Lunchtime Recital - Giordano Buondonno

Following the recital in the David Lloyd George Room, a Kettner Lunch will take place at 1.30 pm in the Lady Violet Room. Bookings for the lunch must be made in advance at the link below (the lunch is optional):

https://members.nlc.org.uk/web/pages/events-reservation?eventId=1629&backURL=%2Fupcoming-events

'Drops of crystal' of musical intelligence and ravishing beauty - Christopher Axworthy

Recital Programme:

S. Rachmaninoff * – Études-Tableaux, Op. 33 (selection)

• Étude No. 3 - Grave in C minor
• Étude No. 2 - Allegro in C Major "Misting Rain"
• Étude No. 7 - Moderato in G minor "A Gloomy Morning"
• Étude No. 4 - Moderato in D minor
• Étude No. 6 - Allegro con fuoco in E♭ Major "The Fair"
• Étude No. 8 - Grave in C-sharp minor

C. Debussy – Images Books 1 and 2 (selection)

• Hommage à Rameau
• Cloches a travers les feuilles
• Reflets dans l’eau

J.S. Bach / F. Busoni – Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565

* Sergei Rachmaninoff gave his final UK performance on Saturday 11th March 1939, and following his concert at Queen’s Hall in the afternoon was brought to the Club by his friend Benno Moiseiwitsch, where he gave a short recital in the very room where this concert is taking place.

The Kettner Lunch

Kettner Society Chair Peter Whyte gives a talk on our founder, Peter Boizot MBE DL. Entrepreneur, philanthropist, restaurateur, politician, and jazz aficionado. Lifelong champion of music, art, and community. Inspired by his deep love of Italy, Peter is best known as the founder of Pizza Express. £39 for a two-course lunch with coffee and chocolates. Reservations with the NLC: members.nlc.org.uk/upcoming-events

Born in La Spezia, Italy, Giordano Buondonno graduated with highest honors from the Giacomo Puccini Conservatoire, achieving the top mark in his class. He has received mentorship from distinguished pianists including Sergio De Simone, Deniz Gelenbe, Mikhail Kazakevich, and Martino Tirimo in London. Currently, he is pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the guidance of Ronan O’Hora, Charles Owen, and Noriko Ogawa.

At the age of 19, Giordano was awarded first prize at the Clara Schumann Competition. A laureate of the PianoLink Concerto Competition, he earned first prize with a performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, accompanied by the PianoLink Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Massimo Fiocchi Malaspina at Palazzina Liberty in Milan. He was a finalist in the 2019 Beethoven Society Intercollegiate Piano Competition and won third prize at the Sheepdrove Intercollegiate Piano Competition.

Giordano’s international debut in Russia featured a three-concert tour as part of the Pianissimo Winter Festival. His performances included appearances at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the GES-2 Concert Hall in Moscow, and the Pakgauzy Concert Hall in Nizhny Novgorod.

Notable highlights of Giordano’s career include recitals at Steinway Hall, King’s Place Hall, Milton Court Concert Hall at the Barbican Centre, St. James’s Piccadilly in London, as well as a performance at Henley Park Manor in Surrey for His Serene Highness Prince Donatus von Hohenzollern.

He has also performed in Rome as part of the Young Artist Concert Series organized by RomaTre Orchestra. Recent engagements include appearances at the South Hill Park Arts Centre International Conservatoire Series, Lighthouse Poole’s Centre for the Arts, George Solti Studio in London (performing on Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli’s piano), the Paganiniano Festival in Italy, Old Royal Naval College, St. Alfege Church, the Polish Hearth Club in South Kensington, and St. Mary’s Perivale.

Giordano is a proud recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, including The Leverhulme Trust Scholarship, Arthur Haynes Scholarship, Gladys Bratton Scholarship, two Jacqueline Williams Scholarships, and support from The Keyboard Charitable Trust in London.