Pianist Kenny Fu offers Worthing concert

Co-producer Richard Amey said: “Kenny was selected at age 16 to first study at London’s Royal Academy under the Sir Elton John Scholarship. He was the only pianist picked that 2010s year. And he will do his own improvisation spot during this highly-unusual and deeply-anticipated appearance. He’ll twice ask his audience for help. First to provide notes or a theme for him to improvise on. Second to choose a movement from Beethoven’s mountainous Hammerklavier Sonata because it’s too long to perform in full at the exclusion of other things, and the whole work means something especially personal to him.

This humanisation of otherwise distant classical musicians, and their immediate connection more intimately with their audience – beyond simply playing to them nourishing music, close-up, in the round – is the much-cherished currency and social communion of the Interview Concerts. They are exclusive to Worthing. As are their audience features. ‘Choose One Taster Movement from a Big Sonata’ will be Kenny Fu’s own contribution to that stock, of which Mystery Music (started in 2018 by Rhythmie Wong) is a regular. Here, the guest artist asks the listeners to try identifying a short, unnamed piece.

Kenny’s show is called ‘sparks fly through autumn glow’. We can anticipate cracklings from two unannounced pieces he is going to unleash during the programme. The glow comes from universally beloved late Brahms, in Nos 1 and 2 of his Three Intermezzi Opus 117 plus his Intermezzo No 2 and Ballade from the Six Pieces Opus 118.

His other declared work is by the London-based Russian, Nikolai Medtner, who stylistically sits with Beethoven, Brahms and the late Russian Romantics among whom he was fully revered by Rachmaninov. Of Medtner’s 14 Piano Sonatas, Kenny’s going for heart on sleeve in bringing the one most immediately enjoyed – the No 10 Reminiscenza Forgotten Melodies. One beautiful song makes tantalising returns.

“The International Interview Concerts are not a seasonal series but occasional editions. They stretch back to 2012. This is the 17th, and Fu is their first British artist. All seats are unreserved. Booking is via seetickets.com – or on the door from 2.30pm. Refreshment Sips’n’Nibbles are available at pre-concert and the interval. Parking is free.”