Nicola Lisle talks to Marios Papadopoulos about a unique piano festival

In three days’ time, Oxford will be transformed into a mecca for piano enthusiasts as the Oxford Philomusica’s annual Piano Festival and Summer Academy gets under way.

Now in its 17th year, the festival will once again bring a galaxy of piano stars into the city, including legendary names such as Alfred Brendel, András Schiff and Menahem Pressler, as well as drawing a crop of talented young hopefuls to the academy.

The nine-day extravaganza includes celebrity recitals, masterclasses and lectures, all designed to celebrate the diversity of the piano and to nurture the young stars of tomorrow.

Artistic director Marios Papadopoulos, the festival’s founder, believes there is still no other event quite like it, particularly with its approach to the academy. “It’s probably one of its kind worldwide because it offers a variety of things,” he says. “A lot of summer schools will concentrate on a small faculty and a particular style of piano playing, whereas we’ve always tended to expose the students to various styles and schools of piano playing.

“I always say, when we’ve managed to confuse the students at the end of the week we’ve done our job!”

The academy’s uniqueness lies in its non-competitive and supportive environment – something Marios is particularly keen to emphasise.

“We totally discourage competition,” he says firmly. “We encourage the students to learn from each other, and there is always a lovely atmosphere.”

The only competitive element is getting into the academy in the first place and securing the opportunity to learn from piano greats such as Brendel, Schiff, Pressler, American legend Byron Janis, leading Hungarian pedagogue Ferenc Rados and, of course, Marios himself.

“We had over 100 applications for 15 places, so we’ve been fortunate to select the very best,” Marios says.

But it’s not just the academy places that are hotly contested.

With the festival now a firm fixture on the international music calendar, established piano stars are increasing keen to become involved.

Marios says: “We’ve been inundated by people wanting to come and take part – the great and the good, really, plus professors of various institutions, both from this country and abroad, so we’re extremely fortunate.”

Making their festival debuts this year as recitalists are Leon McCawley, Barry Douglas, Mari Kodama, Ivo Pogorelic and Dénes Várjon, who join Yoheved Kaplinsky, Ferenc Rados, Rita Wagner and another festival newcomer, Asaf Zohar, in giving masterclasses throughout the week.

“We always try to put across the fact that the masterclasses are open to the public, and they are fascinating,” says Marios.

Other unmissable events are the lectures by Alfred Brendel (Schubert’s Last Sonatas) and Byron Janis (Chopin and Beyond), and the participants’ showcase recital on the Friday.

The festival comes to a suitably glorious finale with András Schiff giving two Schubert recitals on the Saturday and Menahem Pressler joining the Oxford Philomusica on the Sunday for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.27. The orchestra will also play Beethoven’s sixth symphony, the Pastoral.

Oxford Philomusica Piano Festival and Summer Academy
Various venues, July 26 to Aug 3
01865 980980 oxfordphil.com