Hot on the heels of the Oxford Philomusica’s International Piano Festival comes another treat for piano enthusiasts — Jack Gibbons’ annual Summer Piano Series at the Holywell Music Room.

The series runs from August 15 to 29, and features evenings of Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy and Gershwin, as well as Jack’s traditional end-of-season farewell party.

This year Jack is marking two personal milestones — his 25th consecutive summer piano series, and his 50th birthday. I found him excited about the former, and rather more sober about the latter.

“I am very happy to have been doing my summer piano series for so many years, without a break, even in the year of my serious car accident in 2001,” he told me. “In fact, I have been playing regularly in the Holywell Music Room since 1977, and in 1988 began playing a regular series of concerts during the summer.

“I’m less happy about 2012 being my 50th birthday, obviously! With each passing year I become more aware of how little I have achieved and how much I want to do. Yet by the standards of previous centuries I have already been lucky to live a very long life. Perhaps I should now take my inspiration from the wonderful music written in later years by some of my heroes — Elgar wrote all his greatest masterpieces after he was 50!”

Composing has become an increasingly important part of Jack’s career, especially since becoming artist-in-residence at Davis & Elkins College, West Virginia, in 2010.

“I was very passionate about writing music as a teenager, but for the next 25 years was focused solely on performing,” he recalls. “Then while recovering from my car accident here in Oxfordshire in 2001 I had the opportunity to write more during my recuperation. I have become more and more devoted to writing music ever since.”

With this year also marking the 150th anniversary of Debussy‘s birth, one of the highlights of Jack’s Holywell season will be a dual celebration of his own and Debussy’s birthdays. Gibbons at 50 & Debussy at 150 will feature the premiere of Gibbons’ Nocturne Op.93, as well as a selection of his waltzes, preludes and other works, alongside extracts from Debussy’s Preludes, Images, Arabasques and Children’s Corner.

“For some time now people have been asking me to consider giving an entire concert of my own music,” Jack says. “Well, this will be half a concert of my own music, so it’s a significant step for me.”

Another highlight will be the all-Gershwin programme on August 19, which previews the concert Jack will be giving in September in honour of what would have been the composer’s 114th birthday, and which marks his Washington DC Kennedy Center debut.

Despite performing regularly at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, Jack retains a particular fondness for the Holywell.

“There is an intimacy about the Holywell that makes it very special. The University also recently acquired a wonderful new Steinway piano for the hall, which adds even more to its attractiveness.”

For full details of Jack Gibbons’ Summer Piano Series, and to order advance tickets at a special rate, visit www.jackgibbons.com/oxfordconcerts.htm. Alternatively, call Tickets Oxford on 01865 305305.