Benjamin Grosvenor Brings a Knockout Night to Seattle

Seattle, Washington.  January 3, 2013.  As president of the Southeast Asia Chapter of the Benjamin Grosvenor Fan Club, (I live in Bangkok), I was delightfully surprised to learn that Benjamin was performing with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and that I would be in Seattle visiting my brother at the same time.  I was lucky to get last-minute tickets inasmuch as Benjamin played to a sold-out house.  Following Benjamin’s extraordinary performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, the audience rose to its feet with sustained applause and shouts for an encore, and Benjamin’s incredible performance of Johann Strauss’ “Tritsch-Tratsch Polka,” arranged by Georges Cziffra, further excited the audience, which ceased calling Benjamin back only when the house lights were turned on and the orchestra left.  Fortunately for me, I will again hear Benjamin live at the Singapore International Piano Festival in June of this year.  In the meantime, I will happily listen to his CDs. 

I could not have said it better than the music critic for The Seattle Times, who called it a “knockout night.”  Read the review.

I congratulated Benjamin backstage following his successful appearance with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

I still talk with my hands