Just back from the Vikingur Olafsson concert at Flagey as part of their Piano Days series.

Absolutely riveting from start to finish. Having requested that applause is kept until the end, he plays through a selection from his Bach CD adding in an additional piece. Then, as a first encore a transcription of an Icelandic song by a composer I didn’t quite catch. Then, as a second encore, one of the Glass Etudes. Rapturous applause. He seems genuinely appreciative of the response. 

Afterwards the word goes round he will come out to sign autographs and CDs and, true enough, he appears and settles down behind a table. Too good an opportunity to miss, I wait in the scrum and proffer my CD mentioning as I do I like his taste in sculpture. He pauses for a moment and then smiles - yes! the statue for the unknown bureaucrat in Reykjavik (he’d mentioned it in an interview). Turns out, it is by his father-in-law and he’ll be pleased someone in Brussels likes it. I suggest he signs accordingly - For the unknown bureaucrat! The perfect souvenir - English and French senses. 

Superb pianist and a jolly nice chap.