Who were your principal teachers?

I am the daughter of a piano teacher. Although my mother never taught me as such, she has been a huge influence. I studied with some famous teachers, but most importantly I studied with Benjamin Kaplan in London, working with him intensively before the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1987.

Beyond your teachers, who have been the biggest musical influences on you?

So many major names with their amazing performances and recordings. Not only pianists but also many violinists. But when it comes to seeing pianists perform in the flesh, many musicians have inspired me more than I can say, musically and professionally: Kathryn Stott, Martin Roscoe, Peter Donohoe, Stephen Hough, Steven Osborne, Paul Lewis … to name just a few.

If you could take just one recording to a desert island, what would it be?

Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by István Kertész, from 1965. This would take me to an imaginary world. I love Bartók’s orchestral works: as a pianist of the highest order, he creates such complexity and refined precision in his orchestration. This fascinates me.

What was your most recent musical discovery?

Dohnányi’s First Piano Concerto, Op 5 – 45 minutes of non-stop virtuosity. A pianist in my class at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama played it – what a powerful and romantic piece, full of youthful energy. One of the biggest piano concertos I’ve ever come across. I’m glad I heard it up close and with the score as I was able to see and hear exactly what was going on.

What was the last thing you were practising?

I am learning a newly written piano concerto, Oceanic Ridge, by Yoshihiro Kanno. I will perform it with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall as part of the Asian Music Festival in February.

Which solo piece would you most love to learn but haven’t yet got around to playing?

I am planning to learn Brahms’s late works. I already play Op 118 and I would like to play three sets together: Opp 117-119. There, I have said it now! This will take me out of my safety zone.

Which piano concertos should be heard in concert more often?

Tōru Takemitsu’s Asterism. We often think of Takemitsu’s music as beautiful and gentle, but he lived through the war as a teenager and carried an anger deep inside. We can hear this in his earlier works, including this concerto. I cannot imagine an orchestra playing anything louder. When I performed it in Tokyo, Takemitsu’s widow and daughter came backstage looking deeply concerned. They asked if my hands were OK. Apparently, when Paul Crossley played it his fingers bled all over the keyboard.

Which composers are the most underrated or wrongly neglected?

Erik Satie. His materials are raw, but he clearly influenced composers such as Debussy and Ravel. I would love to have been a fly on the wall at Satie’s weekly self-invited dinners with Debussy. Also, Bohuslav Martinů: his Double Concerto for piano, timpani and two string orchestras is intense and exciting and I would love to play it again.

What are the major works you’re playing over the coming months?

Concertos by Beethoven, Ravel and Shostakovich, and recitals of course. I am looking forward to playing two recitals at the new Bechstein Hall in London in June 2025. I am also playing in a ‘Satie Marathon’ in Tokyo in March, with four Satie recitals in one day.

Do you have a personal favourite of your own recordings?

Erik Satie’s piano music, volume 1. I played a beautifully kept 1890 Érard and the sound was so elegant and colourful, but surprisingly strong. The parallel stringing in the bass section gave amazing resonance and overtones. The producer Marion Schwebel and I felt as though we were lost in a cabaret in Paris – it was the most extraordinary experience. I have never laughed so much during a recording session: Satie’s words are uniquely outrageous.

Do you have any concert memories that especially stand out?

I played Grieg’s Concerto with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra at the Bergen Music Festival. A lot of people came backstage and gave me their feedback. Everyone in the hall knew the concerto backwards, and they were extremely honest with their opinions! The next morning, I was at the boarding gate at Bergen Airport when a member of the ground staff cried out ‘I was there last night! I thought your A minor was …’! Unforgettable.