Paul Roberts
Artistic Director
'Paul Roberts’ excellence as a writer on music is matched by his superb talents as a pianist. I know of no other figure in the musical world who combines so impressively the roles of scholar and performer.' Richard Goode
Paul Roberts has just been appointed Series Editor for a new project: Short Guides to the Piano Repertoire, 'books for pianists by pianists,' for the publisher Bloomsbury. He is currently writing the first in the series, Impressionism: Debussy and Ravel, projected publication date Spring 2026. His Reading Franz Liszt: Revealing the Poetry Behind the Music, was published in 2023 to wide critical acclaim:
'Dazzling and richly informed, a book as deeply human as it is far reaching.' (Bryce Morrison, International Piano).
'Perceptive and nobly written.' Alfred Brendel
Charles Owen
Course 1
A beautifully executed programme … the disc as a whole is really beautifully put together and it’s really lovely, it makes you feel good when you’re listening to it - Record Review, BBC Radio 3, on Owen's new disc The Young Schumann
Charles Owen has an international career performing a wide-ranging repertoire to outstanding critical acclaim. He appears at many major UK venues such as Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, The Sage & Kings Place. Internationally, he has performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York, the Brahms Saal in Vienna’s Musikverein, Paris Musée d’Orsay, Amsterdam Concertgebouw and the Moscow Conservatoire. He has an extensive recording list, ranging from Bach (complete Partitas) to Brahms, Janacek, Poulenc, and Liszt. He has just released a Schumann disc, The Young Schumann.
Charles has been a hugely valued presence at Paul Roberts' summer school – 2025 will be his 13th year on the courses.
Stefan Bojsten
Course 2
Stefan Bojsten is among the best known pianists in Sweden, and has long been an outstanding figure at the Kungliga Musikhögskolan (Royal College of Music) in Stockholm. He has appeared as a soloist with most Swedish orchestras and performed across Scandinavia, Europe, Asia and North America. He has recorded albums with many major classical labels, including Polar, Caprice, Bis, Naxos, Fermat, Artemis, MAP, recut, Musica Sveciae and Opus 3.
Stefan is currently producer and chairman of the recital series Piano Visions in Stockholm, characterised by its combination of innovative and traditional programming, and which highlights the finest pianists of Sweden and Europe and outreach projects for children. Stefan has been a welcome teacher and recitalist at Paul Roberts’ summer school for many years since its earlier period at Castelfranc in 2001.
https://www.pianovisions.se/in-english/
https://www.stefanbojsten.com/
Martin Sturfält
Course 3
"… real beauty and sophistication in every aspect of the music-making." International Record Review
Swedish pianist Martin Sturfält enjoys an international career as a concerto soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and recording artist. He performs a large repertoire ranging from the baroque through to the present day, but increasingly it is his passion for the music of his native country that is earning him recognition internationally as well as in Sweden. His CD of the Adolf Wiklund Piano Concertos on the Hyperion label was named the second best release of the year in Sweden and also won an Outstanding Award in International Record Review, and he has previously recorded a critically acclaimed disc of Stenhammar's solo music for the same label.
Martin will be teaching and performing at Chateau d'Aix 2022 on Course 2: 26 July to 2 August.
Read more about Martin Sturfält on his website here
Diane Baxter
Course 3
Diane Baxter, pianist, educator and consultant, is the editor of Oregon Musician. She recently retired as Professor of Music at Western Oregon University where she received the Faculty Honors Award for Outstanding Creativity and the Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching. Diane taught piano and courses in Ethnomusicology, Performance Anxiety and Research Methods. Diane performs and adjudicates far and wide. “The Science of Artistry: The Fourth String” was published in Clavier Companion in Nov/Dec 2013. Diane’s article, “Ethnomusicology and Alchemy” was published in the April/May 2020 edition of American Music Teacher. Diane began Piano at Tigh na Breac in 2018, an annual workshop on the shores of Loch Etive in the Scottish Highlands. The focus is on performance success and doing our best when it matters most.
Diane has been a regular participant at the summer school in France since 2012, both as a performer in the master classes and recently as a compassionate and wise teacher and counsellor of the intermediate class.
Lefki Karpodini constitutes one more link in the long chain of fine female pianists of our country. After her return from abroad, her recitals have been notable for their combination of assured technique and emotional depth. Athinorama Magazine, Greece
Lefki Karpodini
Course 1
Lefki Karpodini has performed in most European countries, Israel, Canada, America and the Barbados islands. Her festival appearances include Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Banff, Cully Classique, Heraklion Piano Festival, Pharos Trust, and Aegina. After graduating from the Athens Conservatory she continued her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London (Bmus, Mmus, PGDip, PACC) and at the Ensemble Modern IEMA Academy in Frankfurt.
Currently Lefki teaches at the Athens Conservatory and the Athenaeum Conservatory. She is a devoted piano pedagogue with teaching experience of over 25 years; she also composes, and recently she has pursued an old dream, taking jazz piano lessons from Greek jazz pianist and composer Dimitris Kalantzis.
We are delighted to welcome Lefki Karpodini for the first time to Music at Chateau d'Aix.
See also www.lefkikarpodini.com and listen to one of her compositions