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The Prince of Wales commissions piano concerto in memory of his grandmother
17th May 2007
The Prince of Wales has commissioned a piano concerto in memory of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
The concerto has been composed by award-winning composer Nigel Hess whose scores for television, theatre and film have won him critical acclaim.
The piece will receive its world premiere in July at a special concert dedicated to the memory of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and organised by Music in Country Churches, of which the Prince is Patron.
The soloist on this occasion will be the world-renowned pianist Lang Lang, whose musical genius has made him one of the most talked about young performers of classical music.
The twenty-three minute composition is split into three movements which aim to reflect key traits of The Queen Mother’s personality.
This is the second piece of music which His Royal Highness has commissioned in memory of his grandmother.
The first was a cello concerto by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett which was performed in front of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall by the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on 9th March 2006.
Notes to Editors
Music in Country Churches was set up as a charitable trust in 1989 with the active support of The Prince of Wales. The Trust has two aims: to arrange weekends of music in rural churches of exceptional beauty and interest and to raise funds thereby to assist those churches with the costs of their repair and maintenance.