The Rachmaninov Preludes

Step into the stunning candlelit setting of St Mary le Strand - "the Jewel of the Strand" - for the return of The Strand International Piano Series, now it's in fourth year after a critically acclaimed launch season in 2022-23. This intimate and architecturally impressive Baroque church has quickly become one of London's most captivating concert venues, offering sublime acoustics along with the power and clarity of a brand-new Steinway concert grand piano.

This year's series celebrates one of the most evocative and emotionally charged achievements in the piano repertoire: Sergei Rachmaninoff's 24 Preludes. Spanning every major and minor key, these works offer a sweeping portrait of the composer's inner world-from thunderous drama and virtuosic brilliance to haunting lyricism and introspective beauty. Written across different periods of his life, the preludes reflect the full range of Rachmaninoff's genius, and each concert in the series reveals a new facet of his profound musical voice.

Whether you're a seasoned concert-goer or discovering classical piano music for the first time, this is an evening not to be missed-set in one of London's most atmospheric musical spaces, just steps away from some of the city's finest restaurants and bars.

Featuring
Ivana Gavrick (piano)

Programme
Beethoven - Tempest Sonata in D minor
Rachmaninov - Prelude Op 32 No.5 in G major
Dora Pejacevic - The Life of Flowers op 19 (selection)
Dora Pejacevic - Sonata Op 57

About Ivana Gavrick 
Ivana Gavric has attracted international acclaim for her interpretations of a broad range of repertoire and storytelling programming, her playing described as 'electrifying' (BBC Music Magazine) and 'impressive, insightful...ravishing' (Washington Post). Ivana is drawn to composers like Janácek, Grieg and Chopin, who each take features of their respective homelands to create a distinctive musical voice, whether from the landscape and nature or from elements of folk music and dance. A long-standing collaboration with the award-winning composer, Cheryl Frances-Hoad, has led to solo works and more recently a concerto, entitled Between the Skies, the River and the Hills, written for Ivana. Ivana is also committed to performing works by female composers of the past, particularly Dora Pejacevic, with whom she shares her origins.