Internationally renowned pianist Freddy Kempf has appeared on concert platforms all over the world - but he will be on familiar territory when he appears at King's Lynn Festival later this month.
Internationally renowned pianist Freddy Kempf has appeared on concert platforms all over the world - but he will be on familiar territory when he appears at King's Lynn Festival later this month.
He won many admirers when he was artist-in-residence at Lynn in 2000 and when he performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the festival's final concert two years ago.
Following these very successful visits, Lynn Festival organisers invited him to become a vice-president.
On July 26 he will give a recital at the Corn Exchange preceded by a pre-concert talk about his programme of works by Chopin, Schumann and Rachmaninov.
“I am very excited about appearing at King's Lynn again. For a pianist, giving a recital is one of the most fulfilling things you can do, and one of the most demanding. You have the attention of the audience all the time, yet you have tremendous freedom,” he said.
Freddy said having a special link with Lynn Festival made the recital more significant. He liked the venue's “special atmosphere”, knew of its history and had met festival audiences during previous visits.
Lynn Festival's artistic director Ambrose Miller describes 29-year-old Freddy as “the best young pianist of his generation”. He is in great demand all over the world, visits Australia and South America regularly and undertook a three-week tour of New Zealand this year.
“Now I have to decide where to focus my career,” said Freddy who, with violinist Katja Lammermann, will give the last of Lynn Festival's coffee concerts on July 27.
Another festival vice-president, historian David Starkey, will also take part in the festival on July 27 when he talks about his latest Channel 4 project, Church, State and Crown, at the Guildhall of St George.
For further information and bookings please call the festival box office on 01553 764864 or visit www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk
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