It is only right that a Jury should be given the chance to perform themselves after having given so generously of their time to listen to their younger colleagues.

And so it was tonight the turn of two jury members Daniel Rivera and Misha Dacic to give a duo concert together of works by Rachmaninov at the end of the 150th anniversary celebrations of this much loved composer.

An impeccable sense of balance from Misha Dacic in the bass, who was also in control of the pedals, allowed Daniel Rivera to play with chiselled beauty.Ravishing penetrating sounds from a pianist who knows what real weight means squeezing golden sounds out of every note from pianissimo to forte.Misha too would suddenly illuminate sounds in the heart of the keyboard that would light up a phrase while Daniel would immediately accomodate the entry of this new instrument from their sumptuous Philadelphian orchestra.

Starting with the six little pieces op 11 for four hands on one piano.They really are not such little pieces as these two artists showed us,turning each one into miniature tone poems.

And a Philadelphian orchestra there certainly was when each pianist had his own instrument to play the Simon Callaghan transcription of Rachmaninov’s much loved Second Symphony.
A kaleidoscopic sense of colour as the demonstrative Daniel played with passion and technical mastery equalled but not outwardly visible by Misha Dacic.It was interesting to watch Misha as his eyes devoured the music but without any physical effort whatsoever.

Playing as one with a clarity and beauty that was never overpowering but as sumptuous and golden as Rachmaninov’s favourite orchestra .It is interesting to note that just before Rachmaninov’s death in 1943 he and Horowitz’s had become neighbours in Beverley Hills and often used to play at home for fun.

If only I phones had been invented then but I imagine the conviction and mastery of the performance we heard tonight may have been similar to what the neighbours in Beverley Hills might have experienced as the Second World War was in full devastating force in Europe.