RIYAD NICOLAS IN CONCERT
Organisation: The Arab British Centre
Time: 12 November 2011 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Place: Leighton House Museum, 12 Holland Park Road, London
The Arab British Centre & Leighton House Museum Presents:
RIYAD NICOLAS IN CONCERT
The award-winning Syrian pianist Riyad Nicolas performs a repertoire by contemporary Arab composers such as Jabri, Al Succari, Al Wadi and Al Hajjar, as well as works by Schumann and Albéniz.
Riyad Nicolas was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1989. He began playing the piano at the tender age of six and went on to study music at the Arab Institute of Music in Aleppo before coming to London. Since 2005 he has been studying at the Purcell School of Music and Royal Academy of Music in London with Prof. Sulamita Aronovsky. Riyad graduated in 2011.
He won numerous international prizes including Best Piano Student Prize of the Syrian Arab Republic for two consecutive years (1998-1999), the first Syria National Piano Competition 2004, The Educational Award at the London International Piano Competition 2005, the Seiler International Piano Competition (second place, Greece 2006), the Francaix International Piano Competition (Paris 2008) and a major prize in Ciutat de Carlet International Piano Competition (Spain 2009).
Riyad has given several performances with orchestra such as the Chamber Orchestra of Aleppo, the Syrian Philharmonic Orchestra, The Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra in London. His performance of Chopin Concerto No.1 with the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra in Dubai in April 2010 was received with great acclaim. Recent engagements have included solo piano recitals in St. Martin-in-The-Fields, St. James's Piccadilly and Regent Hall.
Riyad Nicolas is one of the most exciting musicians to emerge from the Middle East.
‘…this paragon of pianistic prestidigitation…setting a new gold standard’,
‘…he had given a prodigious recital which rose head and shoulders above everything else we have heard this year ’,‘…every aspect of his performance…melding all together into an indissoluble unity of conception.’
Beethoven Piano Society of Europe, Newsletter n.41, October 2009
Saturday 12 November | 19:30 – 21:30 (doors open 19:00)
Leighton House Museum
12 Holland Park Road
London
W14 8LZ
Tickets: £10.00/£8.00 concessions
Booking essential online or 020 7471 9153 or Click here to book tickets