Stephen De Pledge Returns For Nationwide Tour

NZ Pianist Stephen De Pledge Returns For Nationwide Tour

London-based New Zealand pianist Stephen De Pledge returns to New Zealand to tour New Zealand with Chamber Music New Zealand, performing piano recitals in 11 centres in September and October, and teaming up with British violinist Jack Liebeck to perform in nine centres.

Stephen’s piano recital tour begins in Blenheim on Friday 4 September, before he heads to Dunedin on Saturday 5 September, then to Christchurch on Sunday 6 September, Wellington on Tuesday 8 September and Auckland on Thursday 10 September. His tour continues with performances in Te Awamutu, Orewa, Wanganui, Waikanae, Motueka and Gisborne.

Stephen and Jack begin their tour on Thursday 17 September in Hamilton, and then perform in New Plymouth, Upper Hutt, Palmerston North, Lower Hutt, Invercargill, Nelson, Napier and Rotorua.

Named as one of the most exciting and versatile musicians of his generation, Stephen studied at The University of Auckland and London’s Guildhall School of Music, winning two major awards which launched his career as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist.

Stephen has recorded numerous solo and chamber music recordings, and broadcast for Radio 3 and Classic FM in the UK. Last year he had two Wigmore Hall appearances, a chamber music tour of Sweden, and a concert in the opening weekend of London’s new concert venue, King’s Place.

Stephen’s programme for the Chamber Music New Zealand tour opens with one of Beethoven’s most loved sonatas, the ‘Pathétique’. It is followed by Debussy’s vivid ‘painting in sound’ illustrated in his first Book of Images, then a tribute to composer Billy Mayerl whose jazzy, ragtime style is making a welcome comeback to the concert hall.

In the second half, Brahms’ dramatic Rhapsodies, the height of musical Romanticism, contrast with three New Zealand Landscape Preludes, receiving their first New Zealand performances since their acclaimed première in the 2008 New Zealand International Arts Festival. The programme finishes with Prokofiev’s wonderful Sonata No 7, a work of high drama and beauty, and a notoriously virtuosic final movement.

British violinist Jack Liebeck made his acclaimed London recital debut in a sold-out Wigmore Hall in 2002 and has since toured the world performing with renowned orchestras, conductors and chamber music partners.

His debut CD in 2004 was nominated for a Classical Brit Award and his new Dvorak CD was has received rave reviews.

Stephen and Jack perform two programmes on their New Zealand tour. Programme One, performed in Hamilton, New Plymouth, Lower Hutt and Invercargill, features works by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, Mozart and César Franck who, like Pärt, wrote music imbued with a deep spirituality.

Programme Two (Upper Hutt, Palmerston North, Nelson, Napier and Rotorua) Two features three of the most famous sonatas in the violin and piano repertory, by Beethoven, Brahms and Elgar, alongside an almost unknown miniature masterpiece, the sonata by Herbert Howells.

For details and more information about Stephen De Pledge’s piano recital tour and his tour with Jack Liebeck, visit www.chambermusic.co.nz

Chamber Music New Zealand acknowledges major funding from Creative New Zealand.

ENDS

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