Piano in The Elms: Colour Studies - GKO

Concert pianist and Steinway Artist GKO returns to London with a vibrant new program inspired by the colours of the rainbow from his upcoming album Color Studies.

Making classical music exciting… for the masses

– Steinway & Sons

This performance will take you on a kaleidoscopic journey, blending timeless pieces from cinema classics and beloved animated films with impressionistic, unreleased original compositions. Prepare to be enchanted as GKO weaves together a tapestry of familiar melodies and fresh improvisations, inviting you into an unexplored and evocative world.

Biography

Born in California, GKO took his first lesson at 5. He was a reluctant student until his studies at Harvard, where he focused on piano performance and composition. GKO produced the first-ever Piano Performance Thesis in Harvard’s history and received the David McCord Prize for exceptional musical talent and creativity. GKO has appeared on stages worldwide, including nine appearances at Carnegie Hall, and has performed as a guest artist at notable institutions, including The British Museum, TED, the MIT Media Lab, Berklee College of Music, and Tanglewood Institute of Music. His piano music can also be heard on tracks by The Black Keys, Foster the People, and Handsome Boy Modeling School.

Since the release of his first album, “Sonic Sanctum” (2020), GKO has been pioneering what’s possible with the piano. Critics describe his playing as “performing wizardry, flowing yet bright, lively and heroic… with moments of nostalgia, reverie, and reflection.” He combines decades of classical training with a gift for improvisation to speak with a candour all his own.

With his latest single, “Her Voice,” GKO combines the rhythmic ferocity of modern jazz with the gentle beauty of Chopin. He says, “I want this song to showcase the power of the piano, how it can make you feel scared, excited, and serene. I believe the piano allows us to express emotion with a depth nothing else can match.”

First Set (all by GKO)

1. White
2. Red
3. Orange
4. Yellow
5. Green
6. Blue
7. Indigo
8. Violet
9. Black

– Intermission –

Second Set

1. Human Nature, Michael Jackson
2. Pure imagination, from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley
3. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, Ryuichi Sakamoto
4. Merry Go Round of Life, from Howl’s Moving Castle, Joe Hisaishi
5. In the Spirit of Bill Evans, Free Improvisation
6. Killing Me Softly With His Song, in memory of Roberta Flack
7. Audience Composition 1
8. Audience Composition 2
9. Isolation, Hiromi Uehara