MEET THE ARTIST

Katia and Marielle Labèque, pianists

June 18, 2026 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

‘Music has the power to transcend boundaries. We can feel it when that happens in concerts, and that feels like success.’

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Cheryl Frances-Hoad, composer

April 10, 2026 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

‘The most important thing is to feel you are writing the best music you possibly can. But it’s nice to be busy (but not too busy), to be valued by your peers, and to be appreciated by your audience too.’

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Daniel Kidane, composer

November 24, 2025 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

‘Keep on keeping on and be happy along the way. The journey isn’t always easy but it should bring you happiness.’

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Helen Grime MBE, composer

November 3, 2025 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

‘With each new piece, my intent is to create a new sonic world distinct to that piece. I love to create different layers in my music, and I am often drawn to detail and long expressive lines as well as rich harmonies.’

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Allan Clayton, tenor

October 20, 2025 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

‘Perform as much as you can: whether it be at your school, the local pub, the village hall, busking outside Argos…’

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Nikolai Lugansky, pianist

July 26, 2025 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

‘There’s no substitute for practice, but what truly nourishes my inspiration is simply listening to music.’

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Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, pianist

March 7, 2025 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

‘Try to absorb as much of the industry as possible as there is so much that is now accessible, not only live concerts but the online world as well. It all helps with learning and gaining experience by watching and listening to others.’

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Yulianna Avdeeva, pianist

October 11, 2024 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

In every concert I share a part of my soul, and my soul in turn keeps the memories of each single concert

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Kathryn Tickell, Northumbrian piper & composer

September 25, 2024 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

If I can make people want to dance and send them home happy then I’m proud to feel that my music has done its job

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Joseph Middleton, pianist

April 1, 2024 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

Be curious about everything. Find what you love and people who make you tick. Work hard. Enjoy it.

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Xuefei Yang, guitarist

February 26, 2024 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

Be true to yourself, and remind yourself why you want to be a musician

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Stephanie Childress, conductor

November 4, 2023 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

I truly believe that the act of communicating one’s ideas starts with building and strengthening your own interpretation of the work

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Alexi Kenney, violinist

June 5, 2023 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

Never lose your joy. Search for your own unique truth and live it fully. Have real goals for yourself, but keep music as your space to escape into your dreams.

Sarah Frances Jenkins, composer & clarinettist

June 4, 2023 The Cross-Eyed Pianist

I am driven to create striking, atmospheric and immersive sound worlds, which take the listener
on a journey. I love exploring rich, layered, kaleidoscopic harmonies that ebb and flow and
mutate.