Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra is excited to be working with one of the foremost pianists in the UK.

Peter Donohoe has gained international renown since winning the Silver Medal at the 1982 International Tchaikovsky Competition and will be performing Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 3, accompanied by our town’s full symphony orchestra in The Alington Hall at Shrewsbury School on March 27th. 

The concert, conducted by John Moore and led by Alex Postlethwaite, will also include Kalinnikov Symphony No 1 and the overture to Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin (arr Glazunov). 

The 2023/24 season began with Peter appearing as a soloist with the London Symphony Orchestra and Simon Rattle in London, Edinburgh, and Bucharest. 

In January 2024, Peter returns to Philadelphia for performance with the Ama Deus Ensemble and will then travel to Dubai to adjudicate the 3rd Classic Piano Competition 2024.

John Moore said: “Peter is one of the greatest pianists of our time and it is undoubtedly a coup for classical music in Shrewsbury to be able to welcome him to our town on March 27th. The orchestra is working hard to do him justice and we look forward to giving one of our best performances ever! 

“Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra is gaining a fabulous reputation locally for our work delivering interesting and engaging programmes at concert venues across Shrewsbury, as well as working with some of the best musicians performing in the UK today. We hope that everyone will come along and take this opportunity to hear world class piano music right on our doorstep.”

Alex adds: “It's wonderful to have the opportunity to perform rarely heard pieces of music.  Kalinnikov's life was sadly cut short (he died in his early thirties) before he had a chance to really find a way out from under the wings of Tchaikovksy and the great Russian Nationalists like Borodin and Rimsky Korsakov.  

“His first symphony is a piece full of wonderful melodies, achingly Russian, to me it invokes the expanse of the great Russian steppes and the awe-inspiring eastern orthodox art and architecture.”

Peter studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and in Paris with Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod and is hard to match for his musicianship, versatility and technical skill. 

He has appeared with many of the world’s most famous orchestras and all of the major London orchestras, toured with the Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra and made over 20 appearances at the BBC Proms. His most recent discs include six volumes of Mozart Piano Sonatas with SOMM Records.

Peter Donohoe and The Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra - Wednesday, March 27th, 2024, 7.30pm at The Alington Hall, Shrewsbury School - Tickets £16.50/£2 from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/shrewsbury-symphony-orchestra