This year’s piano festival was the first under the auspices of Thomas Kelly, writes Val Bolitho. He made an excellent job it too.

The first night was entitled Giants of 19th century Pianism, and included compositions by Czerny, Hone Field, Chopin, Henselt, Thalberg Alkan and Liszt.

Pianist Tyler Hay told us a bit about each composer and managed to continue playing when there was a power cut during the first set. His encore was his grandfather’s arrangement of Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust.

 A wonderfully young Emanuil Ivanov played a selection of pieces by Mendelssohn and Schumann in his first set then continued with 20th century compositions by Ravel and Hamelin.

We should have been entertained on the final night by the Bechstein Trio, but due to unforeseen circumstances, they were unable to come. Their pianist, Emmanuel Depax, was able to travel here however, and enthralled us with a programme of Liszt compositions, which he has recently recorded.

The Milton Combe Piano Festival has taken place for over a decade. It is only able to take place due to the generosity of the pianists, those who sponsor it and the kindness of a committed committee, who are always grateful to the loan and transportation of the piano, from London, by Terry Lewis and Jacques Samuel Pianos.