Toad Lane Concerts: Hanna Csermely piano

Hannah Csermely

20-year-old Hungarian pianist, Hanna Csermely, delighted her audience with a varied programme of piano gems on Wednesday 1 November.

Hanna grew up in Southampton, starting piano lessons aged 7. Later she attended the Hampshire Specialist Music Course at 16, achieving a high distinction for her ARSM diploma and performing Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto. Hanna also played with chamber ensembles, orchestral piano for the Southampton Youth Orchestras, accompanied for ABRSM exams, local choirs, played in pit orchestras and taught a handful of students, the ‘portfolio career’ of the modern musician that she is developing further in her third year at the Royal Northern College of Music.

Quickly engaging with her audience with genial and informative introductions, Hanna gave confident and noble interpretations of JS Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in F# minor (book 2). This led to the delightful classical lines of Beethoven’s Sonata in G, and a sumptuously romantic Rachmaninoff Prelude in D. Then to the modern period with Bartók’s percussive and witty Sonatina and John McLeod’s rhythmic and atmospheric Hebridean Dances.

It was a splendid debut for this talented pianist at the Toad Lane Concerts at St Mary in the Baum that made the most of the vintage 1933 Challen 8-foot Grand piano.

The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. No refreshments available. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

To see details of forthcoming Toad Lane Concerts, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson