THE BEETHOVEN SONATAS

Following its acclaimed debut in 2024, the prestigious Edinburgh Royal Mile Royal International Piano Series returns with a complete cycle of Beethoven's 32 Piano Sonatas, performed across the 2026-27 season. Showcasing exceptional talent from leading UK and international pianists, each recital offers a unique perspective on some of the most profound and beloved works in the piano repertoire. This season marks the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's death - these concerts pay a fitting tribute to his great genius, two centuries on. Set against the magnificent backdrop of St Giles' Cathedral - illuminated by candlelight and enhanced by a newly installed Steinway grand piano - these concerts promise an unforgettable musical experience at the heart of Edinburgh's historic Royal Mile. FeaturingAshley Fripp (Piano)ProgrammeLiszt - Tre Sonetti del PetrarcaDebussy - Images, Book 1Beethoven - Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op. 10, No. 2About Ashley Fripp British pianist Ashley Fripp has performed extensively as recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe, Asia, North America, Africa and Australia in many of the world's most prestigious concert halls. Highlights include the Carnegie Hall (New York), Musikverein (Vienna), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), the Philharmonie halls of Cologne, Paris, Luxembourg and Warsaw, the Bozar (Brussels), the Royal Festival, Barbican and Wigmore Halls (London), the Laeiszhalle (Hamburg), Palace of Arts (Budapest), the Megaron (Athens), Konzerthaus Dortmund, the Gulbenkian Auditorium (Lisbon) and the Konserthus (Stockholm).He has won prizes at more than a dozen national and international competitions, including at the Hamamatsu (Japan), Birmingham and Leeds International Piano Competitions, the Royal Over-Seas League Competition, the Concours Européen de Piano (France) and the coveted Gold Medal from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Ashley was awarded the Worshipful Company of Musicians' highest award, The Prince's Prize, and was chosen as a 'Rising Star' by the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO). He has also performed in the Chipping Campden, Edinburgh, Brighton, Bath, Buxton, City of London, and St. Magnus International Festivals as well as the Oxford International Piano Festival, the Festival Pontino di Musica (Italy) and the Powsin International Piano Festival (Poland). Ashley also gave an open-air Chopin recital beside the world-famous Chopin monument in Warsaw's Royal Lazienki Park to an audience of 2,500 people.