Charles Owen
“A class above the rest..." International Piano

PROGRAMME

Ravel Pavane

Schumann Davidsbundlertanze

INTERVAL

Fauré
Nocturne in Db
Barcarolle in Ab
Barcarolle in F# 

Chaminade Automne

Prokofiev Sonata No.2 in D min Op.14

Charles Owen enjoys an extensive international career performing a wide-ranging repertoire to outstanding critical acclaim. He appears at many major UK venues such as Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, The Sage & Kings Place. Internationally, he has performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York, the Brahms Saal in Vienna’s Musikverein, Paris Musée d’Orsay, Amsterdam Concertgebouw and the Moscow Conservatoire. His chamber music partners include Julian Rachlin, Alina Ibragimova, Steven Isserlis and Augustin Hadelich as well as the Takacs, Carducci and Vertavo Quartets. His piano duo partnership with Katya Apekisheva has received widespread recognition. Together they are Co-Artistic Directors of the London Piano Festival held annually at Kings Place since 2016.

A regular guest at UK festivals such as Aldeburgh, Bath, Buxton, Cheltenham, Oxford Lieder and Ryedale he has also performed at the Verbier Festival and in Australia at the Perth and Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Townsville. Charles’ concerto appearances have included the Philharmonia, Hallé, Aurora and London Philharmonic orchestras. He has enjoyed collaborations with many leading conductors including Sir Mark Elder, Ryan Wigglesworth, Nicholas Collon and Martyn Brabbins.

Charles’ solo recordings comprise discs of piano music by JS Bach, Brahms, Liszt, Janácek, Poulenc and Fauré. Chamber music recordings include the cello sonatas of Rachmaninov and Chopin with Natalie Clein, the Stravinsky Piano Ballets and Rachmaninoff Suites with Katya Apekisheva and the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Piano Quintet with the Sacconi Quartet.

Charles Owen is a Professor of Piano at the Guildhall School, of Music & Drama, London and Guest Professor at RWCMD, Cardiff. He was appointed Steinway & Sons UK Ambassador in 2016 and is also an Ambassador for the Help Musicians Charity.

“A class above the rest… His performances are underpinned by an unwavering musicality that is enhanced by close attention to the score; listeners are immediately aware that great works have been analysed by the mind as well as the fingers.” – International Piano

“The rippling clarity of Mr Owen’s playing brought consistent delight.” New York Times

“Charles Owen is out of the best school of British pianism – bright, sensitive, unaffected and with playing informed by brainwork.” Glasgow Herald

Ticket holders for this concert can also come to the pre-concert Jazz Café event in the Sunday School room featuring The Ruth Gardziel Trio  (The tickets are free, but only available to Zoe Rahman ticket holders.)