Summer Music Concert 4
Yevgeny Sudbin piano
Friday 11 July 7.30pm

Programme including
Haydn  Sonata B minor HobXVI:32
Haydn  Sonata C major HobXVI:50
Chopin  Mazurkas Op33 No2 D major and No4 in B minor
Scriabin  Mazurkas from Op 3
                G minor: Allegretto
                C sharp minor: Scherzando
                B minor: Tempo giusto
                E major: Moderato
Ravel  Gaspard de la Nuit

Biography   |   Supper menu   |   Audience reviews   |   Summer Q&As

Quotes

“Yevgeny Sudbin is already hailed as potentially one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century” Daily Telegraph

His Wigmore Hall début recital: “A great recital. He is a pianist of uncommon sensitivity and refinement and has total confidence in his imaginative concept of each piece” Adrian Jack The Independent

His 2006 Verbier Festival recital: “Sudbin’s great quality was his acute sense of characterization, conveying not just the letter of the music through his consummate technique, but also its spirit through his intuition and inspiration. Any chance to hear him should be snapped up” Geoffrey Norris The Daily Telegraph

His Scarlatti CD: “among the finest, certainly most enjoyable of all Scarlatti recitals” Bryce Morrison The Gramophone

His Rachmaninov CD: “This confirms him as one of the most important pianistic talents of our time” Harriet Smith International Record Review

His Tchaikovsky / Medtner CD “Few seem as fresh and necessary as this release from this wonder pianist”  Geoff Brown The Times
              
His Scriabin CD: “Scorching Scriabin from Sudbin…superlative pianism.” Julian Haylock BBC Music Magazine

Biography

Yevgeny Sudbin

His début CD of Scarlatti sonatas released in 2005, met with such overwhelming critical acclaim, confirmed by the equally ecstatic reception of his subsequent recordings, a Rachmaninov recital, and Tchaikovsky and Medtner 1st piano concertos (Gramophone magazine’s CD of the month and short-listed for a Gramophone Award 2007), that he is now recognised as one of the world’s most interesting and exciting young pianists.

His most recent Scriabin recording was BBC Music Magazine’s Disc of the Month, The Daily Telegraph’s CD of the Year, and won the Midem award at Cannes for best Instrumental CD of the Year, whilst his concert appearances world-wide continue to earn him superlative reviews.

Born in St Petersburg in 1980, Yevgeny Sudbin displayed exceptional musical talents from an early age and in 1987 entered the specialist music school of the St Petersburg Conservatory. In 1990 he continued his studies in Berlin and then moved to London where he has lived since 1997, and where he studied with Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music, additionally attending the International Piano Foundation at Lake Como, Italy. He has also had lessons from Murray Perahia, Claude Frank, Leon Fleisher, Stephen Hough, Alexander Satz, amongst others. The Pulvermacher Foundation and the Wall Trust have also played an important role in Yevgeny’s career

During 2006, besides concerts in Europe and Scandinavia, he toured Canada and USA to great acclaim and made his New York début in The Frick Collection Series, and during 2007 he has made débuts at the Aspen Festival, USA, and la Roque d’Anthéron Festival, France, and at the Metropolitan Museum Series in New York.

Future plans include concerts and recordings with North Carolina Symphony, performances with Minnesota Orchestra under Vänska, and San Francisco Symphony under Ashkenazy, as well as his debut in the 2008 BBC Proms with the BBC Philharmonic under Tortelier.

Further projects for the BIS label include the complete Beethoven piano sonatas with Minnesota Orchestra  and Osmo Vänska.

Yevgeny’s answers to our Summer Q&As

Q Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
A My cat! I often get a little 'sacrifice' in the form of a mouse under my piano in the early mornings, then I know it will be a productive day.

Q What was your earliest childhood memory of summer?
A Falling into the gutter when learning to ride the bicycle when I was 5 (and my granddad promised he wouldn't 'let go'!)

Q Are you going anywhere nice for your summer holidays?
A I am going to a safari this summer to South Africa to see bigger cats (which will hopefully result in bigger smiles), as part of my honeymoon. Although summer is usually the busiest time for me with all the festivals going on.

Q What is your favourite city?
A A very unfair question, especially for a travelling musician! There are so many that I have a special attachment to. My heart would say St Petersburg (my birth town), but my curiosity, probably Asian cities. So far, I have only been to Singapore and I liked it a lot.

Q What are you reading at the moment?
A The Book Thief - a wonderful story told through the view of death. I usually prefer biographies/non-fiction to fiction, but this book is an exception.

Q What music are you currently listening to?
A I was listening to some contemporary music recently (Kurtag, Ligeti, Cage), trying to figure out what to play. There is just too much good contemporary music. Otherwise I really like traditional jazz and when on longhaul flights, I listen to something like the sounds of whales to try to sleep and relax but I don't think one can call that 'listening'.

Q What's your favourite summer drink?
A I had a cherry mojito the other day - it was a very sunny day and the drink was refreshing.

Q What food would you most associate with summer?
A Probably some sort of a pasta con frutti di mare. Reminds me of Italy. The food just tastes differently in this country.

Q Which composer would you most have like to have met?
A That's easy. Rachmaninov - he's the most enigmatic of all and I have written down a lot of questions to ask him in case we meet. If he's not available, I would probably ask for Scriabin.

Q How would you like to be remembered?
A I have never thought about it. I don't think it is something one has much influence on. But I wouldn't wish for anything more if I knew that someone would put on a CD of mine from time to time. Is that too predictable an answer?

After concert supper 4

After concert supper bookings for this concert is now closed.

MAIN: Fillet of haddock topped with spinach tomato and mozzerella served with seasonal salad and new potatoes. 

VEGETARIAN: Mild Thai Green curry with angel hair noodles.

DESSERT: Duo of chocolate torte with freshly whipped cream. Coffee/tea

If you wish to add your review to the concert please email your comments and they will be uploaded onto the website. Blackthorpe Barn reserves the right to edit comments submitted.

Margaret, Kenilworth, Warwickshire
His mastery is mesmerising!! Wonderful evening

Arthur, Stowmarket
Quite outstanding and maintaining the wonderful Summer Music tradition.

Mae, Diss
What a treat to be able to enjoy this amazing concert at a local venue – ling may it contine.

Mary, Alan & Patricia, Cambridge
We always try to see Yevgeny, we regard him as excellent and challenging in his choice of pieces. If he comes again, so will we... Agreed!

Gregory, Cavendish
The Ravel was haunting and sublime. Thank you Yevgeny

David & Lucy, Chevington
Sensational and worth every minute of a two year wait to hear him plat at Blackthorpe Barn.

Julia, Bury St Edmunds
Just amazing mastery of the maestroment. I am in awe of his talent.