A fascinating programme by this real thinking musician . A French Suite not by J.S. Bach but of his own making chosen from rarely heard pieces from the French repertoire.
An outpouring of song in Sposalizio that was a vision of Raphael’s The Marriage of the Virgin that had inspired Liszt on his visit to Milan in 1858.
An important but neglected work by John Ireland written in 1915 with the magnificently stormy essay of his Rhapsody .
Finally on home territory with Les Adieux op 81a by Beethoven where Alexander Soares’ rather intellectually pensive programme on this stormy winter’s days suddenly sprang to life with a performance of remarkable intelligence and control.
The clouds had only momentarily lifted though as we were treated to one of Chopin’s most subtly poignant Mazukas from op 17 that was played with mastery and musicianly control of sound.
An afternoon of not easy music making but with those that have the ears to listen carefully an afternoon of very refined playing opening new vistas on the vast keyboard repertoire there is still to discover.

Alexander graduated with first class honours from Clare College, University of Cambridge. He then pursued postgratuate studies with Ronan O’Hora at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, achieving a Master’s with Distinction. In 2015 he completed a doctorate investigating memorisation strategies for contemporary piano repertoire, under the supervision of Professor Daniel Leech-Wilkinson. He is most grateful for generous support from the Guildhall School Trust, Help Musicians UK, Countess of Munster Trust, Martin Musical Scholarship Foundation, Park Lane Group and Making Music.

A keen chamber musician, Alexander has performed on numerous occasions in the Barbican, working with notable artists such as Boris Brovtsyn and Alexander Baillie. Collaborating with violinist Mihaela Martin, he debuted in Spain at the Palacio de Festivales, Sala Argenta. He has also toured France, in venues including Auditorium St. Germain and Opéra Rouen, performing Stravinsky’s Les Noces on Pleyel’s original double grand pianos, manufactured in the late nineteenth century. Alexander has greatly benefitted from the guidance of pianists including Richard Goode, Stephen Kovacevich, Stephen Hough, and Steven Osborne.

A BBC Music Magazine Rising Star in 2021, pianist Alexander Soares has garnered a reputation as an authoritative soloist, sensitive collaborator, and dynamic recording artist. In recital, he has been praised for his performances that are “brilliantly unbuttoned” ( The Sunday Times ) with playing of “huge intensity” ( The Telegraph ) and “diamond clarity and authority” ( BBC Radio 3 ). He came to international attention in 2015, performing the solo and chamber music of Pierre Boulez in a live BBC Radio 3 broadcast at the Barbican Centre; in the same year he also won the Gold Medal in the prestigious Royal Overseas League Competition and was selected as a solo artist by City Music Foundation. Alexander has since performed in major venues and festivals across the UK, Europe and USA, with regular radio broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, FranceMusique, WDR, SWR2 and RTP. In 2019 he signed with Rubicon Classics to release his debut solo album Notations & Sketches. Praised for its captivating programme — the piano solo works of Boulez, Dutilleux and Messiaen — the disc was selected as ‘Editor’s Choice’ by Gramophone Magazine (May 2019) anId received widespread critical acclaim. In 2021, following the release of his second solo CD – Threnodies – Alexander was noted as “a thoughtful programmer” ( BBC Music Magazine ). He has also recorded with critical acclaim for KAIROS and Delphian Records. He combines a busy and varied performing schedule with doctoral supervision at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and research of musical memorisation. http://www.alexander-soares.com