Two piano champions on stage; one in black, the other in white. They perform, compete, and shine; the concert hall packed full of people, applauding, clapping, and raising their voting cards; the referees observing and counting votes, sometimes struggling with their duty …

Welcome to the Piano Battle !!

Part serious classical recital, part tongue-in-cheek performance by two piano geniuses, the Piano Battle is a unique concert that pleases both the eye and the ear. The brainchild of internationally accomplished pianists Andreas Kern and Paul Cibis, the Piano Battle sees the duo go head-to-head on stage, charming and enchanting the audience with a variety of classical pieces and improvisations.

The show is divided into five rounds, each featuring a certain music style. The two pianists, with distinctly different performance styles, take turns to perform pieces by composers such as Chopin, Liszt and Debussy. They will even improvise based on the tunes you request!

A competition wouldn’t be a competition without a jury. But at our battle, things are slightly different because:

You will be the judge!

All members of the audience are invited to vote on the pianists’ performances and eventually decide who the winner is. There will be referees too, but we won’t say too much here …

Andreas Kern is an accomplished pianist with several national and international accolades under his belt. He has given recitals in Germany, South Africa, Hong Kong, Japan and India. Keen to present classical music in unconventional ways, he has created and co-hosts the widely successful “arte lounge” for the French-German TV channel Arte. He has also been appointed artistic director of music festivals in Germany and South Africa.

www.andreaskern.net

Educated in Hanover, Berlin and London, Paul Cibis has performed on all five continents and established an international presence. He has been invited to international festivals and appeared in radio and TV programmes in the UK, Germany, Hong Kong, China, Australia and New Zealand. A committed pedagogue, he has taught at Trinity College of Music in London, and gives master classes in Germany, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.

www.paulcibis.com