RCM Keyboard Festival 2026 programme by Royal College of Music

FESTIVAL 20

Celebrating 20 Years of RCM Keyboard Festivals

Drop in on Sunday 22 February from 11am

Tickets available from the RCM Box Office or online

KEYBOARD FESTIVAL: FESTIVAL 20

The Royal College of Music Keyboard Faculty is delighted to be celebrating 20 years of Keyboard Festivals.

Featuring around 65 students of a variety of nationalities, this milestone event brings together music from every theme from previous festivals, alongside this year's theme celebrating the 150th year of Manuel de Falla's birth. With a range of repertoire on offer, join us as we retrace our steps with familiar and lesser-known solo works, chamber music and song.

We look forward to welcoming you to this musical memento, while showcasing the RCM’s magnificent Steinway concert grands, our harpsichord and the Flentrop Orgelbouw organ.

Today's event is supported by the Keattch Innovation Fund, designed to explore and showcase the future of piano performance. This will be demonstrated in our use of the RCM Steinway Spirio pianos, blending traditional performance with technology.

Professor Vanessa Latarche

Chair of International Keyboard Studies and Head of Keyboard Associate Director for Partnerships in Asia

Royal College of Music

This event will be streamed live at www.rcm.ac.uk/live

The RCM café, The Carolean, will be open from 10.30am–7pm serving a range of sandwiches, snacks and beverages.

Special thanks to the following people for their support in the organisation of the festival:

Chris Moulton Head of Keyboard Technical Services

Alex Beattie Faculties Manager, International Partnerships Manager

Please turn off your mobile phone. Filming, recording and photography are not permitted without prior written permission.

The RCM films many events and by attending you consent to any photography or recording. See www.rcm.ac.uk/recordingpolicy for our Public Recording Policy.

Latecomers will not be allowed into the auditorium until a suitable break. In the interests of safety, sitting or standing on the steps or floors is strictly prohibited. Thank you for your co-operation. Programme details correct at time of going to print.

Sunday 22 February 2026

From 11am

2006: Mozart Sonatathon

The inaugural Keyboard Festival in 2006 was titled Mozart Sonatathon, a day-long event featuring all of Mozart’s piano sonatas (solo and duo) performed in Köchel catalogue order. The programme began with the Sonata in C major K279 (1775) and ended with K576 in D major (1789), offering a journey through the evolution of Mozart’s style.

The event embraced Viennese tradition with a themed ‘Café Mozart’, serving coffee and pastries, reflecting Vienna’s historic coffee-house culture. The manuscript of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C minor K491, from the RCM collection, was also on display.

WA Mozart (1756–1791)

WA Mozart

2007: Salon de Paris

Sonata in D major for two pianos K448 i Allegro con spirito

Piano Sonata no 12 in F major K332 i Allegro

Ruiqi Fang Markus Sadler

Anastasia Barabanova

The 2007 festival was titled Salon de Paris and was a day-long celebration of 19th- and 20th-century salon music, inspired by the elegance of Parisian salons during La Belle Époque. The programme featured virtuosic piano works by Chopin, Fauré, Chabrier, Alkan, Chaminade, Durand, Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, and members of Les Six.

Highlights included Chopin’s famous Minute Waltz and Debussy’s Clair de lune. Guests enjoyed refreshments at ‘Chez Maxim’s’ café and the manuscript of Chopin’s Minute Waltz from the RCM collection was on display.

Debussy (1862–1918)

Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924)

Nocturne no 2 in B major op 33

Edwin Yeung

Claude

Clair de lune

Yuka Todai

2008: Songs Without Words

The 2008 festival was an all-day celebration of keyboard music under the theme Songs Without Words. Pianists from across the College performed together to illustrate the essence of the day: that music begins where words end.

