ONE of the stars of Last Night of the Proms is giving the opening recital in Malvern Concert Club's new season.

Paul Lewis, who the Observer called "the finest British pianist in decades", was seen by millions when he played Constant Lambert's Rio Grande in the televised concert earlier this month.

Now he will be performing four Beethoven sonatas at the Forum, Malvern Theatres, on Thursday, September 29.

This concert marks the opening of a huge project, in which Paul Lewis will perform all of Beethoven's piano sonatas in venues across the world, as well as recording them.

The complete cycle of the sonatas takes eight concerts, and since they will be played in at least nine venues, it means more than 72 concerts devoted to Beethoven.

One of the cycles is being shared between Malvern Concert Club and colleagues in Cheltenham and Chipping Campden.

The first of the recordings has just been issued and it contains the three Opus 31 sonatas which Paul Lewis will play in Malvern. Alongside them, he will also play the sonata in F sharp minor, Opus 78.

He will pay a return visit to Malvern Concert Club in September next year, when he will play more of Beethoven's sonatas.

Tickets for next week's concert have been selling well and the club is grateful to Worcestershire County Council and Arts Council England, which have helped with the cost of the concert.

Tickets are priced £14 for adults, £13 over-60s and £5 for students and under 21s from 01684 892277.