You've heard of drum circles, but have you ever seen a grand piano circle?
The Australian National Academy of Music is showcasing the dynamism of classical music with Piano Pictures, a concert featuring a sextet of seasoned pianists breathing new life into prominent compositions.
Piano Pictures will see the stage of South Melbourne Town Hall filled with six grand pianos assembled in a circle as leading pianists Lisa Moore and Timothy Young guide the intricate ensemble of keys across a curated selection of compositions.
The evening will open with two American modern classics; John Adams’ Hallelujah Junction and Steve Riech’s minimalistic Six Pianos – two contrasting compositions highlighting the dexterity of the genre.
From there, the troupe will explore Ben Wallace’s epic Fryderyc Chopin’s Psychaedelic Technicolor ‘Lectro-Funk-Core Superstarlit Ultra-Throwdown on op. 28 no. 4 in an Australian premiere – taking Chopin’s romantic classic Prelude in E minor and painting it with smooth groove – before closing with Paul Kerekes’ arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
“Keep in mind piano sextet repertoire is not something you just pick up at your local music store,” says Lisa Moore of Piano Pictures. “The majority of these works have been written, or arranged, especially for my piano sextet in New York City, Grand Band.”
Set to be an electrifying occasion, Piano Pictures is a tribute to the artistry of the classical genre through unique renditions of mesmeric piano arrangements. Showcasing the vibrancy of classical music by introducing compositions into a contemporary context, Piano Pictures is bound to set your senses abuzz.
