SKIPTON Music’s new season got off to a flying start with a deeply enjoyable concert from pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, the latest “rising star” of this extraordinarily talented family.

Jeneba’s technical fluency is breathtaking, but what impressed most in this recital was her deep musicality and sensitivity in the more lyrical passages. The beautifully balanced programme showed off to perfection these two sides of her musicianship: thus in the opening two sonatas by Scarlatti the brilliant and quirky sonata in D major was paired with a more reflective piece in F minor.

Later in the programme, two of Chopin’s introspective nocturnes were followed by an early sonata by Scriabin – a discovery to many of us, who perhaps only know his later and more mystical music; and the wartime sonata no 7 by Prokofiev, in turn disturbing, lyrical and exultant, brought the concert to a most satisfying end. But perhaps the most impressive of all was Jeneba’s playing of Chopin’s sonata in B minor, a notoriously difficult piece which she delivered with consummate ease and musicality.

And this young pianist has only just completed her undergraduate studies! We will surely hear more, much more, of her in the future.

Skipton Music’s next concert will be on Tuesday, October 15 at Skipton Town Hall. Trumpeter Matilda Lloyd and the Gesualdo six will explore the theme of “light” with music from six centuries, including a newly commissioned piece by Richard Barnard.

Details at https://skiptonmusic.org.uk/