THE soloist on this – the first recital of the new season – was the youthful Azusa Tanner, from Ingleby Barwick, who started her piano studies with Middlesbrough teacher Svetlana Hunt.

She was introduced by Peter Sotheran, the organiser of these Classical Cleveland events, who also paid tribute to the late Nat Smith, longstanding chairman of Teesside Music Society, who died this summer.

Azusa’s many successes in piano competitions and festivals across the North-East won her a place at Chetham’s Music School, and she is about to start her second year at the Royal Northern College of Music.

A finalist in the Chopin Piano Competition in 2013, she opened her recital with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G-sharp minor, dealing with this piece with calm smooth elegance.

The remainder of the programme favoured the Polish romantic, Chopin.

Nocturnes, Etudes, Ballades and Scherzos flowed in that exquisite musical style that only Chopin ever really perfected and were performed in a very assured manner by the young pianist, clearly rapt in the music of one of the finest composers for the piano.

Her playing, which showed a sensitive and emotional engagement with this great music will, I am sure, confirm her place among young up-andcoming British-trained pianists. She certainly has a close rapport with Chopin and displays considerable power in some of the most demanding areas of his music.

Tuned In is a pleasant venue, very user-friendly, high-ceilinged and airy, with a good piano and an acoustic well suited to the classical recitals that regularly take place there on the second Wednesday of each month. It is built straight on to the great sweep of Redcar beach and is filled with light from sea and sky.

Concerts start at 1.30pm, and there is plenty of free unrestricted parking.

Tickets cost £5 from Tuned In, tel 01642 771245.

Irene MacDonald