WHATEVER the weather, Tuned In is always an inviting venue – delightful in the summer, with the North Sea sparkling just outside the huge glass walls, and on a grey day of sleety rain, comfortably warm and welcoming with its cafe offering tea, coffee or a light lunch offsetting the effects of our North-East winters.

The Classical Cleveland soloist on this occasion was Malaysian-born Lee Jae Phang, currently studying at the Royal College of Music in Manchester.

Lee, who won the Beethoven Competition in Austria this year, hopes to pursue a career as a concert pianist. He is studying under the well-respected teacher Graham Scott, who has also entertained Classical Cleveland audiences.

The programme was well chosen for variety and interest, and the opening Sonata in E major, Op. 109 by Beethoven established Lee’s style as classically cool, graceful and expressive.

In Debussy’s Pour le Piano in three movements, the prelude opens with a tremendous volley of double-handed chords and runs, followed by a cool, measured sarabande and the piece concludes with a bouncy, lively toccata – all were beautifully performed.

El Amor e la Muerte is one of a series of compositions by Granados inspired by the work of the artist Goya. It is a very affecting piece, rich in passion laced with a profound elegiac wistfulness exploring the themes of love and death.

Chopin and his rousing Polonaise in A flat major rounded off a very impressive performance by Phang, and he was not allowed to leave the platform until he had conceded an encore of a Prelude by Debussy to an appreciative audience.

Irene MacDonald