Mark Bebbington - Pianograms II: Island Stories

The second concert in this lyrical series, Island Stories takes a journey to timeless fantasies inspired by remote seascapes. Eric Satie’s mysterious Gnossiennes are thought to have been inspired by Crete and its rich history of mythology, while his quirkier Embryons Desséchés are witty portraits of crustaceans and sea cucumbers, full of jokes and imagination. Closer to home, Sarnia is John Ireland’s colourful and uplifting tribute to the shoreline, skies and rolling tides of Guernsey, under enemy occupation in 1940. These evocative island scenes are framed with Nocturnes by Fauré and Chopin, by turns ecstatic and gentle, and the darkness and light of Franck’s Prelude, Choral et Fugue. Full of sea change, this rich and romantic programme ends with the storm and unrest of Chopin’s passionate Ballade No 1.

Mark Bebbington (“Truly a remarkable pianist” - The Times) has fast emerged as one of Britain’s most distinctive and innovative pianists, internationally acclaimed for his performances and recordings. Mark has recently toured Europe with the Czech National Orchestra and Israel with the Israel Camerata, and he performs as a soloist in the US and UK with the Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic and Buffalo Orchestras.