Charles Owen, described by Gramophone magazine as ‘one of the finest British pianists of his generation’, is to give the inaugural recital on the new Festival Steinway piano in St Laurence’s Parish Church, Ludlow, on Wednesday, September 26 at 1 pm.

The piano was originally built in Hamburg for the Steinway hire fleet in 1921, and was completely overhauled in 2017 by Piano Restorations Ltd and has now been prepared for concerts by Malcolm McKeand, the internationally renowned piano technician.

The repertoire for the hour-long lunchtime recital has been chosen to demonstrate the versatility of the instrument. Charles begins with two pieces by J S Bach, the Capriccio in B flat and ‘On the departure of a beloved brother’ BWV 992. The centrepiece of the concert is Schubert’s Sonata in C minor D958 and it concludes with ‘Gaspard de la Nuit’ by Maurice Ravel.

Charles Owen has enjoyed an extensive international career, performing a wide-ranging repertoire to outstanding critical acclaim. He has appeared at London’s Barbican and Queen Elizabeth Hall and regularly gives recitals at the Wigmore Hall and Kings Place. Internationally, he has performed at the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York, Vienna’s Musikverein, the Paris Musée d’Orsay, and the Moscow Conservatoire.

Shaun Ward, Director of Music at St Laurence’s, Ludlow, said: "We are thrilled to welcome a pianist of Charles Owen’s stature to christen our new Festival Steinway with a short recital of works that will really show what it can do. This is a wonderful instrument that will enhance our music programme at St Laurence’s enormously. It is also available for other arts and community groups to use for performances in the church. We are grateful to the many individuals and trusts who have contributed to its purchase."

Tickets available by calling the box office at Ludlow Assembly Rooms on 01584 878141 or by visiting ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk