Bath piano teacher persuades Andrei Gavrilov to give Bath concert
One of the world's great concert pianists, Andrei Gavrilov, will make a rare UK appearance in Bath later this month thanks to an unlikely friendship with local piano teacher Christine Shaw.
Christine, from Combe Down, who has been a fan of Gavrilov's for many years, was delighted when the world-class star, who's more usually found playing huge venues around the globe, agreed to come to the South West to play two concerts in the intimate settings of the Guildhall in Bath and the Michael Tippett Centre at Bath Spa University.
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Andrei Gavrilov
He has also agreed to hold a limited number of masterclasses while in the area.
Gavrilov, who is famous for delighting audiences with his passionate, individual performances and awe-inspiring technique, first shot to stardom in 1974 when he won the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition at the tender age of 18. By the age of 25 he had played most of the world's best-known music venues.
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He has worked with all of the world's major orchestras and conductors but thanks to his friendship with Christine he has agreed to come to the UK for two performances in Bath.
Speaking about how she managed to pull off such a feat, Christine said:
"I've been pestering Andrei for several years to come and play in the Bath/Bristol area with no luck, then a few months ago he said 'OK, I've got a bit of time free in January. See what you can set up.' Needless to say I didn't hang around.
"I still can't quite believe that he's coming. It will give a lot of people who would never normally be able to see him play, the chance to get to one of his concerts."
The first concert will take place in the Banqueting Room of the Guildhall on Friday January 25 starting at 6.30pm with a pre-concert talk by Andrei Gavrilov, the recital at 7.30pm and rounding up with an informal 'meet and greet' session in the bar afterwards.
The second recital will be at the Michael Tippett Centre, Bath Spa University at 2.30pm on Sunday January 27, followed by an audience question and answer session and winding up with an informal 'meet and greet' gathering in the bar.
The programme for both concerts is Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet – 10 Pieces for Piano and Sonata No 8 in B flat.
Tickets are available from Bath Box Office on 01225 463362 or at www.bathboxoffice.org.uk.
Born 1955 in Moscow, the son of a painter and pianist, Gavrilov had his first piano lessons from his mother from the age of two.
In 1979, at the peak of his initial career, he failed to appear for a recording session in Berlin with conductor Herbert von Karajan.
It was later discovered that, supposedly due to critical remarks he had made about the Soviet regime, the KGB had seized his passport and plane ticket. He was placed under house arrest and was only free to leave Russia again in 1984 after successfully petitioning Mikhail Gorbachev for his freedom.
He became the first Soviet artist to be granted permission to stay in the West without having to file for political asylum.
In that year he made a triumphant return to the UK stage and gave recitals at the Barbican and the Royal Festival Hall.
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