The Strand International Piano Series - The Beethoven Sonatas

Step into the stunning candlelit setting of St Mary le Strand — “the Jewel of the Strand” — for the return of The Strand International Piano Series, now it's in 5th year after a critically acclaimed launch season in 2022–23. This intimate and architecturally impressive Baroque church has quickly become one of London’s most captivating concert venues.

This year’s series celebrates one of the most profound and enduring achievements in the piano repertoire: Beethoven’s 32 Piano Sonatas. Spanning the full arc of Beethoven’s creative life, these masterpieces offer an extraordinary portrait of the composer’s evolving musical voice—from youthful elegance and Classical clarity to thunderous drama, virtuosic brilliance, profound lyricism, and deeply introspective beauty. These concerts are a tribute to Beethoven at the 200th anniversary of his death.

Whether you’re a seasoned concert-goer or discovering classical piano music for the first time, this is an evening not to be missed—set in one of London’s most atmospheric musical spaces, just steps away from some of the city’s finest restaurants and bars.

Featuring
Andrew Zolinsky (piano)    

Programme
Beethoven - Sonata No. 11 in B-flat major, Op. 22
Schumann - Romance in F sharp major Op.28 No.2
Beethoven - Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 (Pastoral)

Andrew Zolinsky’s unique style of programming and his individual interpretations have secured performances at many prestigious venues and festivals. His work with living composers brings a vivid freshness, energy and passion to his interpretations of music from previous eras. Though a noted performer of contemporary repertoire, Andrew enjoys performing a wide range of music spanning several musical periods. His concerto repertoire includes Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg, Rachmaninoff, Gershwin and Barber, he has performed these composers with major orchestras, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, London Sinfonietta, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra and the Orchestre National de Lorraine, and has worked with many distinguished conductors such as Stefan Asbury, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Martyn Brabbins, Baldur Brönnimann, Diego Masson, Andre De Ridder, David Robertson and Pascal Rophe. Andrew has given World and regional premieres of many of David Lang’s works, including the world premiere in New York of the complete set of Memory pieces. Lang’s beautiful piano piece ‘This was written by hand’ was written especially for Andrew; he has recorded both this and the Memory Pieces on the Cantaloupe label.