An unusual and entertaining Lunchtime Recital delighted a sizaeable audience on 11ith August in the St.Helens Sinfonietta’s series at the United Reformed Church. It was given by master and pupil, Peter Kwater and Michael Graham. Pupil and master, rather, for this was primarily Michael’s show.

We first admired his versatility at a Young Musicians’ Evening a few years ago, and now at 18 he is a fast-developing multi-talented performer.

How often would you hear the same person, in the same programme, perform songs like No Moon (Titanic) and Bring Him Home (Les Misérables) and classical organ masterpieces like Boellman’s Prière à Notre Dame and Gigout’s formidable Toccata? Not to mention Schubert’s B flat Scherzo for piano, among other things. (The young man can also play the violin, but didn’t on this occasion).

His mentor supported with sympathetic piano accompaniments, and also contributed his own virtuoso organ playing, notably in works by Buxtehude (that splendid 18th century musician so unjustly overshadowed nowadays by his great pupil Sebastian Bach).

The recital ended on a high note, but not one belted out as you might expect: the magical final high note of Bernstein’s Maria (West Side Story) floated most touchingly by Michael in a beautiful pianissimo.

Ted Kirk