George Gershwin (1898–1937)

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)

Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) transcribed by Stephen Hough (b 1961)

Robert Schumann (1810–1856) transcribed by Franz Liszt (1811–1886)

Louis Couperin (1626–1661)

JS Bach (1685–1750)

Nobody But You That Certain Feeling The Man I Love I Got Rhythm

Songs Without Words, Book 6 op 67 No 2 in F sharp minor

My Favourite Things

Widmung S566

Tombeau de Monsieur Blancrocher

Maximilian Maisky

Ceci Keiffer harpsichord

Goldberg Variations BWV988 Aria

Variation 19

Variation 14

Markus Sadler harpsichord

Steven Kleeven

Clarice Pulmano

Steven Yeung

BREAK

From 12.10pm

2009: Seascapes

In 2009, the festival was titled Seascapes, a water-themed collaboration with students from the Royal College of Art in which artists drew inspiration from the works performed during the festival. The creative process behind the artworks was filmed and later presented as a time-lapse, synchronised to the duration of the performance.

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)

2010: Poles Apart

Images, Book 1 Reflets dans l’eau

The 2010 festival’s centrepiece was a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth. Born in 1810 in Poland and later based in Paris, Chopin’s legacy was honoured through performances of his most beloved piano works, including nocturnes, preludes, waltzes, ballades, scherzi, and Polish dances such as the polonaise and mazurka. The programme also featured works by other Polish composers, including Moszkowski, Szymanowski, Lutosławski, Szpilman, and more recent composers Górecki, Zygmunt Krauze and Paweł Szymański. Notably, Szymański’s Through the Looking Glass III for pedal harpsichord received its UK premiere, highlighting Poland’s rich musical heritage across two centuries.

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

Chopin

Karol Szymanowski (1882–1937)

Ballade no 1 op 23 in G minor

Mazurka op 17 no 4

20 Mazurkas op 50

No 1 Sostenuto – Molto rubato No 2 Allegramente

Nok Hang Si

Yifan Ying

Alicja Kojder

Anastasiia Novinskaia

2011: Lisztomania

In 2011 we marked the bicentenary of Franz Liszt with a five-day Keyboard Festival celebrating the legendary Hungarian pianist-composer. Events included concerts, a lecture-recital by Liszt scholar Leslie Howard, a Junior Department recital, and an all-day extravaganza featuring Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies alongside folk dances and live Csárdás performances. Additional highlights included a lunchtime concert of Hungarian music, an organ recital featuring Liszt’s Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H, and a closing masterclass with legendary pianist Tamás Vásáry. The festival offered audiences a rich exploration of Liszt’s music and influence, both in person and streamed live.

Franz Liszt (1811–1886)

Liszt

BREAK

From 1.05pm

Ihr Glocken von Marling S328

Freudvoll und leidvoll S280

S’il est un charmant gazon S284

Rachel Howe soprano

Mar Umbert piano

Zheng Jiang counter tenor

Ruiqi Fang piano

Yewon Kim soprano

Enxi Deng piano

2012: Vive le Piano!

In 2012 we hosted Vive le Piano!, a five-day festival celebrating the art of the piano, with a special focus on Debussy in honour of the 150th anniversary of his birth. The programme featured a series of events, including concerts, recitals and masterclasses, offering audiences an opportunity to experience the richness of French piano music and its influence.

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)

Debussy

Ariettes oubliées

C’est l’extase langoureuse

Chansons de Bilitis

La flûte de Pan

Nicole Shim soprano

Haoyu Ju piano

Esmée Loughlin-Dickenson mezzo soprano

Joshua McDade piano

Debussy Chansons de Bilitis

La chevelure

Debussy Chansons de Bilitis

Le Tombeau des Naïades

Debussy Jardins sous la pluie L100

Esmée Loughlin-Dickenson mezzo soprano

Bohdana Ravliuk piano

Esmée Loughlin-Dickenson mezzo soprano Dominic Piers Smith piano

Franco Barzelatto

2013: Planet Piano: Around the World on 88 Keys

The 2013 Keyboard Festival, Planet Piano: Around the World on 88 Keys, was a five-day celebration of global piano music, reflecting the international diversity of the RCM Keyboard Faculty. Highlights included recitals by students from partner institutions in Italy, France and Russia; a concert marking Ligeti’s 90th anniversary; a jazz evening; and the centrepiece event: a five-hour musical journey across continents. The festival also featured a masterclass with renowned pianist András Schiff, themed concerts such as L’invitation au voyage and Excursions around Europe, and a forum on international piano competitions.

