Murray McLachlan - Concert Pianist

Welcome to the web site of the Scottish concert pianist Murray McLachlan, one of Britain's leading classical pianists.

"Murray McLachlan is a pianist with a virtuoso technique and a sure sense of line. His timing and phrasing are impeccable, and his tone-full but unforced in the powerful passages, gentle and restrained in the more lyrical - is a perpetual delight"
BBC Music Magazine

"Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy was so much more than an essay in Bravura. It showed McLachlan as one of the outstanding contemporary British Pianists in both technique and musical insight "
Yorkshire Post

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Recent CD Relases Include:

	Ronald Stevenson Piano Concertos no.1 faust triptych no.2 the continents Chetham’s symphony orchestra julian clayton

	Piano Music From Scotland - Murray McLachlan, piano “Stevenson’s very free transcriptions... somewhat after the fashion of Liszt’s concert paraphrases, are imaginatively creative....Center’s Sonata... a major contribution to the repertory not in the least difficult to approach....Six bagatelles...strikingly diverse... Children at Play is an enchanting piece... all played with considerable bravura by Murray McLachlan who is clearly sympathetic....rosette is awarded not just for enterprise but equally from admiration and pleasure” ((c) Penguin Guide: rosette)

	ARAM KHACHATURIAN (1903-78) PIANO WORKS Murray McLachlan Time:79:16 “Toccata is a frequent concert encore.... At 80 minutes, this CD offers all of (Khachaturian’s) piano music with (two minor) exceptions....Sonatina very touching as are the Ten Children’s Pieces....Murray McLachlan...is a persuasive guide” ((c) Penguin Guide) “Khachaturian’s Sonatina is a delightful work composed in 1959... The brisk opening movement once heard can never be forgotten; the slow movement is in Khachaturian’s most achingly lyrical vein whilst the vigorous finale is equally memorable.” (c) James Murray)

	Tcherepnin Concertos ALEXANDER TCHEREPNIN (1899-1977) Piano Concertos nos. 2 (op26); no. 4 “Fantasie”; no.6 (op.99) Forum Murray McLachlan, piano Time: 76:10 Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Julian Clayton 1994/5, DDD

	Ferruccio BUSONI (1866-1924) Bach/Busoni Partita No 2 in D minor, BWV1004 – Chaconne Turandots Frauengemach (Intermezzo), K249 No 4. Sonatina No 6, ‘Fantasia da camera sur Carmen’, K284 Fantasia Contrappuntistica, K255 No 6. Murray McLachlan (piano) rec. "live", capacity audience, Fourth Chetham’s International Summer School and Festival for Pianists, The Whiteley Hall, Chetham’s School of Music, Long Millgate, Manchester, 2 August 2004, Seiler 208 Grand Piano DDD

	Nikolai MYASKOVSKY (1881-1950) Piano Sonatas Nos. 4, 5, Sonatine, Prelude Murray McLachlan, piano “the playing - intelligent and competent as before......the Fourth Sonata is at least, by my reckoning, easily the finest of the six....capturing the idealistic fervour of the early Soviet era in an idiom coloured by Scriabin, Prokofiev.....this is precisely the kind of enterprise that young artists and small companies should be encouraged to pursue.” (c) Gramophone) “middle of the Sonatine is dark and pessimistic, quite haunting. McLachlan writes of the “enormous tactile pleasure” for the performer...his playing is both authoratative and persuasive. Perhaps this is the record to try first as both the sonatas .. are of interest and substance” (Penguin Guide 3 stars)

Current Projects

RHAPSODY IN BLUE AUTUMN TOUR IN GERMANY AND THE UK

Following on from his forthcoming Symphony Hall Birmingham Rhapsody in Blue performance this Saturday (21 October), Murray will embark on a major tour of Germany with the same work, this time with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in seven major venues.

(Saturday October 21st Symphony Hall Birmingham – Raymond Gubbay 40th anniversary champagne Gala concert with the London Concert Orchestra, conductor Christopher Warren-Green)

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany (full details of tickets, etc from j.zich@deag.de ) :

Friday October 27th Europahalle Karlsruhe

Thursday November 2nd Velodrom Berlin

Friday November 3rd Volkswagenhalle Braunschweig

Monday November 6th Ostseehalle Kiel

Tuesday November 7th Bordelandhalle Magdeburg

Friday November 17th Arena Oberhausen

Friday December 8th Jako Arena Bamberg

Murray McLachlan has performed with the RPO many times over the years, including performances at the Royal Festival Hall (Tchaikovsky no, 1 and Rachmaninov no,2 ( Barbican (Greig) Fairfield Halls and Cambridge Corn Exchange (Schumann A minor)

SHOSTAKOVICH CENTENARY RECTIAL TOUR

Murray McLachlan continues his centenary recital tour, with a further nine recitals, supported by the UK Shostakovich Society and celebrating the music of Dmitri Shostakovich (born 5 September 1906). The programme ‘Shostakovich and his comrades’, includes both of the Shostakovich Sonatas, British Premiere performances of Rodion Shchedin’s recently completed Concerto for solo piano ‘ naughty limmericks’, and works by Kabalevsky, Myaskovsky and Ronald Stevenson. In addition to a performance at Wigmore Hall at 7.30pm on September 10th, there are tour dates at venues including Wesley Chapel, Harrogate June 24), Crear Concert Series , Argyll (6 August), Chetham’s International Summer School and Festival, Manchester (19 August), North Shields Master Musicians Series (8 September), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, (10 & 31 October) Goldsmiths, London (26 October) and Liverpool University (December 6)

