Andrew Atkins Piano Recital

The very first concert presented at the inauguration of the Globe Sunday Matinee series in 2016 was by Palmerston North educated pianist Andrew Atkins. On Sunday May 26 Andrew returns to the series where he will present music by Beethoven and Chopin.

Beethoven’s output is often regarded as being in three distinct periods. The first was when he was clearly establishing himself against the background and guidance of his teacher; the second when he had fully established his own voice; and the final period when he was writing absolutely according to the depths of his own inspiration. Andrew in this concert will play two piano sonatas from Beethoven’s late period, including one described as Beethoven’s most demanding sonata.

By way of contrast Andrew will also play two nocturnes, or night pieces, by the most lyrical of all piano composers, Frederic Chopin. By Chopin’s lights, night music is not all dreamy, and the pieces touch on a wide range of feelings, including desolation, anger, and triumph.

Andrew is a recent graduate of Victoria University of Wellington: New Zealand School of Music. During his time there he completed a Masters of Musical Arts in Classical Performance (2016) piano under the esteemed tuition of Dr Jian Liu and Richard Mapp.

He competed in the inaugural Wallace National Piano Competition in 2013 and was a finalist in the Royal Overseas League Chamber Music Competition 2014 with his Piano and Cello Duo Duo Cecilia. He has performed Beethoven’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the Manawatu Sinfonia in 2013, and Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Tawa Orchestra in 2014.

Andrew also completed his Graduate Diploma in Conducting (2017) under the tuition of Kenneth Young and has gone on to develop a love and passion for conducting that gained him the position of Assistant Conductor to Orchestra Wellington 2017-2018. He has also conducted the Manawatu Sinfonia, Kapiti Concert Orchestra, Wellington Chamber orchestra and the New Zealand School of Music Orchestra. He is also the current Musical Director of the Wairarapa Singers and has seen them through successful performances of Cole Porter music and Haydn’s Creation.

In 2018 he completed his Masters in Fine Arts (Creative Practice) in Film Composition under the guidance of John Psathas and Michael Norris. He has been a finalist in the Todd Young Composers Competition and had his music work-shopped by NZSM chamber music groups and the NZ String Quartet. He has been involved in the music production of New Zealand Christmas feature movie Kiwi Christmas released in 2017, and aided in the recording of music for multiple children’s plays and short films.

In September of this year Andrew has the pleasure of performing Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto with the Manawatu Sinfonia in his home town. He began his piano tuition under the encouraging guidance of Barry Jones and then Guy Donaldson, who saw him through to the completion of an ATCL Recital Diploma in 2010, and it is wonderful for him to come back to where his passion for music began.