Unattended Moments

Chopin

Chopin's Nocturnes are my favourite pieces to play on the piano, and he was also one of my grandmother's favourite composers, so playing or listening to him reminds me of her.

Mozart

Composer of what must be some of the most beautiful music in the world, both instrumental and operatic. There are so many pieces I love, it is impossible to name them all here.

Rachmaninov

Another favourite composer - I first fell in love with his Piano Concerto no. 2 (which is also the soundtrack for Brief Encounter), and Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini. I also love playing the Prelude in C# Minor.

Swan Lake - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

I saw this ballet aged about 5; I loved the music and the melancholy fairy-tale story. I discovered it anew through Matthew Bourne's powerful production, with a different psychological twist to the story.

The Four Seasons - Antonia Vivaldi

A favourite since childhood, and also the first CD I owned.

Opera

My Dad is interested in some opera, and I sat down to watch a tv broadcast of Wagner's Ring Cycle with him when I was 12. For me it opened a whole new musical world. My favourites are Puccini's La Boheme and Bizet's Pearlfishers.

Piano

I love listening to it, and playing it is one of my favourite pastimes. Many piano concertos are among my favourite cds - Grieg, Rachmaninov, Brahms, Mozart, Shostakovich, Ravel...