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As I sat in the intriguing darkness of Koerner Hall, Marielle Labèque carefully placed the opening notes of Le fils des étoiles by Erik Satie. They hung in the air like little crystals. This was a simple beginning, yet deceptively so, that would build towards something larger. In turn, these notes would unfold in a continuous stream of build-ups and decays.

Having missed a chance to hear Conlon Nancarrow’s Player Piano Study no. 21 (Canon X) due to a spontaneous programme switch earlier in the day, I was delighted that Dominic Murcott’s arrangement of the piece for London Sinfonietta and player piano opened this concert.

Minimalism is, according to some, ‘The most influential musical movement of the 20th century’. Whether or not this is a little hyperbolical, minimalism does certainly deserve real recognition and exploration, and Kings Place hence merits a great deal of praise for putting on the three-day ‘50 Years of Minimalism’ festival, curated by Igor Toronyi-Lalic and led on the stage by pianists Katia and M