Improvisation in classical music is a forgotten art. In the 18th and 19th century, improvisation was a major skill in the education of pianists including Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Liszt and Chopin. Laurens Patzlaff tries to revive this special type of concert in which the artist is able to create his music out of the moment. Patzlaff dazzles audiences with his musicianship while opening their eyes and ears to the unlimited capacity for variation in even the most formal of musical genres, offering a fresh perspective on music with a range of styles few if any can imagine.
Laurens Patzlaff is both a Classical and Jazz pianist gifted with the unique ability to improvise in every style. Within the field of improvisation, he is a true phenomenon. The Classics and improvisation have rarely intermixed, and Laurens is devoted to promoting and popularizing this fascinating musical duo. Improvisation is the main focus of his artistic and academic career.
A German music professor who works frequently in the U.S.A., Australia and throughout Europe and Asia, Patzlaff was appointed Germany’s first ever Professor for Piano and Improvisation (Jazz and Classical) at Lübeck University of Music in 2013. Patzlaff regularly hosts master classes for piano and improvisation at universities in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, Hong Kong, Beijing and other cities around the world. In addition to international solo engagements, he plays in jazz bands and is also an accomplished chamber musician. He has worked with the Stuttgart State Orchestra and the Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester. A busy programme of concert appearances has taken this multi-award-winning pianist to numerous European destinations, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and, most recently, New Zealand, Peru, Brazil and Colombia. He regularly performs in China, the U.S.A. and Australia.
60 minutes.
For more information please visit http://laurenspatzlaff.com/
Photograph courtesy of Laurens Patzlaff.
To maximise your enjoyment of this event, please note the following:
- Parking will not be available at the National Portrait Gallery while the Gallery is closed. Car parking is available behind the John Gorton building.
- If you require disabled car parking, please contact the organiser at karina.edwards@hcourt.gov.au
- Entry to the High Court is from the ground level entrance only.
- All guests are required to undergo security screening. Please allow an additional 10 minutes for this process.
- Food and beverages may not be consumed in the building.
Thank you for your understanding. We hope you thoroughly enjoy the concert.
