The renowned Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini will give a recital concert at Poly Theatre on October 4, kicking off Beijing's Music Festival's series of concerts marking the Year of Italy in China.

The pianist will play Liszt's Sonatas in the first half of the concert and Schoenberg and Beethoven's pieces in the second.

To mark the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth, the Beijing Music Festival had wished him to play Mozart's pieces, but he changed the program from Mozart to Liszt just before he flew to Beijing on September 25, because he thought Chinese audience would be more interested in Liszt.

According to Zeng Wei, the festival's program director, Pollini had planned to join the Sixth Beijing Music Festival in 2003 but cancelled the tour because of the outbreak of SARS that year.

"Finally, I arrived in Beijing, and I almost loved the city when I was on the way from the airport to the Beijing Hotel," the Italian pianist told China Daily.

"I have been so curious about the old country and have great interest in its ancient architectures and delicious food," he told the Chinese press on September 27.

He visited the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven.

Born in 1942 in Milan, Pollini studied piano, composition and conducting at the Milan Conservatory. By 1957, when he performed the Chopin Etudes in Milan, the press had already begun to take notice of him.

His prize-winning performance at the 1960 Warsaw Chopin Competition was followed by a further period of study with Arturo Benedetti-Michelangeli.

Since the 1960s, he has established an international career of the greatest importance, performing in the world's major concert halls and working with the most distinguished orchestras and conductors.

He has also developed a great interest in contemporary works. Among these contemporary composers is Pierre Boulez. In addition, new compositions commissioned from Manzoni, Donatoni, Guarnieri and Berio by Pollini and the Salzburg Festival receive their premiere performance with Pollini.

This dedication to contemporary music has continued, although today, his repertoire ranges from the days of Bach to the present, significantly including the complete Beethoven sonatas.

He has recorded works from the classical, romantic and contemporary repertoire for Deutsche Grammophon to worldwide critical acclaim, and his recordings of the complete works for piano by Schonberg and of works by Berg, Webern, Nono, Manzoni, Boulez and Stockhausen are testament to his great passion for the 20th century.

(China Daily October 2, 2006)