Programme revealed for Hebden Bridge Piano Festival

A regular fixture in the town’s social calendar, the Hebden Bridge Piano Festival programme launch party takes place in the café bar at Hebden Town Hall on Friday March 13.
Lara MeldaLara Melda
Lara Melda

There’s live piano music provided by festival director David Nelson for the free event which is open to everyone and starts at 6.30pm.

It’s also the earliest opportunity to buy tickets and passes for what is now the eighth consecutive festival weekend, which starts on Friday April 24 with a great programme of recitals.

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Headlining the weekend festival, which all takes place in Hebden Bridge Town Hall, are Joanna MacGregor and Martin Roscoe – distinguished classical pianists who have graced concert halls all over the world.

They are joined by the young American pianist Eric Lu, the overall winner of Leeds International Piano Competition two years ago, the 2010 BBC Young Musician Lara Melda and Chinese virtuoso BingBing Li.

Hebden Bridge Piano Festival has never been exclusively about classical piano music and this year there are performances by Sheffield-based pianist and singer Dale Storr who is regarded as probably the greatest exponent of New Orleans jazz in the UK, and the award-winning jazz pianist, composer, songwriter, poet and author Robert Mitchell.

The festival has always had a strong commitment to programming contemporary music and this year has commissioned Beauty and the Beast, a new multi-media work exploring the juxtaposition of industrial heritage and the natural world, written and performed by West Yorkshire pianist and composer Phil Taylor.

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The concerts are interspersed with events intended to involve the whole community. Alongside the headline performances the festival programme features a children’s concert given by Harry the Piano, recitals by local pianists and students, free concerts featuring non-classical piano music, and impromptu al fresco performances by anyone who enjoys playing.

“The programme launch is always great fun,” said David Nelson.

“The town hall bar will be open so come along, have a drink, enjoy some live jazz piano, take time to absorb the excellent programme we’ve put together and secure tickets for what will undoubtedly be another sell-out weekend.”

Tickets go on sale both at the launch and online at 7pm on March 13.

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The Festival box office opens at the town hall reception desk on Monday March 16.

Alternatively, postal bookings can be made via the booking form available from the festival website.

For in-person booking, the town hall box office will be open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 4pm, right up to the festival weekend.

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