Mateusz Borowiak

RICHARD PARR

King's Lynn Town Hall (King's Lynn Festival)

Award-winning Cambridge University student Mateusz Borowiak delighted a capacity audience with works by Mozart, Chopin and Brahms which clearly demonstrated why he has enjoyed so much early success.

The Tuesday concert also saw the debut performance of a £12,000 Boston piano made by Steinway - a joint purchase by the festival's artistic director, Ambrose Miller, and King's Lynn Musical Society.

Sitting at the back of the packed Assembly Room, it was impossible to see the piano keys and only the occasional glimpse was offered of Borowiak's face, but the sounds emanating pointed to an accomplished musician of far more senior years.

Sadly, there appeared to be a lack of people of Borowiak's age among the audience and they missed a treat.

His youthful exuberance, flair and passion have attracted an array of glittering awards. In 2005, he won the joint first prize in the Junior Guildhall annual Lutine competition and the following year he gained the exclusive Principal's prize. His compositions have also attracted awards.

His performance opened with Mozart's Piano Sonata in D major, K311, with its flourishing final allegro, and Chopin's Ballade No 4 in F minor Op52 was a joy to hear with the elegant cascading of notes towards the end.

His own composition, Three Mazurkas, reflecting a Polish folklore tradition with its final “mazurka”, gave a dynamic and dramatic finish.

After Brahms' Variations on a Theme of Paganini, Op35, the appreciative audience were treated to a Chopin waltz as an encore.