Programme:
Sonata no. 3 in F major, op.46 Dmitri Kabalevsky
Song and Rhapsody, op. 58 Nikolai Myaskovsky (London Premiere)
Sonata no.1op.12 (1926) Dmitri Shostakovich

INTERVAL
Recitative and Air (DSCH), ‘in memorium Dmitri Shostakovich’ Ronald Stevenson
Piano Sonata no. 2 in B minor, op. 61 (1943) Dimitri Shostakovich
‘Chastushki’: Concerto for solo piano (‘Naughty Limmericks’ ) Rodion Shchedrin (London Premiere)

Murray McLachlan has long received outstanding critical acclaim for authoritative performances in Russian Music.His prolific discography includes the complete sonatas of Prokofiev, Myaskovsky, Kabalevsky and Weinberg. He has also received widespread acclaim for his recordings of the complete Tcherepnin piano concertos, the24 Preludes and Fugues of Rodion Shchedrin and the Ronald Stevenson ‘Passacaglia on DSCH’ (‘key recording’, 2006 Penguin Guide to compact discs)

Previous Projects Included:

CHETHAM’S INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL AND FESTIVAL FOR PIANISTS

The annual Chetham’s International summer school and festival for pianists is now in its sixth year, and this August the friendly, inspirational and bargain value for money week runs from Saturday August 19-26. In keeping with all previous courses, the faculty is larger and more vibrant than ever before, and the 32 pianists on site this year for teaching, concerts, lectures, masterclasses (and cabaret turns on the final night!) include Phillipe Cassard, Peter Donohoe, Douglas Finch, Norma Fisher, Joan Havill, Helen Krizos, Peter Lawson, Leon McCawley, Bryce Morrison, Yonty Solomon, Bernard Roberts, Noriko Ogawa, Kathryn Stott and Martino Tirimo. There is a new adult amateur course, with Sergei Dukachev, Hazel Fanning and Margaret Murray-McLeod, opportunities to study jazz with the internationally reknowned saxophonist-composer Tommy Smith and the Jazz Pianist Les Chisnall, a composition course with John McLeod and Ronald Stevenson, an improvisation course with the remarkable Israeli-French pianist David Dolan and prize winning Canadian pianist Douglas Finch (also head of keyboard at Trnity College of Music) and a series of visionary lessons and masterclasses entitled ‘The philosophy of Piansim’ with the well-known broadcaster, author, teacher and critic Jeremy Siepmann.

Last year the course attracted over 160 participants of all ages from across the globe. With tremendous practice facilities and three hours of one to one tuition for all, the course offers unparalleled opportunities.
Full details are available at www.piano-festival.co.uk or from the Chetham’s School of Music, Long Millgate Manchester M3 1SB.

www.piano-festival.co.uk
pianosummerschool@chethams.com
tel: 0161 834 9644
fax: 0161 839 3609

Murray McLachlan

Monday 4 October 1pm
Recital at Wesley Chapel, Harrogate
(Erik Chisholm Sonata ‘An Riobain Dearg’ and works by Chopin). Details: 01423 509917

Saturday 9 October 7.30pm
Performance of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with the Bardi Symphony Orchestra, De Montford Hall, Leicester. Details: Robert@eikonillustration.co.uk

Sunday 10 October 11am
Masterclass for East Renfrewshire District Council, Glasgow. Details: jill.carrick@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

Sunday 10 October 3pm
Concert for for East Renfrewshire District Council, Glasgow, including Beethoven Appassionata Sonata, and works by Chopin, Shultz-Evler, Grainger, Debussy, Busoni, Rachmaninov and Liszt. Details: jill.carrick@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

Monday 11 October 7.30pm
Recital for Hartlepool Music Club, including works by Beethoven and Chopin. Details: jim@forbesj4.fsnet.co.uk

Tuesday 12 October 7.30pm
Recital for Lockerbie Music Club, including works by Beethoven and Chopin. Details: 01576 202703

Friday 15 October 7.30pm
Recital for North Fylde Music, Blackpool, including works by Beethoven and Chopin. Details: alan.cantor@btinternet.com

Saturday 16 October 7.30pm
Recital for Haddington Music Club, Edinburgh including works by Beethoven, Chisholm and Chopin. Details: 01620 829138/ j.finch@btopenworld.com

Sunday 17 October 3pm
Beethoven Recital for Crear Arts Centre, Lochgilphead, Argyll. Details: info@crear.co.uk / www.crear.co.uk

Tuesday 19 October 1.15pm
Recital in Preston, including works by Beethoven and Chopin. Details: john.travis@virgin.net

Thursday 21 October 7.30pm
Recital for Cumnock Music Club, including works by Beethoven and Chopin, Details: 01290 421492

Friday 22 October 1.15pm
Beethoven Recital for St. Andrews University. Details: tsa1@st-andrews.ac.uk

Saturday 23 October 7.30pm
Recital for Ayr Music Club, including works by Beethoven and Chopin. Details: 01292 442086/01292 474777

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