Concert - Tal Walker & the Ortus Piano Trio 

As part of his Clair-obscur album tour, pianist Tal Walker presents a Saturday morning of French music exploring the subtle dialogue between light and darkness. The programme combines piano works by Lili Boulanger and Gabriel Fauré with French chamber music performed by the Ortus Piano Trio.

The solo recital features music from Walker’s new album Clair-obscur, released by Antarctica Records. Alongside Boulanger’s Trois morceaux pour piano and her unpublished Prélude, Walker performs his own piano arrangement of Boulanger’s Nocturne. These works are paired with a selection of Fauré’s most lyrical piano miniatures from his Huit pièces brèves, Op. 84.

The second half of the concert brings together three French piano trios, centred around Debussy’s Trio in G major, alongside Mélanie Bonis’s atmospheric Soir et Matin and Boulanger’s radiant D’un matin de printemps. Throughout the programme, light and darkness remain in constant dialogue, each giving meaning to the other.

Line-up

Piano: Tal Walker
Violin: Daniel Pukach
Cello: Lucy Gijsbers

Programme

Lili Boulanger 
Nocturne (arr. Tal Walker) 
Prélude in D-flat major
Trois morceaux pour piano: 
D’un vieux jardin 
D’un jardin clair 
Cortège 
 
Gabriel Fauré 
Pièces brèves, op. 84: 
Capriccio 
Fantaisie 
Improvisation 
Allégresse 
Nocturne 
 
Gabriel Fauré 
Piano trio in D minor, op. 120: I. Allegro, ma non troppo 
 
Mélanie Bonis (1858–1937) 
Soir et Matin, op. 76, for piano trio 
 
Claude Debussy (1862–1918) 
Trio in G major, L. 5 
I. Andantino con moto allegro 
II. Scherzo: Moderato con allegro 
III. Andante espressivo 
IV. Finale: Appassionato 
 
Lili Boulanger (1893–1918) 
D’un matin de printemps, for piano trio 

About the artists

Tal Walker

Tal Walker is a London-based pianist, a Young Steinway Artist and recording artist with Antarctica Records. Specialising in French repertoire, he is currently pursuing a PhD at the Royal College of Music in London, where he also teaches in the Junior Department. He has performed internationally as both a soloist and chamber musician at venues including the Salle Cortot in Paris, Steinway Hall and the Royal Flemish Opera. His latest album, Clair-obscur: Lili Boulanger & Gabriel Fauré, was released by Antarctica Records in September 2026.

Ortus Piano Trio

The London-based Ortus Piano Trio was founded by violinist Daniel Pukach, cellist Lucy Gijsbers and pianist Tal Walker. The ensemble explores the rich piano trio repertoire, with a particular focus on music from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They have performed at venues including Steinway Hall, Conway Hall, the Chelsea Arts Club and St Mary le Strand, and have recorded at the Royal College of Music.