Ludlow Arts: Classical

Ludlow Piano Festival

Friday 23 May 2025

2:00pm

Ludlow Assembly Rooms

Benjamin Frith and Heidi Rolfe: piano duet

Erik Satie: Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear
Gustav Holst: The Planets, Op.32

After their scintillating performance of Scheherezade last year, the pair return with a rarely-heard piano duet arrangement of Holst's ever-popular Planets Suite: it promises to be another unmissable, tour de force.

And, on the 100th anniversary of his death, they also play Satie's Three Pieces In The Shape of A Pear.

Benjamin Frith is one of the most versatile, respected and engaging pianists in the UK with over 80 critically-acclaimed recordings including a classical charttopping John Field Piano Concerto cycle (Gramophone's ‘Disc of the Year’). Gold Medal winner of the Artur Rubinstein Piano Masters International Competition, Tel Aviv, and Top Prize Winner in the Busoni International Piano Competition, Frith has performed with many of the world’s finest orchestras and conductors.

He enjoys a busy and varied career: as pianist in the Gould Piano Trio he has toured extensively throughout North America; and as guest pianist in the illustrious Nash Ensemble he has performed and recorded to critical acclaim. Solo tours have taken him to America, Europe, the Middle East and Far East and he has solo tours to Japan coming up.

Heidi Rolfe spent time riding racehorses, both in the UK and Italy, before returning to continue her musical studies. Graduating with a Masters degree in Piano Performance, Heidi was singled out for many concerto performances and was awarded the gift of a Grand Piano.

For many years Heidi, together with her husband Benjamin Frith, has enjoyed exploring the wonderful piano duo repertoire (for four hands at one piano and in two piano works) in recitals throughout the UK. Heidi’s varied repertoire includes works by female composers and much contemporary music. An interest in combining music and drama has led to award-winning performances which have been broadcast by the BBC.

Tickets £18 (u18 £5) from Ludlow Assembly Rooms box office HERE.