Charles Owen

In the artist’s words: Describe one of your earliest musical memories in detail. Exploring my parent’s collection of LPs was like entering an enchanted kingdom. My favourite was Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ symphony; the sense of journeying and the drama of ‘the storm’ all leading to a re-emergence, the world transformed. Find a song of yours on Apple Music that you love and tell us what makes it special. Tell us why you chose this song. “Années de pèlerinage, Première année: Suisse, S. 160: No. 4, Au bord d'une source” Liszt’s depiction of Alpine streams is magical, his use of watery figuration effortlessly evoking the splashing sound of mountain streams.The lyrical spirit of Schubert hovers over this enchanting piece, an escape into the beauty of the natural world What’s one of the most memorable moments in your career so far? I performed Bach's powerful D minor keyboard concerto with The Hallé and Mark Elder in Manchester in 2018. I remember the sheer vitality and sensitivity which the players brought to the piece, a sense of the music ‘flying’ in front of a packed hall. Is there anything left on your bucket list as an artist or band? Yes indeed! An ongoing exploration of the endlessly rich piano and chamber music repertoire with a continuing focus on Robert Schumann. And I'd love to continue commissioning and performing new music for both solo and piano duo.