There is an electricity in the air, and an explosion at the end

Review by Louise Dumas

14th March, 2026

St Mary's Church, Horsham

Soloist: Arthur Kokerai

Conductors: Steve Dummer
Leader: Rachel Ellis

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3

Hindemith Mathis der Maler

Harry Come Spring

Some concerts, some programmes and some performers lift you into another realm. They are rare, but we know when they happen. Time stands still.  There is an electricity in the air, and an explosion at the end. It happened in St. Mary’s Church on Saturday night.

We don’t know how Andrew Zolinsky, booked to perform Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3  with the Horsham Symphony Orchestra, would have played it. Sadly, injury forced cancellation, but Arthur Kokerai stepped in and we know what happened next. The young pianist took the audience, the orchestra and Rachmaninov by storm. His bravura performance of the breathtakingly difficult piece had concertgoers on their feet, cheering, clapping and stamping applause. Yet the tiny Scarlatti sonata as encore proved whispersoft brilliance –  magical music- making from an artist to watch in future, and to thrill to in the present.  

The evening began with Martyn Harry’s charming Adagio ‘Come Spring’, written to herald an awakening world. The popular short piece forms part of a longer series of works celebrating the seasons: perhaps these could be heard in future? Delightfully, the composer, with many links to the HSO, was present to take a bow.

 Hindemith’s ‘Mathis der Maler’ is possibly just as awkward to play as to understand; initially, the pungent dissonance, austere forms and acerbic melodic content do not lend themselves to either easy listening or performance.  But as our ears became accustomed to the sounds, and our acquaintance with the inspiration of Grunewalds’ pictures developed, certain reward and pleasure followed from the strong and stimulating music. Much tribute to the orchestra here for their subtle, yet powerful playing of a difficult score, wind and brass sections in particular.

And so, to Rachmaninov, always loved, always popular, despite critical sniffiness for exactly that. His music has a strong Russian quality and an instantly recognisable and authentic melodic sweep. He was perhaps one of the greatest pianist-composers ever, responsible for the murderous configurations which his huge hands could play but which remain a challenge for everyone else. Arthur Kokerai was undaunted. Aged just twenty and with fearless courage, he launched himself into the 3rd Piano Concerto and produced a performance of matchless exuberance and featherlight sensitivity. With inspired collaboration, conductor Steve Dummer and Leader Rachel Ellis led the orchestra to new heights of musical excellence, matching the thrilling tempi and perfect phrasing from the virtuoso on the platform.   Rachmaninov’s own recording of the 3rd Concerto (1939, Eugene Ormandy) can be found on YouTube: it is fast, brilliant and straightforward with controlled rubato. Young Arthur is a direct descendant.