I AM so grateful this talented young pianist managed to fit Kidderminster into his busy schedule.

This year he has recitals in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, in Amsterdam, Vienna and Carnegie Hall, New York - to name but a few.

I usually cringe at the thought of opera played as an instrumental, but Liszt's concert paraphrase of the Quartet from Rigoletto left me speechless.

David managed to portray all four "voices" clearly, prompting one lady to ask if he had more than the normal number of fingers!

Throughout the programme, David demonstrated his virtuosity, showing a light touch in the gentle passages, but creating a great deal of sound when needed - without thumping the piano.

From the opening works by Antonio Soler, through music by Beethoven and Debussy, he played with great expression, along with a superb version of Robert Schumann's Papillons.

The final preludes by Rachmaninov were a joy, then David delighted the capacity audience with an encore. Again his fingers were a blur as he ended this marvellous recital with Pulchinello by Villa-Lobos. VJS.