A BREATH OF AIR FOR EUROPE
In between the two works of Respighi’s The Fountains of Rome and Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony, the main piece was the Grieg piano concerto in which the young English soloist, Grace Francis, played with agility, choosing a dimension of delicate technique rather than favouring a romantic approach.
The audience’s long and enthusiastic applause showed its appreciation to all the talent of the EUYO and their celebrated conductor.
Gasperi Giuliano
Corriere del Ticino
Wednesday 14th April 2010
THE YOUNG LEARN THROUGH THE MEANS OF THEIR TEACHERS
In Lugano, the inaugural concert last night with the European Youth Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy, gave a possible key to the question of why he gives preferential support to this event. The famous conductor escorted and introduced a young musician.
It happened last night when the pianist Grace Francis, who, so far, is inexplicably still on the fringe of the international concert circuit.
A discovery, then, that Ashkenazy, the most famous among living pianists, himself wanted to have her in the EUYO tour.
Zeno Gabaglio