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A spellbinding night of prepared piano and sonic imagination
One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary piano performance comes to Sheffield as Xenia Pestova Bennetttakes centre stage for Sounds of Now, performing the extraordinary prepared piano works of pioneering composer Annea Lockwood.

Described as “a powerhouse of contemporary keyboard repertoire” (TEMPO), Pestova Bennett is a long-time collaborator of Lockwood and brings rare insight, precision and sensitivity to this immersive and exploratory programme.
What is prepared piano?
In Annea Lockwood’s hands, the piano becomes a sound laboratory. Ribbons, objects and a transducer speaker are placed inside the instrument, transforming its voice into something otherworldly — percussive, resonant and richly textural. This concert also features one of Lockwood’s pioneering electroacoustic works and a playful performance piece that breaks free of the stage entirely.
The programme
Annea Lockwood – Ear-Walking Woman (14’)
Xenia Pestova Bennett – Iridescence (7’)
Xenia Pestova Bennett – Tapetum lucidum (8’)
Annea Lockwood – Red Mesa (15’)
Annea Lockwood – Ceci n’est pas un piano (12’)
Electroacoustic interlude – Buoyant (6’)
RCSC (4’)
Gone (variable) – featuring a music box floated through the concert hall using helium balloons
The result is a concert experience that is as visual and spatial as it is musical — playful, thought-provoking and unlike anything else in the piano repertoire.
Why this concert matters
This is a rare opportunity to hear Annea Lockwood’s music performed by one of its foremost interpreters, alongside new works by Pestova Bennett herself. For fans of experimental music, sound art and boundary-pushing performance, this is an unmissable evening.

Part of Music in the Round Sheffield:
Save 20% when booking 10 or more concerts in one transaction
Save 10% when booking 5 or more concerts in one transaction

🎟 Tickets & full details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/sounds-of-now-annea-lockwood-prepared-piano

Event details