Sibbe Live!: Night in the Forest

02.09.2026 19:00 – 20:00

Standard price 20€ + order fee (from 1,50 € + 0,65 % of the order)

Discount tickets 15€ + order fee (from 1,50 € + 0,65 % of the order)

British Sibelius interpreter Joseph Tong returns to the Sibelius Museum for an intimate piano recital

Programme

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Arabeske, op. 18

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)
Nocturne in F Major, op. 15 No. 1

Jean Sibelius (1865–1957)
Five Pieces (“The Tree Suite”), op. 75

Terhi Dostal (born 1978)
The Willows

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Gaspard de la nuit

Joseph Tong is one of the most versatile and imaginative pianists of his generation, equally at home as a soloist, duo pianist, chamber musician and collaborative artist. Alongside an active international performing career, he is also a respected educator, festival founder and an engaging communicator, known for bringing insight and depth to both performance and presentation and much in demand for lecture-recitals and masterclasses.

Since making his debut at Wigmore Hall as winner of the Maisie Lewis Young Artists Award, Joseph has given recitals throughout the UK and internationally. His appearances include St John’s Smith Square, London, St George’s Bristol, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Chichester Cathedral and the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building in Oxford amongst others, as well as concerts in Germany, Spain, Finland and Japan. His performances have been broadcast, including on BBC Radio 3 In Tune and Classic FM.

Joseph’s discography has attracted widespread critical acclaim. Recent releases include the third volume of Sibelius’s solo piano works, recorded in Finland, and a recording of Schumann solo piano music made in Germany, released on the Quartz label. The latter received a five-star review from BBC Music Magazine. His recordings often are featured in leading publications including The Sunday Times, International Piano Magazine and Fanfare (USA) magazine.

He is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading specialists in the solo piano music of Jean Sibelius and is a regular contributor to Sibelius One, the journal of the UK Sibelius society. A committed advocate for the Finnish composer’s lesser-known piano and chamber works, Joseph collaborates frequently with leading Finnish musicians and composers. His ongoing recording project of Sibelius’s complete solo piano musicacross five volumes reached its third release on the Quartz label in 2023 and has attracted international attention and critical praise. He has collaborated with the violinist Fenella Humphreys on a recording of Sibelius’s violin and piano works, also to widespread critical acclaim. Joseph performs regularly in Finland, where his appearances have included recitals at Sibelius’s home, Ainola, playing the composer’s original Steinway piano, as well as the Helsinki Music Centre ‘Camerata Hall’, the Joensuu Music Festival, the Sibelius Museum in Turku, the Sibelius Birthplace Museum and the Town Hall in Hämeenlinna. He has also appeared twice as a guest artist at the annual Korpo Sibelius Festival.

Alongside his performances of established repertoire, Joseph also has a long-standing commitment to contemporary music. He has commissioned and premiered new works for solo piano and piano duo by a wide range of leading composers including the late John McCabe, David Matthews, Daniel Kidane, Dai Fujikura, Nicola LeFanu, Edwin Roxburgh, Cydonie Banting, Lara Poe, and, most recently, the Finnish composer Terhi Dostal with premieres at major UK festivals and venues including Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room, Cheltenham Music Festival and Presteigne Festival.

Joseph studied initially with Hilary Coates at Wells Cathedral School, before reading Music at Christ’s College, Cambridge, and studying at the Royal Academy of Music with Christopher Elton. He currently holds teaching positions at Junior Academy (RAM) and Wells Cathedral School, having been elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2008.

Tickets can also be purchased from the museum shop from August 5.

Please remember that the museum card is not accepted as a means of payment!