Acclaimed pianist and Frome composer join forces for world premiere!

INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed Jordanian Palestinian pianist, Iyad Sughayer, will be performing a new work composed for him by Frome-based composer and sound artist Helen Ottaway.

‘Levantina’ is inspired by a Middle Eastern folk song about messages being carried on the wind.

The concert is at 4pm, Sunday 6th February, at St George’s, Great George Street, Bristol, BS1 5RR.  

Besides Helen’s ‘Levantina’ Iyad will be playing Sibelius 6 Impromptus Op.5, Haydn Piano Sonata in F Major Hob. XVI:23 and Khachaturian Masquerade Suite.

Tickets to attend the performance can be booked through the venue. Promoters PalMusic – an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of young Palestinians through music – were hoping to live stream the concert, but have said that regrettably this is now not possible. 

Iyad Sughayer was introduced to Frome by Ruth Windle who encountered him at the Chetham’s International Piano Summer School. Sughayer has since performed in Frome on several occasions and appeared on Frome’s community radio station FromeFM.  

‘Levantina’ was commissioned from Helen Ottaway by her sister Frances, a supporter and promoter of Iyad Sughayer over recent years. 

Iyad is an alumni of The Royal Northern College of Music and Trinity Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London and currently an inaugural YCAT Concordia artist and an associate of PalMusic. His first CD of music by Khachaturian released in 2020 was met with universal acclaim and a second CD is in production.

Iyad says, “I’m very excited to premiere Helen Ottaway’s ‘Levantina’ which is written for me!”

Helen adds, “It’s a real joy to be able to create a new piece for Iyad, a true force of nature pianist. I am thrilled that this piece will be premiered in Bristol and hope that it will be heard in all kinds of places and venues around the world.”