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What: Peter Toohey
When: Sunday, May 25 at 2.30pm
Where: Anglican Diocesan Centre
Tickets: $30
Bookings: 5331 1183
WHEN Ballarat's Peter Toohey was a child, his father set him a challenge which would ignite his love for music.
"We had a piano at home which was a family heirloom and I'd been fiddling around with it for a bit of time," Toohey said.
"When I was nine, dad brought home one of Richard Clayderman's CDs and said if I could learn one of the pieces on the CD within a year, he'd give me $100.
"That was the incentive for me to learn piano and ever since then, I've loved it."
Now, at 23 years old, Toohey has almost completed his Masters in Performance at the Melba Conservatorium at the University of Melbourne.
The former Ballarat Grammar student said his love for piano continued to grow throughout the years.
"It's the most versatile instrument and all the great composers wrote for it and there's still music written for it today," he said.
"Playing this instrument allows you to play music that is particularly intimate."
This weekend, Toohey will return to his hometown of Ballarat to perform a concert of romantic piano music including Schubert's C minor sonata, Schumann's Fantasy in C Major and Schumann's Toccata Op.7.
"Schubert and Schumann are two of my favourite composers," Toohey said.
"Interestingly, there is an overall theme to the program because all the works are in the key of C but they're multi-movement works which explore other key areas as well.
"I think (the concert) is made up of great music and the forms and structures are really quite powerful. It's very personal music as well. Ultimately I want people to listen end enjoy it really."