Review: Andrei excites as Warwick Arts Centre concert season gets underway

Wow! What a start to the arts centre’s concert season.

The Tchaikovsky orchestra won a five minute ovation at the end of this marvellous evening and played two encores.

But the highlight was the playing of pianist Andrei Korobeinikov (pictured) who excited everyone with his performance of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op 43.

The young Russian has had a meteoric rise to the top, winning over 20 prizes in competitions around the world. He triumphed in the Rachmaninov Piano Competition in Los Angeles in 2005 aged 19. So his expertise with the composer’s most famous work was perhaps not surprising.

His intensity and firmness of purpose at the keyboard was mirrored by the 100-strong orchestra, expertly led by veteran conductor Vladimir Fedoseyev.

The orchestra is recognised as one of Russia’s most prestigious and well deserved their ovation. After a lively start with Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, op 70, they finished the evening with the powerful Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4 in F Minor, op 36.

This concert was the first of four before Christmas at the arts centre and the audience left eagerly anticipating the next three.

Verdict 10/10

Peter Gawthorpe