The internationally acclaimed pianist Iain Burnside makes a welcome return to Rye Arts Festival engaging in conversation for the fourth episode of RyePod.
Iain, who performed at the 2019 Festival with the baritone Roderick Williams, in what was for many the highlight of the programme’s 60 events, chats with Alison Moncrieff-Kelly who is the festival’s classical music director.
A proud Scot from Glasgow, Iain talks easily, engagingly and instructively about his early introduction to classical music and the piano in Bearsden, through being taught by Alison’s father, and then how his career progressed. He explains how he developed a specialism that now sees him one of the world’s premier song accompanists, in demand with singers and audiences around the globe!
Of course, Covid-19 has played havoc with his plans and he talks with Alison how he is coping in lockdown.
For the first time in the RyePod series the chat is interposed by music, courtesy of Signum records, with singers Ailish Tynan and John Mark Ainsley, accompanying Iain on piano, of course!
We also find out more about Iain’s other projects, which include blending song and words to create musical plays, including his 2013 project with the Royal College of Music called “Journeying Boys” which traces the life of the 19th century French poet Arthur Rimbaud, the ultimate romantic artist who was, perhaps, more Byron-like than Byron himself!
Episode 4 of RyePod goes live at 8am on Friday 30th May. And, since you can listen to podcasts when you like and also listen to previous episodes, you can check out the Royal Opera House’s musical director Sir Antonio Pappano in conversation with Alisdair Kitchen in Episode 1 and actress Selina Cadell in Episode 3. Meanwhile, catch up with Alison’s chat with Level 42 drummer Phil Gould in Episode 2, which reflects Rye Arts Festival’s aim to cover all the arts bases!
RyePod is available on all the major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. A comprehensive list is available here.
Image Credits: Askonas Holt , A Harbron ADH Drum Photography .