Californian-born prizewinning pianist and Chopin-specialist Kevin Kenner is stepping in at the last minute for the injured Mikhail Rudy to perform with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jacek Kaspszyk on a tour of the UK.  The tour kicked off on Tuesday 10 November and continues until 22 November with eleven UK dates which include London Cadogan Hall on 18 November and Reading Hexagon on 19 November.  

Now based in Krakow and London, Kenner’s Polish pedigree goes back a long way. He studied with Polish masters Krzysztof Brzuza and Ludwik Stefanski and lived in Krakow during the Solidarity era of the 1980s during which time he won the prestigious International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. As befits his affinity to Poland, the repertoire for the November tour is Chopin Piano Concerto No 1 in E minor.

Kenner’s artistry is recognised throughout the world and he has performed as a soloist with the Hallé Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Czech Philharmonic, the Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic, the NHK Symphony of Japan, and in the US with the principal orchestras of San Francisco, San Diego, Salt Lake City, New Jersey, Rochester, Baltimore, St. Paul and many others

He performs chamber music with ensembles such as the Belcea, the Tokyo, and the Endellion string quartets and has toured and recorded with the Piazzoforte ensemble performing arrangements of Astor Piazzolla, Chopin and Bach. He is also creator and artistic director of the Ensemble XIX, which performs the music of Chopin on 19th century instruments.

Kevin Kenner’s recordings include many discs of Chopin works as well as recordings of Ravel, Schumann, Beethoven and Piazzolla, the latter having received the top industry award in Poland two years ago as best CD of the year.  He has also established himself as a specialist in period instruments and his recent recording of Chopin solo piano works on an 1848 Pleyel for the National Chopin Institute of Poland received a 5 star rating by the French magazine Diapason. 

TOUR DETAILS
Kevin Kenner: piano
Jacek Kaspszyk: conductor
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

Tuesday 10 November 2009 19.30 Great Yarmouth Hippodrome
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Brahms: Symphony no 1
www.hippodromecircus.co.uk
 
Thursday 12 November 2009 19.45 Middlesbrough Town Hall   
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Beethoven: Symphony no 7
www.visitmiddlesbrough.com/site/whats-on/products/polish-national-radio-symphony-orchestra-p390761  
 

Friday 13 November 2009 19.30 Carlisle The Sands Centre
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Beethoven: Symphony no 7
www.thesandscentre.co.uk
 

Saturday 14 November 2009 19.30 Bradford St.George’s Concert Hall
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Beethoven: Symphony no 7
www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/event/polish-national-symphony-orchestra
 

Sunday 15 November 2009 19.30 Southend-on-Sea Cliffs Pavilion
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Rachmaninov: Symphony no 2
www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk/pr-productions_details.asp?pid=3295

 
Tuesday 17 November 2009 20.00 Warwick Arts Centre
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Rachmaninov: Symphony no 2
www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/events/classical-music/?view-all-events=1
  

Wednesday 18 November 2009 19.30 London Cadogan Hall
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Rachmaninov: Symphony no 2
www.cadoganhall.com/showpage.php?pid=1014
 

Thursday 19 November 2009 19.30 Reading Hexagon
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Brahms: Symphony no 1
www.readingarts.com/thehexagon/whatson/event.asp?id=SXDD57-A7819457
 

Friday 20 November 2009 19.30 Hull City Hall
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Brahms: Symphony no 1
www.hullcc.gov.uk/portal/page?_pageid=221,607836&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
 

Saturday 21 November 2009 19.30 Leeds Town Hall
Panufnik: Nocturne
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Brahms: Symphony no 1
www.leedsconcertseason.com/MODULES/DIARY/LICS_DIARYmoduleASP/DIARYMOD_item.asp?type=orchestral%20&itemid=1199  

Sunday 22 November 2009 19.30 Llandudno Venue Cymru
Elgar: In the South
Chopin: Piano Concerto no 1 in E min
Brahms: Symphony no 1
www.venuecymru.co.uk