Alberto Ginastera (1916–1983)

John Adams (b 1947)

Johann Jakob Froberger (1616–1667)

Danzas Argentinas op 2

ii Danza de la moza donosa

Michelle

China Gates Paul Mnatsakanov

Plainte faite à Londres pour passer la Melancholie

Veronica Man harpsichord

From 2.50pm

2026: Falla via Spiriocast

In 2025, the RCM collaborated with Steinway & Sons to host Europe’s first ever institution-led Spiriocast, sharing RCM performances with audiences worldwide.

Today’s festival showcases Steinway Spirio technology, linking the RCM Performance Studio’s Steinway B Spirio to the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall’s Steinway D Spirio.

2026 marks the 150th anniversary of Manuel de Falla, one of Spain’s most influential composers. Falla was internationally recognised for blending Andalusian folk traditions with modern classical styles.

Manuel de Falla (1876–1946)

Fantasía Bética

Yazdi Madon

Falla Mazurka in C minor Yiran Qiu

Falla Ritual Fire Dance

2014: Kalinka

Sofia Berdnik

The 2014 Keyboard Festival, Kalinka, celebrated the rich musical heritage of Russia, focusing on the piano works of Rachmaninov and Scriabin. Spanning five days, the festival featured a study day on Rachmaninov’s music, a Junior Department concert of Russian miniatures, an organ recital, a Russian song programme, and a masterclass with acclaimed pianist Andrei Pisarev. Its centrepiece, Clavier à lumières, offered a rare complete performance of Scriabin’s ten piano sonatas in one day, inspired by his synaesthetic ideas.

Alexander Scriabin (1872–1915)

Scriabin

Piano Sonata no 2 in G sharp minor op 19

Piano Sonata no 9 op 68 Messe noire

Piano Sonata no 4 in F sharp major op 30

Xiaoye Wei

Mariamna Sherling

Yunqi Li

From 4.05pm

2015: Messiaen’s Muses

The 2015 Keyboard Festival, Messiaen’s Muses, celebrated the life and music of Olivier Messiaen, one of the 20th century’s most visionary composers. The four-day festival featured an all-day gala inspired by nature and birdsong, including performances of Messiaen’s Catalogue d’oiseaux alongside themed works by other composers. Highlights included a masterclass with French pianist Michel Béroff, concerts such as Oiseaux exotiques, Chants de terre et de ciel and Visions de l’Amen, and an organ recital exploring Messiaen’s spiritual sound-world. The festival offered audiences a rich immersion into Messiaen’s unique musical universe of colour, rhythm and mysticism.

Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992)

Messiaen

Catalogue d'oiseaux, Book 3

L’alouette Lulu

Catalogue d'oiseaux, Book 7 Le traquet rieur

Catalogue d'oiseaux, Book 5

L’alouette Calandrelle

2016: Hispania

Dida Condria

Christopher Knox Oakey

Rebekah Yinuo Tan

The 2016 Keyboard Festival, Hispania, celebrated the centenaries of composers Enrique Granados and Alberto Ginastera, showcasing the richness of Spanish and Latin American music. Spanning five days, the festival featured an opening recital of Latin works for two pianos, concerts exploring Spanish composers past and present, an organ recital, and a vibrant programme of Spanish song. The centrepiece was an all-day event dedicated to Granados’ Goyescas alongside music by Albéniz, Mompou and Ginastera. The festival concluded with a masterclass by Spanish pianist Joaquín Soriano.

