An afternoon of piano masterpieces, spanning centuries and styles.

Acclaimed pianists Andy Deng and Christopher Malek showcase the vast emotional range of piano music, from melancholic depths to heroic grandeur. Deng explores the nuances of French music with pieces by Poulenc, Ravel, and Debussy, complemented by Malek’s dynamic interpretations of Mozart, Schubert, and Chopin. In a grand finale, both pianists come together for the last movement of Prokofiev’s powerful Second Piano Concerto on two pianos.

This concert is supported by Theme & Variations Piano Services.

PROGRAM

Andy Deng

Christopher Malek

Andy Deng and Christopher Malek

ABOUT THE PIANISTS

Andy Deng is a Chinese pianist and teacher who received two master degrees with distinction from Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Dr. Paul Rickard-Ford and Royal Northern College of Music with Graham Scott. He has won several competitions in China, Australia and UK, been offered scholarships by top conservatoires, and has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician.   Andy has performed throughout UK, including the prestigious historical venue, Wigmore Hall of London, where he played in the Climate Agenda concert series as a collaborative pianist. He has also given concerts in Manchester, Shrewsbury, and Stokesley. He was appointed as the orchestral pianist to work with world-leading percussionist Colin Currie in the Hallé Steve Reich Festival. In 2024, he won the Concerto Award of Le Foyer des Artiste in Northern Ireland, where he gave his concerto debut at Derry’s St. Columb’s Hall with conductor Darren Hargan. In the same year he was invited by Juventudes Musicales de Granada to play a solo recital at the beautiful Auditorio Manuel de Falla in Granada of Spain. He also gave the premiere of two works for pianos and percussion at the RNCM. While in Sydney, Andy won several prizes in Eisteddfod competitions and has performed in the Verbrugghen Hall and Sydney Opera House. He also played orchestral piano in Sydney Conservatorium of Music Modern Music Ensemble and Wind Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daryl Pratt and John P. Lynch respectively. Throughout the years Andy has had masterclasses with some of the most influential pianists in the world, including Leslie Howard, Stephen Hough, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Emanuel Krasovsky, Konstantin Shamray, Kathryn Stott, etc. In March 2025, Andy will perform Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto with Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra led by conductor Mark Heron in Nottingham Albert Hall. He was also recently selected as the 2025 Benedetti Foundation ambassador of music education, where he will continue his musical journey as a versatile pianist and teacher.

Christopher Malek is one of Australia’s finest international concert pianists. Thanks to his musicality, poetic quality of his interpretation and extraordinary virtuosity, he is best known for his performances of music of the romantic period, especially Chopin and Liszt where he continues the grand tradition of the golden age of piano.

Christopher has graduated with highest distinction for extraordinary artistic achievements from a special talents school- Z. Brzewski State Music High School in Warsaw, Poland. He had studied with Theresa Manasterska at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Victor Makarov (himself a student of Regina Horowitz, the sister of Vladimir Horowitz) in Sydney, Australia, Lee Kum Sing (who was a pupil of Julius Katchen and Madga Tagliafero) at the Vancouver Academy of Music in Canada and Natalia Sheludiakova at the Australian Institute of Music. Always in pursuit of the finest quality he had taken part in Masterclasses with some of the greatest pedagogues including Victor Merzhanov (Moscow Conservatory), Oxana Yablonskaya (Juilliard School), Rita Reichman (ANAM Melbourne), Vladimir Viardo (Moscow Conservatory), Alexey Orlovetzky (St Petersburg Conservatory), Christopher Elton (Royal Academy of Music, London) and more.

Mr. Malek is a top prizewinner of a number of national and international competitions. He has won his first national contest at an early age of 10, which was soon followed by his debut with an orchestra.