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Nine Elms Piano Trail Announced

Published Wed 4 Mar
Black man in grey shirt playing keyboard, indoors, in front of tree with orange leaves

World Heart Beat is excited to announce The Nine Elms Piano Trail, an extraordinary cultural event, as part of the International Piano in the Elms Festival. This experience will be a truly memorable moment for South West London communities.

World Heart Beat's Piano Trail and Café Concerts unite local organisations to transform Nine Elms and Battersea into a living, breathing musical map, placing piano music at the heart of our new neighbourhood.

Now in its second year, the two-week celebration champions resilience, creativity, and community through the universal language of the piano. The festival features six concerts by internationally acclaimed pianists, alongside a vibrant programme of masterclasses, workshops, free piano lessons, café concerts, and a special showcase highlighting young emerging talent.

As the festival unfolds across Nine Elms, Sahana Gero, Founder of World Heart Beat, describes the deeper purpose behind Piano in the Elms:

“As the sound of the piano carries across Nine Elms, it draws people together, pausing the rush of daily life and inviting moments of shared joy. At its heart, Piano in the Elms is a beautiful celebration of community, friendship, and human connection. It reminds us that music can unite us in ways nothing else can, and when we make space for music in our neighbourhoods, we strengthen the social fabric that binds us together. By opening doors for people that work and live in the area, young people, families, and neighbours to connect, create, and be inspired, we are nurturing a true sense of place, possibility, and belonging in Nine Elms.”

This March, the International Piano in the Elms Festival brings world-class pianists and special collaborations to Nine Elms for a dynamic celebration of music and creativity.

At the heart of the festival is the world premiere of Nine Elms Suite, a landmark new work for piano and strings by Julian Joseph, performed with a string orchestra led by Chi-chi Nwanoku.

Festival Events:

  • Thursday 12 March – Kamilla Arku performs alongside visual artist Jordan Söderberg Mills in a special cross-disciplinary collaboration.
  • Friday 13 March – Romanian concert pianist Andrei Gologan in recital.
  • Saturday 14 March – Julian Joseph presents the world premiere of Nine Elms Suite with string orchestra.
  • Thursday 19 March – Cristiana Achim blends classical, jazz and Romanian folk influences.
  • Friday 20 March – Cyrill Ibrahim presents A Journey of Chopin’s Heart.
  • Saturday 21 March – Nefeli Mousoura closes the festival with Mozart and Liszt masterworks.

The programme also includes public masterclasses led by Hilary Coates and Cyrill Ibrahim, offering young pianists and audiences a rare opportunity to experience world-class teaching up close.

World Heart Beat is also having FREE Community Piano Trail and Cafe Concerts. 

Further details and ticketing information can be found here.