AN INTERNATIONALLY-RENOWNED pianist is heading to Reading next week for a special concert.

Paul Lewis CBE, regarded as one of the leading classical pianists of his generation, will grace the stage at Concert Hall, Blagrave Street, on Tuesday, February 20.

The performance, part of the Classical Music Alive 23/24 series, promises to be an evening of musical brilliance as Lewis presents Schubert's Piano Sonatas in C minor D958, A Major D959, and B flat Major K960.

The evening will kick off with a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm at the Town Hall, presented by the Stephen Johnson. This free session promises insights into the nuances of the upcoming performance, providing concertgoers with a deeper appreciation for the musical journey that awaits.

Ticket prices range from £22 to £14, with concessions available for under 18s (£6) and students (18-25 year olds or NUS card holders, £10), and discount opportunities on offer.

According to his online biography, Lewis, originally from Liverpool, was not from a musical background. His father worked at the Liverpool Docks and his mother was a local council worker. After falling in love with playing the cello, he was accepted by Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, where his piano studies blossomed.

Lewis, celebrated as one of the leading musicians of his generation, has earned universal praise for his interpretations of core piano works by Beethoven and Schubert. His previous cycles have garnered critical acclaim worldwide.

Lewis performed all 32 of the Beethoven piano sonatas, on tour in the United States and Europe, between the 2005 and 2007 seasons, with CD releases of his concerts included in Gramophone magazine's "Editor's Choice", and in August 2008, volume 4 of the series was awarded Gramophone's "Best Instrumental" recording and "Best Recording of the Year".

In July and August 2010 Lewis became the first pianist to perform all five Beethoven Concertos in a single season of The BBC Proms.

In June 2015, he was forced to pull out of a performance after he was injured by a swooping seagull in Liverpool.