Bach’s Musical Influence at Heart of Concert

Bach’s Musical Influence at Heart of Michael Houstoun Concert in Wellington in September

Revered New Zealand pianist Michael Houstoun explores the musical influence of J.S Bach in Chamber Music New Zealand’s ‘Kaleidoscopes’ tour to 14 centres with a concert in Wellington in September.

Michael Houstoun: Inspired by Bach is at Old St John's Church in Nelson on Monday 21 September as part of the tour which includes Upper Hutt, Invercargill, Dunedin, Christchurch, Timaru, Nelson, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Napier, Auckland (two concerts), Whangarei, Hamilton and ending in Gisborne.

The programme includes music by Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, and Liszt as well as a brand new work from well-known New Zealand composer Ross Harris. All the works highlight the influence Bach has had on music through the centuries.

“To play across a wide spectrum of repertoire is to encounter JS Bach at every turn,” Houstoun says. “Learning a Prelude and Fugue is really the beginning of a pianist’s musical education.”

Inspired by Bach follows in the footsteps of Houstoun’s monumental 2013 Chamber Music New Zealand tour performing all of Beethoven’s piano sonatas and resulting in an acclaimed collector’s edition recording.

Houstoun is acclaimed throughout New Zealand and praised around the world for his intense, invigorating and incisive musical interpretations. Last year he was one of only two New Zealand artists selected for the Edinburgh International Festival where his programme included masterpieces by Ravel and Rachmaninov as well as Douglas Lilburn’s Chaconne which appears in the Inspired by Bachprogramme in celebration of the composer’s centenary.

Michael Houstoun began playing the piano at age five and from the age of 18 he had won every major competition in New Zealand and been a finalist in the Leeds International Piano Competition and the Van Cliburn competition in the United States. After performing in Australia, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, Houstoun followed his heart back to New Zealand where he has continued to delight and inspire audiences.

Michael Houstoun: Inspired by Bach is at the Michael Fowler Centre on Wednesday 23 September at 7.30pm with a free pre-concert talk at 6.30pm. Tickets are available through Ticketek www.ticketek.co.nzor phone 0800 842 538.
For more details, visit www.chambermusic.co.nz
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