Photo: ©Herbie KnottChristian Blackshaw – September 15, 2019 Pollack Hall LiveEvents September 10, 2019 1554 The Ladies’ Morning Musical Club presents CHRISTIAN BLACKSHAW The career of British pianist Christian Blackshaw is a most unusual one. Following studies at Royal Northern College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, the St. Petersburg Conservatory and private work with his pianistic hero, the legendary Clifford Curzon, Blackshaw embarked on the concert circuit only to stop abruptly in 1990, partly due to the death of his wife from cancer, but also because of a reluctance to continue performing at any level short of the Platonic ideal he had set himself. (“A perfectionist with a reverence for the composer that verges on the crippling,” is how one critic described him.) Blackshaw made a remarkable comeback a few years ago, performing Mozart’s sonatas in London’s Wigmore Hall to tremendous critical acclaim. A supreme control of dynamics, great emotional depth, and a “singing soul” marked these performances. His recordings of this repertory have been described as “captivating,” “magical,” and “masterful.” The Guardian remarked that on the basis of the first two volumes, “if Blackshaw retired tomorrow he’d never be forgotten.” Volume 4 was named one of the Best Classical Recordings of 2015 in the New York Times, and Gramophone magazine named it one of the Top 50 Greatest Mozart Recordings. During the 2018-2019 season Blackshaw served as Artist in Residence at Wigmore Hall in London. 2nd LMMC recital MOZART (1756-1791) Fantasy in D minor, K. 397 (1782) Rondo in D major, K. 485 (1786) Adagio in B minor, K. 540 (1788) SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Humoreske in B flat major, Opus 20 (1839) SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Sonata in B flat major, D. 960 (1828 Molto moderato Andante sostenuto Scherzo Allegro ma non troppo To learn more about Christian Blackshaw visit: www.christianblackshaw.com The LMMC is a non-profit organization. For more information and to purchase tickets: online at www.lmmc.ca (Please note that web reservations must be done by 1pm on the Friday before the concert.) By phone at 514-932-6796 Monday to Friday, from 10am to 1pm. Reservations are recommended as concerts often sell out. If tickets are still available, they can be purchased at Pollack Hall’s box office as of 2:30pm on the day of the concert.