Classical Preview: Acclaimed Bavouzet to display his talents

A student at the Paris Conservatoire, he came to international recognition when winning the International Beethoven Competition, soon followed by the 1986 Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York.

The two successes offered Bavouzet the possibility of recitals in major concert venues that have included London’s Southbank Centre and Wigmore Hall.

The final seal of approval came when he was invited by Sir George Solti to give his debut with the Orchestre de Paris in 1995, and he was then widely considered as the maestro’s last great discovery.

Composers are queuing up to write works for an artist who this season will be appearing in orchestral concerts in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Montreal, Ottawa, London, Berlin, Paris and Vienna.

He is also one of the world’s few pianists who have a long-term recording contract, his ongoing project of Debussy’s complete works for solo piano having already won a long list of awards. He will shortly embark on the complete sonatas of Haydn, both composers featuring in his Harrogate programme.

The remainder of the evening is given to Wagner’s Prelude and Liebestod to the opera, Tristan und Isold, in a piano transcription by Liszt, and the monumental virtuoso Après une lecture du Dante, fantasia quasi sonata by Liszt.

Wesley Chapel, Harrogate, May 7, 7.30pm. 01423 504035.