The annual ‘40 fingers piano event: two pianos and four pianists’ is taking place on Sunday, April 14 at Quintinha da Música, Covas da Prata, near Tavira, at 5pm.
Dutch musicians Marlies van Gent, Inge Lulofs, Frank Fahner and Irene Ainstein will be playing music by Brahms, Piazzolla, Saint-Saëns and “many more”.
“This event is musically brilliant as well as being fun to watch,” says organiser Lynne Booker from the Algarve History Association.
Inge Lulofs works with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, where she plays piano and celesta, and is the accompanist for all auditions. She holds a Performance Diploma (1985) from the Conservatory in Enschede, The Netherlands. From its founding in 1988, she has been part of the Valerius Ensemble, which consists mainly of musicians from the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and regularly works with national and international soloists.
As a piano teacher, she works at a music school in Nordhorn (Germany). In Enschede, she also works as a private piano instructor through her own studio.
Marlies van Gent was born in Rotterdam and began her musical education at the local Conservatory. She continued at the Amsterdam Conservatory and finished her formal education in Brussels.
As a professional pianist, Marlies gives workshops and participates in many national and international competitions as a member of the judging panel. She is also in demand as a performer in chamber music concerts and is a member of a piano duo performing four-hands pieces. Since 1994, she has taught at the Young Talent Department of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and directs a class of talented young pianists.
English-born Irene Ainstein won first prize in a Competition for Young Musicians after only a year of piano study. After the conclusion of High School, she entered the Superior School Twents Conservatory where she obtained diplomas in chamber music, and as accompanist and soloist. Irene has played in a number of ensembles and orchestras and has performed in Holland, Germany, England and China.
Irene teaches at the Conservatório Regional (CRAMC) in Faro and continues to perform in concerts with members of the Orquestra do Sul, with Michael Thomas of the Brodsky Quartet and with several singers as their accompanist of choice.
Frank Fahner studied piano at the Twents Conservatory in Enschede and continued at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. Frankis a well-known accompanist for solo singers and choirs, and he is also renowned as the pianist member of chamber music ensembles, and has also played previously in Portugal in piano quartets.
As well as teaching piano to young people and preparing them for competitions and examinations, Frank has also specialised in teaching adults. In addition to his instrumental activities, he has invented computer programmes and computer games to help students of music theory to learn more easily through the internet.
Tickets cost €25(including interval drinks and tapas).
Bookings: [email protected](directions to the Quintinha will be sent on booking).
