Junyan Chen & Alim Beisembayev

Junyan Chen – piano
Alim Beisembayev – piano

Francis Poulenc – Elégie (for two pianos)
Francis Poulenc – Sonata for piano four hands
Sergei Rachmaninov – Suite for two pianos No 1
Sergei Rachmaninov – Symphonic Dances (for two pianos)

Echoing Route/Root’s themes of memory, migration and the tension between vulnerability and grandeur, this all-20th-century programme for two pianos balances intimacy and power. Francis Poulenc’s Elégie is brief but poignant, while his Sonata for piano four hands is full of quirky charm.

Sergei Rachmaninov’s tender, glittering and dramatic Suite No 1 paints musical portraits from poetry. His Symphonic Dances close the concert with bold, orchestral force. These works speak to the dual nature of performance – individual expression and shared artistry.