Watch back: Russian pianist Andrey Gugnin performs Alexey Shor's 'Childhood Memories'

Michael Francis (L) and Andrey Gugnin (R) - Copyright InClassica International Music Festival

By Euronews

Published on 20/09/2021 - 17:00•Updated 27/09/2021 - 11:02

Moscow-born pianist Andrey Gugnin performs Alexey Shor's Childhood Memories, a composition that reflects on memories from his childhood as well as the daily life with his own children.

The InClassica International Music Festival is the biggest and most ambitious ever music festival to take place in the Middle East, welcoming a staggering 37 world-renowned soloists, 7 celebrated orchestras and 12 leading conductors to Dubai for a 30-day celebration of sublime musicianship, world-class performance and international collaboration.

InClassica is pleased to present the biggest names in classical music today, featuring performers from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, for an unrivalled programme of phenomenal concerts.

It is a place where some of the greatest musical minds in the world today meet, where astonishing concerts are held and lifelong partnerships made. It is a place where audiences can discover new and historic works, where creative aspirations are realised and where the mind is allowed space to roam.

For this very special concert, in addition to Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird, the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz directed by its Chief Conductor, Michael Francis, will perform contemporary composer Alexey Shor’s Childhood Memories. This retrospective, nostalgic and at times, melancholic, work by InClassica’s Composer-in-Residence is a virtuosic and highly evocative piano concerto spread across nine spellbinding movements.

The soloist for this concert is renowned Russian pianist, Andrey Gugnin, a performer who in 2016 won the prestigious Sydney International Piano Competition, and is recipient of the Gold Medal and Audience Award at the XCI International Gina Bachauer Piano Competition in 2014 and second prize at the 2013 Beethoven International Piano Competition in Vienna. In addition to numerous celebrated CD releases, his recording of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra was featured on Steven Speilberg’s Oscar®-winning film Bridge of Spies.