The Murray McLachlan Class Concert Series — Recital by His Student Pianists

ABOUT THE EVENT

The Murray McLachlan Class Concert Series at Forsyth

combines a multifaceted career as pianist, recording artist, writer, lecturer, and music educator. With a repertoire of 25 recital programmes and 40 concertos, he has performed to critical acclaim on all five continents and has a discography of over 40 releases. He has written three critically acclaimed books on piano technique (Faber Music), and his quarterly column for International Piano Magazine has been running for over twenty years. He is Founder and Artistic Director of the world-famous Chetham's International Summer School and Festival for Pianists, Europe's largest summer school devoted exclusively to the piano.

As a teacher, McLachlan continues to be very busy and in demand. Many of his students have won prizes in competitions and continued with their own successful careers as performers. He teaches both privately and at the Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham's School of Music, where he has been Head of Keyboard since 1997. As part of his students' development, he organises regular showcase recitals for them here at Forsyth.

About this performance...

Five of Murray's gifted young students will present a wide-ranging programme bookended by Beethoven's delightful second sonata and Chopin's tragic Polonaise in F sharp minor. Along the way, we'll hear from the important British composers York Bowen, Ronald Stevenson and Stephen Hough, the highly-regarded Japanese neo-Romantic Takashi Yoshimatsu, and the titans Bach, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich and Prokofiev, including his famous 'Montagues and Capulets' from Romeo and Juliet.

PROGRAMME

Charlotte Harding

Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major Op. 2 No. 2

Christopher Hawkins

Stephen Hough, Sonatina nostalgica

Frederick Johnston

Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet: Ten Pieces for Piano Op. 75, VI. Montagues and Capulets

Bowen, 24 Preludes in all major and minor keys Op. 102, Prelude No. 7 in E flat major

Takashi Yoshimatsu, Piano Folio... to a disappeared Pleiad

Lincoln Poon

J. S. Bach, The Art of Fugue BWV 1080, VIII. Contrapunctus 8, a 3

Shostakovich, 24 Preludes and Fugues Op. 87, Prelude and Fugue No. 5 in D major

Mendelssohn, Six Preludes and Fugues Op. 35, Prelude and Fugue No. 3 in B minor

Luís Ribeiro

Stevenson, Peter Grimes Fantasy on themes from the opera by Benjamin Britten

Chopin, Polonaise in F sharp minor Op. 44

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Charlotte Harding

Thirteen-year-old pianist Charlotte Harding was born in Weihai, China, and is currently studying piano with Professor Murray McLachlan in Manchester. She first discovered her love for the piano at the age of five and has since developed a thoughtful, mature musical voice through consistent practice, stage experience and competitive success.

Charlotte has earned recognition for her playing, including a Gold Medal at a national youth talent contest and first place in her category at the regional round of the United States Open Music Competition. Beyond her commitment to classical music, she is a creative and active young musician who enjoys composing her own works, as well as tennis, jazz dance and swimming in her spare time.

In this recital series, she will present Beethoven's Sonata in A major Op. 2 No. 2 in its entirety. She is thrilled to open the concert and share this meaningful performance with the audience at Forsyth.

Christopher Hawkins

Young British pianist Christopher Hawkins began his studies with local teachers, including Michael Johnson, achieving both his Associate and Licentiate diplomas in piano performance. Currently, he studies with Murray McLachlan at the Royal Northern College of Music for his undergraduate studies in preparation for a future musical career.

Christopher has performed in venues across Wiltshire and appeared as a soloist with the South West Youth Orchestra, performing the first movement of Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2. He has provided background music for events at the Wiltshire Music Centre and was invited to perform for guests at a private recital.

During preparations for his diplomas, he participated in the Devizes Eisteddfod Music Festival, where in 2023 he was awarded four trophies, including the Giles Chivers Cup for most outstanding Senior Performance and the Anne Lake Cup for best Overall Piano Solo. In 2024, he took part for the final time, winning his Piano Repertoire Class and the Director's Cup. More recently, Christopher reached the final of the EPTA National Piano Competition at Steinway Hall.

Frederick Johnston

Frederick Johnston, born in York in 2007, is a pianist and tuba player currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music.

As a pianist, Freddie studied with Paul Feehan from 2021 and passed his ARSM Diploma with Distinction. He has won several prizes in competitions, made his concerto debut at the age of 16, performing Mendelssohn's Concerto in G minor, and has performed in venues such as Birmingham's Symphony Hall, the Linz Brucknerhaus and the Glasshouse International Centre for Music.

Freddie now studies piano with Murray McLachlan and tuba with Brian Kingsley.

Lincoln Poon

Lincoln Poon is an aspiring musician based in Manchester. He is currently a student at the School of Keyboard Studies, Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), under the tutelage of Professor Murray McLachlan, the renowned concert pianist and pedagogue.

In March 2026, he enjoyed success as a winner of the over-18s class of the EPTA UK piano competition, where he performed a programme of diverse repertoire from memory, including a piece by an RNCM student composer. He is also a keen collaborator who constantly seeks opportunities to perform as an accompanist and chamber musician. At RNCM, he has taken part in lunchtime concerts, student recitals and studio classes. Beyond the college, he has recently played orchestral reductions at a piano concerto competition and, with a violinist, chamber repertoire by Brahms and Clara Schumann.

These experiences deeply motivate him to elevate and excel in his musical work, as he strives to develop his individual artistry with integrity and versatility.

Luís Ribeiro

"An innocence of humility and mastery as music just poured from his fingers with a glowing radiance of beauty." (Christopher Axworthy, Music Commentary / CIPSS 2025)

Coming from Lisbon, Portugal, Luís Ribeiro began his piano studies at the age of 12. Showing remarkable aptitude, he progressed rapidly, giving his first 40-minute solo recital just two years later. At 16, he made his concerto debut with the Metropolitana's Classical Orchestra at the Centro Cultural de Belém.

He has since been distinguished in over ten national and international competitions, including as finalist at the Yamaha Music Europe Foundation Scholarships, finalist at the WMSO Young Musician Concerto Competition and semi-finalist at the Wales International Piano Competition (2025).

He currently studies with Murray McLachlan at the Royal Northern College of Music. Luís has performed in three countries and appeared at the Chetham's International Piano Summer School, where he received an invitation to participate in a UK tour.

In 2026, Luís conceived and directed a semi-improvised chamber opera based on the Portuguese tale George by Maria Judite de Carvalho, acting as director, composer, librettist, conductor, and performer.

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