A Musical Salon at Rosebank: A Beautiful Prelude to PolMusicA 2026

On Sunday 26 July, the beautiful Rosebank residence in Terang hosted an intimate afternoon recital by pianist Haoqing Leo Liu, First Prize winner of the 2022 PolMusicA Polish Music Competition.

Having graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Leo is now continuing his studies with Professor Paweł Zawadzki at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław, Poland.

The event was conceived in the tradition of the European musical salon. Music, conversation, hospitality and personal stories came together in an elegant domestic setting, allowing the audience to experience the programme at very close range.

Leo introduced each composition with short and engaging observations, helping the audience enter more deeply into the background and character of the music. He performed the entire programme from memory, demonstrating exceptional concentration, technical assurance and growing artistic maturity.

The programme was divided between two grand pianos representing different periods and traditions of instrument making.

The first half was performed on a modern white C. Bechstein grand piano affectionately known as “Becky”. Leo opened with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in B-flat minor, followed by Mozart’s Sonata in A minor, Rachmaninoff’s Étude-Tableaux in D major and Liszt’s Transcendental Étude No. 8, Wilde Jagd.

The Bechstein’s strength, clarity and rapid response were particularly well suited to the virtuosity and energy of Rachmaninoff and Liszt. Leo’s performances combined remarkable control with a broad dynamic range and made a powerful impression on the audience.

Following the interval, the concert entered the contrasting sound world of “Camille”, a historical Pleyel piano dating from approximately 1890.

The second part began with Chopin’s Nocturne in D-flat major, followed by Handel’s Suite in D minor and Scarlatti’s Sonata in A major.

The Pleyel revealed a warmer, more intimate and more blended character, with a distinctive singing quality and an individual palette of colours. The contrast between the instruments became one of the central ideas of the afternoon.

Although both pianos speak the same musical language, the Bechstein and the Pleyel speak it with two different accents. The modern Bechstein represents the strength, structure, clarity and precision associated with the German tradition. The historical Pleyel introduces a different French world of elegance, warmth, colour and intimacy.

After the final Scarlatti sonata, violinist Adam Piechociński joined Leo for an additional performance of works by Polish composers Zygmunt Noskowski and Aleksander Zarzycki.

Adam reflected on the narrative character of Polish music. Its value, he observed, lies not only in technical brilliance, but in its ability to carry stories, emotions and experiences. These works invite the performer to communicate something meaningful and allow the audience to enter a distinct emotional and cultural world.

This idea lies at the heart of PolMusicA: introducing young musicians and Australian audiences to Polish repertoire that deserves to be heard, explored and carried forward.

The afternoon was made possible through the extraordinary generosity of Angela and Paul Riggs, who opened their Rosebank home and created an environment of remarkable elegance and warmth.

Beautiful floral installations, carefully prepared food and refreshments, fine wine and the surrounding garden transformed the recital into a complete salon experience. Every aspect of the event reflected great care and attention to detail.

The audience remained together long after the formal programme had ended. The recital gradually developed into an informal evening of conversation and shared music, with the hosts, guests and musicians returning to the piano and continuing the celebration.

This exceptional gathering brought together a former PolMusicA laureate, Polish repertoire, historical and modern instruments, and an audience eager to experience music not simply as performance, but as a shared story.

It was a beautiful prelude to PolMusicA 2026 and a memorable celebration of music, friendship and generous hospitality.