Enrique Granados (1876–1916)

Goyescas op 11 i Los requiebros

Gordon Chan

2017: America Calls!

The 2017 Keyboard Festival, America Calls!, celebrated composers who made the USA their home, with a special focus on Rachmaninov and Bartók. The three-day festival featured an all-day marathon built around Rachmaninov’s complete Etudes-tableaux opp 33 and 39, interspersed with works by other émigré composers. Highlights included themed concerts such as From Berlin to Broadway, an organ recital of British composers in America, and a lecture-recital and masterclass by American pianist Logan Skelton exploring Bartók’s folk-inspired music. The festival offered audiences a rich panorama of transatlantic musical influences and cultural exchange.

Sergei Rachmaninov (1873–1943)

Rachmaninov

BREAK

Étude-Tableaux op 33 no 1 in F minor

Étude-Tableaux op 33 no 2 in C major

Étude-Tableaux op 33 no 3 in C minor

Étude-Tableaux op 33 no 8 in G minor

Étude-Tableaux op 39 no 9 in D major

Jessie Gu

Tin Lam Ng

Nicole Yim

Rufina Lok

From 5.40pm

2018: Fin de la Belle Époque

The 2018 festival Fin de la Belle Époque commemorated the death of Debussy with a complete performance of his Préludes for piano, interspersed with movements from Vierne’s Symphony no 3 for organ. The programme also featured works from 1909–1913 performed by pianists, organists and collaborative pianists, creating a rich tribute to the final years of the Belle Époque – a vibrant cultural era that ended with the outbreak of the First World War.

Louis Vierne (1870–1937)

Debussy

Symphonie no 3 op 28

iv Adagio

Préludes, Book 1

No 4 Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir

No 5 Les collines d’Anacapri

James Lilley organ

Johanna Henschel

2019: Clara's Circle

The 2019 festival celebrated the 200th anniversary of Clara Schumann’s birth, exploring her music and legacy as a pioneering pianist and composer. The programme featured performances of Clara’s solo piano works and songs, alongside pieces she championed during her career. The festival also highlighted her close relationships with leading composers of the Romantic era – Chopin, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Liszt – and her profound artistic and personal connection with Robert Schumann, offering audiences a rich portrait of her influence on 19th-century musical life. In today’s festival, we present 3 Romances, which Robert Schumann composed as a Christmas gift for Clara in 1839 during their engagement. Clara went on to perform the second and third Romances frequently in her recital programmes.

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)

2020: Trios and Trifles

3 Romances op 28

Markus Sadler

The 2020 festival marked the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with performances of all 12 piano trios and a selection of his shorter piano pieces, presented in roughly chronological order. RCM pianists collaborated with fellow students from other faculties, each providing brief introductions to the works they performed. The festival offered audiences a compelling narrative of Beethoven’s life and creative journey, from his earliest keyboard compositions to his final works, celebrating the enduring genius and inspiration of this extraordinary composer.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Piano trio in D major op 70 no 1 Ghost i Allegro vivace e con brio

Ankit Tripathi violin Paula Skulte cello Sabina Suciu piano

From 6.40pm

2021: Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

The 2021 Keyboard Festival, Old, New, Borrowed and Blue, showcased a diverse range of styles and eras, streamed live from the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall. The programme spanned early works by Frescobaldi and Couperin to contemporary études by György Ligeti and Unsuk Chin. This celebration highlighted the versatility and artistry of RCM pianists and organists, performed on the College’s Steinway concert grands and the newly commissioned Kennedy-Mietke harpsichord, offering something for every keyboard enthusiast.

