BY MIRANDA ILCHEF
Nicholas McCarthy is clearly passionate about his job. He speaks with an animated, open-faced delight while discussing his upcoming Australian debut with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
“I can’t wait to come to Australia. It’s a place I’ve wanted to go for a long time just as a tourist, let alone to perform,” the British pianist says.
“I feel very lucky that I get to play with the Melbourne Symphony [Orchestra].”
Nicholas will perform Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in October with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in their Impressions of Paris concerts, which will see the Ravel paired with Franck’s Symphony in D minor, and a newly commissioned work from composer James Henry.
Being the only one-handed concert pianist since the era of Paul Wittgenstein, who originally commissioned Maurice Ravel to write the concerto in 1929 after losing his right arm in the First World War, Nicholas is deeply familiar with this piece.
“Ravel is such a titan of a composer. It’s the most requested concerto I play, and I feel like, ‘Lucky me!’ because I absolutely adore it. It is very jazz inspired. Especially in the first piano entry, you really feel that 1920s Parisian vibe.”
It is a unique concerto, short in length but travelling through a smorgasbord of styles.
“I think audiences love this piece because it really takes the listeners on a journey. Ravel packs so much into this concerto. It is not long – 23 minutes – and he has everything in there. There is jazz, there are Far East influences, and there is real virtuosity.
“It is a tough concerto, not just for me but for the orchestra as well.”
Playing music for left hand only can be quite the technical challenge. The hand must span the whole instrument with ease, and jump extremely quickly across bass and treble notes. This can be daunting for any pianist, but unlike Wittgenstein who became disabled later in life, Nicholas was born without his right hand and has thus played piano with one hand his whole life. He has developed certain techniques, such as a changed seat position, that allow him to master a work like this, which demands a high level of virtuosity.
“The concerto ends in this extended cadenza – just nine pages of black for the pianist. You’ve come to end of this massive piece, and then you almost have to add ice to the veins to get through this three-minute cadenza,” Nicholas says.
“As well as being technically demanding, is quite demanding on the nerves. Even at the beginning, I sit on stage for 2 minutes and 15 seconds waiting for my entry. That is a long time to sit in front of an audience and not actually do anything. So mentally, it can be a challenge.”
Off the stage, Nicholas has done a lot of work to pave the way for pianists with limb differences, including creating a one-handed syllabus with the ABRSM (Britain’s main music examination board), and commissioning new piano works for one hand.
“In a positive way, I feel an immense responsibility. Every century seems to have one prominent one-handed pianist,” Nicholas says. “And in the 21st Century, that appears to be me.”
“Now, as my career has progressed, I have had the opportunity to commission new piano works for one hand.
“I want to continue this legacy so that in the future, people will continue to have repertoire to learn and perform.
“It is important to me that I continue to shine a spotlight on this and give hope to other musicians, disabled or otherwise.”
In July, Nicholas debuted at the BBC Proms, playing the same Ravel Concerto.
“It was everything that I wanted it to be and more. I felt very fortunate that I was able to do what I love to do in front of such a big audience.”
Nicholas has found huge success in his career, but it wasn’t always an easy path to get there.
“I had to find everything out on my own and jump through hoops. When I started out, there was a different lens around disability in conversations.
“We have progressed hugely now, but the world wasn’t quite as accommodating back then. I’ve had people reach out and say that what we’ve done [with ABRSM] has changed their life, which is just wonderful.
“That’s something I’m really proud of.”
Nicholas’ life so far has involved plenty of trailblazing, but more what is perhaps most striking is his passion; his enthusiasm and commitment to creating art with purpose, while leaving a legacy for generations to come.
Australian audiences will surely look forward to this chance to see him perform. As Nicholas says, “October can’t come soon enough!”.
Hear Nicholas McCarthy perform with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Impressions of Paris, 7.30pm October 23, and 2pm October 25 in Hamer Hall.
Image supplied.
