The Virtuoso and the Ghost — Paganini's ghost tells the tale of Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov at Wick Bottom Barn

The ghost of music’s original virtuoso - Paganini - tells the tale of how he inspired the great superstars of the piano - Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov.

All three were inspired by violinist Niccolo Paganini, the first real rockstar of music, whose appearance was so demonic and his technique so dazzling he was rumoured to have sold his soul to the devil. Paganini's ghost, played by actor Robert Dukes, will appear and tell his tale before the piano sounds.

A virtuoso of today, award-winning South Korean pianist Seonghyeon Leem, plays their music in her UK solo debut, in a rare opportunity to hear an artist of this calibre outside of the world’s grandest stages.

This evening takes place in the beautifully restored and stunning Wick Bottom Barn, set in the heart of the rolling North Wessex Downs, with its ancient landscapes and miles of open fields.

The slightly extended interval includes an offering of artisanal cheese, wine and breads for you to enjoy.

Finally, we are delighted to feature a tasting of world-renowned Macallan single malt whisky; luxury, complexity and sophistication for all the senses.

An unforgettable evening.

Programme

Frédéric Chopin - Scherzo No.4, Op.54 in E Major
Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne, Op.62 No.1
Franz Liszt - Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este from Années de pèlerinage "Troisième année"
Franz Schubert (transcribed Franz Liszt) - Ave Maria
J.S. Bach (transcribed Rachmaninov) - Violin Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006: I. Preludio, III. Gavotte, VII. Gigue
Sergei Rachmaninov - Prelude Op.3 No.2 in C-sharp minor
Sergei Rachmaninov - Prelude Op.23 No.5 in G minor
Franz Liszt - "La campanella"

Seonghyeon Leem

“Elegance, intelligence, and pianistic beauty" Bachtrack

South Korean pianist Seonghyeon Leem is establishing a reputation as one of the most captivating musicians of her generation. She made her European debut at the Mozarthaus Konzertsaal in Vienna and has since performed at prestigious venues including the Salzburger Festspiele, Salle Cortot in Paris, Arsenal in Metz, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, and on MDR Television in Leipzig. Her recent engagements encompass solo recitals and concerto appearances throughout Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Türkiye, China, South Korea, and beyond.

Leem is the First Prize winner of the 2022 International Piano Competition Istanbul Orchestra’Sion and recipient of the 2023 International Pro Musicis Award. She is also a laureate of the 2024 ZF Music Award, the 66th Gian Battista Viotti International Music Competition, the 2017 Moscow International Piano Open Competition, the 2021 International Piano Competition Clamo Music, and the 2015 International Rosario Marciano Piano Competition.

As a soloist, Leem has performed major concertos including Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the Mozarteum University Symphony Orchestra under Ion Marin at the Haus für Mozart at the Salzburger Festspiele (October 2022); Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major with the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie and Hankyeol Yoon in Konstanz and Friedrichshafen (April 2023); Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major with Orchestra’Sion and Orçun Orçunsel in Istanbul (November 2022); Schumann’s Piano Concerto with the Orchester der Musikalischen Komödie and Matthias Foremny in Leipzig (June 2024); and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Orchestra Giocoso and Mariusz Smolij in Aix-en-Provence (August 2024).

Leem holds an undergraduate degree with honors from Seoul National University, where she studied under Prof. Aviram Reichert. She earned her Master’s and Postgraduate degrees with Prof. Jacques Rouvier at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, and completed her Meisterklassenexamen at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig, studying under Prof. Christian A. Pohl, where she also served as his teaching assistant.

She considers herself a protégé of Paul Gulda and Eunju Heo and has received guidance in masterclasses from renowned musicians including Paul Badura-Skoda, Menahem Pressler, Arie Vardi, Elisabeth Leonskaja, and Maxim Vengerov.

An active pedagogue, Seonghyeon Leem has given masterclasses in Toulouse and Hamburg and served as a jury member for the MaiFestival Competition. She was a faculty member at the Musica Mundi Festival in 2022 and 2023. Leem is a member of the New Leipzig Chopin Society and a recipient of the 2023/24 Elfrun Gabriel Stiftung Scholarship, which supported her numerous recital performances throughout Germany.

Currently, she teaches piano at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig.

https://seonghyeonleem.com/

Robert Dukes

Robert Dukes is an actor originally from the Midlands. One of the last children to be born in Loughborough Hospital, he was brought up in a very musical household. Robert grew up playing the trumpet in county orchestras, having the opportunity to play all across Europe and on Classic FM. He turned to acting as a teenager and his love of performing evolved. He has studied in the UK and America and has worked on stage, screen and has voiced audiobooks and characters in computer games.

Robert acted in the music video for November Sunday, a project which involved a number of White Horse Festival Trustees.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4070147/

Wick Bottom Barn

Originally built in 1859, Wick Bottom Barn was once at the heart of a working farm — full of hay, grain, and the quiet rhythm of rural life.

Today, after a sensitive and beautifully considered renovation, it stands ready for a new kind of gathering. Retaining all of its original character — thick stone walls, soaring beams, and hand-crafted timber cladding — the barn now also benefits from thoughtful updates: new floors, glazed entrances, stone tiled flooring, complete roof insulation, heating and improved lighting throughout. It is a truly stunning events space embarking on its next chapter, and we are delighted to be a part of it.

https://www.wickbottombarn.com/

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