György Ligeti (1923–2006)

Ligeti

François Couperin (1668–1733)

Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583–1643)

Études Book 1 No 4 Fanfares

Études Book 2 No 13 L’escalier du diable (The Devil’s Staircase)

Eighth Ordre La Raphaèle Courante

Libro Primo Toccata prima

2022: Spirit of Scriabin

Lilimay Pallueau

Xuanxin Chen

Andrew Cowie harpsichord

Sofia Bernik harpsichord

The 2022 Keyboard Festival celebrated the 150th anniversary of Scriabin’s birth with a vibrant programme inspired by the Silver Age and Symbolism movement. Featuring 60 students of diverse nationalities, the event explored Scriabin’s innovative, synaesthesia-influenced works alongside pieces by lesser-known composers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, offering audiences a colourful journey through creativity and contemporary sounds.

Alexander Scriabin (1872–1915)

24 Preludes op 11

No 4 in E minor

No 6 in B minor

No 9 in E major

Scriabin 5 Preludes op 16

No 1 in B major

No 2 in G sharp minor

Scriabin 5 Preludes op 16

No 3 in G flat major

No 4 in E flat minor

No 5 in F sharp minor

BREAK

Ho Ming So

Milton

From 7.25pm

2023: Extravaganza for Four Hands and More

The 2023 Keyboard Festival celebrated the joy of collaborative music-making with Extravaganza for Four Hands and More. The event showcased original works and transcriptions for multiple keyboards, ranging from four to 20 hands. Spanning diverse eras and styles, highlights included Couperin’s Allemande à deux clavecins, Brahms’ Hungarian Dances for piano four hands, and Strauss’ Polkas arranged for 20 hands. The festival offered a unique and playful exploration of ensemble keyboard artistry.

Anton Arensky (1861–1906)

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)

Rachmaninov

Suite no 1 in F major op 15

ii Valse

iii Polonaise

21 Hungarian Dances WoO 1 for piano 4 hands

No 2 in D minor

No 12 in D minor

Suite no 2 for two pianos op 17

iv Tarantelle. Presto

Jiayu Lu Tianke Hu

Jeffrey Au Rufina Lok

Nico Varela Dobromir Dobrev

Vlada Mitriuc

Joshua

2024: Forgotten Landscapes

The 2024 festival celebrated lesser-known repertoire and rediscovered musical treasures, presented live and streamed worldwide. The programme spanned works from William Byrd to Christophe Bertrand, Dora Pejačević to Wang Jianzhong, and highlighted neglected composers such as George Walker, Vítězslava Kaprálová and Frank Martin. This musical journey offered audiences a rich and varied exploration of hidden gems across centuries and styles.

Beach (1867–1944)

op 6

2025: Rituals & Dances

The 2025 Keyboard Festival celebrated music inspired by dances and rituals, creating a vibrant day of flamboyance and festivity. The programme featured works from the 16th century to the present day, including familiar and lesser-known solo pieces, chamber music and song. Highlights included two world premieres by current RCM composers and a thrilling relay-style finale: Stravinsky’s piano duet version of The Rite of Spring, performed by 14 pianists. The day offered audiences a colourful musical journey through time and tradition.

Nahre Sol (b 1991)

Waltz and First Tango

RCM MUSEUM

While you’re here, don’t miss the chance to visit the Royal College of Music’s spectacular Museum collections, home to the earliest stringed keyboard instrument and an array of other unique and inspiring musical artefacts.

Drop-in activities (no ticket required)

Build your own origami piano at the RCM Museum. Follow our simple step-by-step guide to craft a mini piano in your favourite colours!

RCM Museum is open 11am–6pm (Last entry 5.30pm)

During weekend the Museum closes for lunch between 1pm and 2pm

Coucou

Evelina Antemisari

Amy

Ballade

Tiffany Buxton

DON’T MISS…

MOZART AT THE FORTEPIANO

7.30pm|23 February 2026

RCM Performance Hall

Hear four classical concertos in their intended form, performed on the type of piano that Mozart himself would have used: the RCM’s Anton Walter fortepiano copy made by Paul McNulty.

Tickets: £6.50 www.rcm.ac.uk/events