Da Camera Presents Rising International Star Pianist Llyr Williams At The Menil Collection

On Thursday, April 4, 2017, Da Camera of Houston presents the Houston recital debut of renowned Welsh pianist, BCC New Generation Artist and Borletti-Buitoni Trust Winner Llr Williams at the Menil Collection. Williams is widely admired for his profound musical intelligence and the expressive and communicative nature of his interpretations. Right on the cusp of a major international career, he has received elated praise and acclaim from critics for his performances and recordings.

Born in Wrexham, Wales, Williams inherited a love of opera from his father. Before the age of seven, he was attending performances at Llandudno and Manchester. At age seven, Williams began studying piano, progressing at an accelerated rate. By age eleven, he passed music examination grades I-VIII, all with Distinction. "I knew I was very different from the other kids in the class," says Williams. "I always felt like a bit of an outsider." With his piano teacher unable to offer more guidance, Williams took it upon himself to advance his study by borrowing scores from the library and playing on his own. He went on to become an undergraduate at the Royal Academy of Music in London where he won every available prize and award.

In 2014, Williams began a complete Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle that was spread over the course of three years. Today, he is a regular performer at London's Wigmore Hall and recently made his debuts at The Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and the Ravinia Festival. To stay fresh, Williams challenges himself to find a minimum of six new things in each movement every time he returns to work. In response to why he doesn't craft an interpretation and stick with it, Williams responds, "Because I've no idea what Beethoven had in mind so it's no good pretending that I can phone him up and ask him. Also because that would get stale. There's not much point in coming back to something if you're not going to find something new in it."

In Houston, Williams will perform beloved masterworks of the Romantic repertoire by Schumann, Chopin and Rachmaninoff including: Schumann's Papillons, Op.2 and Humoreske in B flat Major, Op. 20; Chopin's Fantaisie in F Minor, Op. 49; and a selection of Rachmaninoff preludes from Op. 23 and Op. 32.

Tickets for Ll?r Williams cost $60. Tickets are available by contacting Da Camera, 1402 Sul Ross, at 713-524-5050 or online at www.dacamera.com. Tickets for students and senior citizens are always half-price. $5 student rush tickets are available 30 minutes before the concert begins.

ABOUT DA CAMERA

Da Camera's concerts feature small ensembles performing chamber music, jazz, early music and contemporary music. A vital institution in the world of chamber music, Da Camera is a source of innovative programming, notably Artistic and General Director Sarah Rothenberg's programs connecting chamber music with literature and the visual arts. Da Camera is nationally acclaimed for thought-provoking chamber music programming, as well as a jazz series with a unique balance between renowned performers and emerging artists.

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