around the world to take us on what promises to be a wonderful journey of musical discovery’, says Martin Roscoe, Artistic Director.

And of his London recital the month before, Roscoe adds, ‘As I have been immersed in recording the complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas for Deux-Elles for five years, it seemed only natural that I should programme four of these most enduring of masterpieces to celebrate my 60^th Birthday at Wigmore Hall.’

Again, Yamaha generously sponsors the event at Ribble Valley International Piano Week. Yamaha spokesperson Leanne Barrell says, ‘Ribble Valley International Piano Week is a very special event in the UK music calendar; we are delighted to continue our long standing partnership by providing the new CFX grand piano.’
Opening the week on the evening of 8 July is a two-piano concert by Peter Donohoe and Martin Roscoe. They celebrate over 30 years of playing 2 piano repertoire together, with music by Brahms, Bernstein, featured composer Debussy, and Ravel.  
On 9 July Ian Buckle plays a lunchtime recital covering 400 years of music composed between 1612 (Byrd), 1712 (Couperin), 1812 (Beethoven) and 1912 (Debussy).
Jin Ju will play on 11 July – works including Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Sonata op 28, music by Debussy, and a generous selection of favourites by Chopin. Clare Hammond plays on 11 July (lunchtime) with music by Bach, Liszt, Satie and more Debussy. Swedish pianist Martin Sturfält makes a welcome return on the evening of 12 July, with Beethoven, Bach arranged by Liszt, Debussy, Schumann and virtuoso fireworks courtesy of Vladimir Horowitz based on music from Bizet’s opera Carmen. The lunchtime recital on 13 July is given by young Estonian pianist Mihkel Poll. He will play sonatas by Mozart and Brahms, and Chopin’s Fourth Ballade. For the final evening, 14 July, the gala concert is performed by the Vertavo Quartet and Martin Roscoe.

Visit the Ribble Valley website for full details and tickets