Perth pianist Alasdair Beatson whetted appetites in Perth Concert Hall when he served up the first offering in the 2010 Lunchtime Concert Series with his opening performance as artist in residence.
Joining Alasdair in a tasty selection of trios by Haydn, Schubert and Schumann were Jonathan Morton (violin) and Alison Lawrance (cello) from the Scottish Ensemble.
The perfect antidote to the winter blues, Perth Concert Hall Lunchtime Concerts are an excellent way to escape the daily grind, grab a bite to eat and spend a relaxing hour in the company of fellow music lovers. The Classical Club from 12pm on Lunchtime Concert days is an opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and chat, over lunch about music, exhibitions and concert programmes.
The next Lunchtime Concert takes place on Monday 8 February and features soloists from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra playing works by Stravinsky, Bartok and Milhaud.
And, on Monday 15 February, Alasdair Beatson will dish up an hour of thrilling duo playing with violinist Pekka Kuusisto in another Lunchtime Concert.
During his residency in Perth Concert Hall, Alasdair, a former Perth Academy pupil, will play solo and with a variety of his favourite chamber music partners, exploring works from the Romantic repertoire with some delightful surprises along the way.
Highly regarded as a distinctive and accomplished musician, Alasdair continues to make an impact on the classical music scene. He has received awards from the Kirckman Concert Society, the Philip and Dorothy Green (Making Music) Award for Young Artists and in 2003 won the 2nd Prize in the China Shanghai International Piano Competition.
He said:
"It's a great privilege to come back and play a series of concerts on home turf - the enthusiasm and warmth of Perth audiences have always made them lovely to play for, and the exceptional piano and acoustics of Perth Concert Hall make performing there a true joy. Needless to say, I'm hugely looking forward to my time here - having rather self-indulgently chosen much of my favourite repertoire and chamber musicians to appear alongside, how could I not?"
Welcoming Alasdair back to the Fair City, James Waters, creative director for classical music at Horsecross Arts said:
"2010 is shaping up to be a memorable year in terms of classical music in Perth Concert Hall. We are delighted to welcome Alasdair as our artist in residence, he is hugely popular with our audiences and we expect a great reaction to his exciting programme. We are also looking forward to Llŷr Williams' epic journey through Beethoven's piano sonatas, visits from all of Scotland's national orchestras and a host of other treats - so watch this space!"
For details on Alasdair Beatson's residency in Perth, a full list of Lunchtime Concerts plus other classical highlights including Llŷr Williams' Beethoven challenge which starts on Tuesday 2 February, visit http://www.horsecross.co.uk/. Tickets are available both from the website and by calling Horsecross Box Office on 01738 621 031.