Max Walsh
Shrewsbury Internatonal Recital Series
St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury
From Peter Barritt:
Max is a young pianist and composer born in Birmingham who played a lunchtime recital on Wednesday 9th September 2026 in St Mary’s. Max has already won The Liszt Society International Piano Competition and the Junior Wales International Piano Festival 2025. He completed his studies at the Junior Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Head of Keyboard Jan Loefller.
Max has been selected to be supported by the Keyboard Trust, who kindly sponsored this recital. The Keyboard Trust Artistic Directors have also awarded Max the Dr Weir Legacy Award Scholarship, a legacy that provides substantial funds for a young keyboard artist to help cover academic and living costs for his undergraduate musical training. Max has been awarded a full scholarship at the Royal College of Music studying under Norma Fisher and starts there in a few days time.
This was a first performance for Max in Shropshire but will certainly not be his last. The audience of 50 were awestruck by the skill and maturity of his playing, amazed by the emotional understanding of someone only 18 years old. The new Kawai GX5 piano sang like an angel in the glorious acoustics of St Mary’s Church.
The recital was described by Max as a journey of ‘virtuality and transcendence’.He began with a ravishing account of the Bénédiction de dieu dans la solitude, S. 173/3 by Liszt. There was a feeling that Mariam Batsashvili would have enjoyed this interpretation, as melodies appeared clearly through the overall orchestral sound.
Max introduced each part of the programme with the keen eye of a composer. He described his love and admiration for the 6 Bagatelles Op.126 by Beethoven, which he considered one of his greatest compositions. They were written in 1824, the same year as his 9th Symphony was completed. The performance by Max was a revelation, like coming across these works for the first time. The authority and unique portrayal displayed were quite astonishing.
Next up was the Jeux D’Eau, M.30 by Maurice Ravel and Max revelled in the melody and richness of the music.
The recital ended with works by Olivier Messiaen, starting with his Prelude No. 1 La Colombe (The Dove) and finishing with “Le baiser de l’Enfant-Jésus” from Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. Clearly Max has a great affinity and admiration for Messiaen and his playing reflected this deep love and admiration for the composer. The works performed in the sacred beauty of the medieval church of St Mary the Virgin were best described as divine.
The audience had been treated to a performance by a young man likely to become a national legend. To thank the those who attended and listened so attentively, Max played an encore of Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte. It was a heart-rending end to a recital of technical brilliance and staggering emotional intensity. We wish Max the very best in his time at the Royal College and to an illustrious future.
The generosity of those attending this concert provided a profit of £250 which went into the fund to help pay off the interest-free loan on the Kawai GX5 grand piano that has been donated to St Mary’s Church. Thanks to Robert Milton and volunteers from St Mary’s Church for their help and support. Our immense gratitude also to the Keyboard Trust for identifying an artist of such promise and for their generosity in sponsoring this recital.
Audience feedback…
“What a wonderful recital by an amazing talent! The piano sounds great in the church and his introductions were helpful”. – Andrew
“Wow, what a performance this lunchtime. I was mesmerised just watching Max’s fingers move apparently so effortlessly over the breadth of the piano. You are right, the piano sounds fantastic.Thank you for bringing Max to Shrewsbury at the beginning of his career. He does appear to be destined for international fame. At eighteen years old he seems to have an astonishing maturity and sensitivity.`” – Catherine
“What an amazing recital! The setting beautiful, the piano clear as a bell, the touch and technique a joy to hear, the playing from memory unbelievable, the unflappable and happy demeanor a bonus – all together an hour to remain long in the memory. Excellently chosen programme with informative introductions to boot. The encore so apposite. (I believe Ravel chose the title because he liked the sound of the words!). A great future assured. – Chris
