David Quigley - the key man at Birmingham International Piano Academy
Jul 23 2010 By Christopher Morley
Christopher Morley talks to musician David Quigley about his brainchild, the Birmingham International Piano Academy.
Our region is currently enjoying a joyous glut of great British pianists performing in the area, beginning last weekend with John Lill playing at the Stratford Midsummer Music Festival.
In the next few days we can look forward to more of our great keyboard artists coming in fact into the very heart of Birmingham, when the sixth Birmingham International Piano Academy gets under way at Birmingham Conservatoire, and with a strong emphasis on Chopin in the Polish composer’s bicentenary year.
There will be one heartwrenching clash on July 28, however, when two of the country’s most respected pianistic lions play within a quarter of a mile of each other: Leon McCawley at the Conservatoire and Paul Lewis performing Beethoven with the CBSO under Andris Nelsons at Symphony Hall.
BIPA is the brainchild of the Ulsterman David Quigley, himself a much sought-after international pianist and one of my former students.
“I started thinking about a summer school at the Conservatoire not long after I graduated from there myself, back in 2000. It had occurred to me that the Birmingham Arts scene seemed to be very quiet in the summer months, and that while many cities in the UK and abroad hold summer festivals and summer schools, Birmingham didn’t have anything to offer in this vein.
“This seemed a real shame to me as not only is it the second city, but it has so much to offer artistically – the CBSO, Birmingham Royal Ballet, the Conservatoire, and so on. I was also keen to promote the Conservatoire’s excellent keyboard department and to introduce our staff and facilities to students from around the world.”
David explains how he got the whole enterprise off the ground.
“In 2003 I organised a meeting with George Caird, principal of the Conservatoire, and basically discussed my ideas for an international summer school and festival for pianists at the Conservatoire. George was very keen right from the beginning and we agreed I would trial the first BIPA in the summer of 2005. If it was a success, I’d have the go-ahead to continue. Needless to say, I’m now preparing for BIPA number 6.”
This year’s giants of the keyboard bringing their performing and teaching gifts to BIPA include Peter Donohoe, Philip Martin, Leon McCawley and Ashley Wass.
How does David manage to persuade such distinguished pianists to give master-classes and recitals?
“It’s not so difficult really. Each year I draw up a list of artists who I think would be really interesting to hear not only in concert but in a masterclass situation too. Then the phone calls to agents begin.
