In its collaboration with the Leeds International Piano Competition, now the global centre of pianistic excellence, Sidmouth Music features the first of its recitals by a winner of this prestigious competition.

The penultimate concert of the season, on Saturday, February 17, at 3pm in the parish church, features the 2015 winner, Anna Tsybuleva.

Whilst still studying at the Moscow Conservatory Anna is quietly building her career, performing in her home country, as well as around the world.

In her UK visits she has performed in Leeds with the Halle Orchestra, has stood in at short notice for Paul Lewis in the Chipping Campden Festival, and given solo performances across the country. To Sidmouth she brings a delightful programme of works by Chopin and Tchaikovsky.

She opens with Chopin’s Polonaise opus 44, which is written in a dance form from his native Poland, but in which he can express his nationalistic feelings.

Three Mazurkas, opus 59, follow; written as a set during Chopin’s time with George Sand in Nohant. The first is strong in form, the second grandly conceived and the third simpler in character. All retain the dancing poetry which is their essence as well as, again, giving expression to Chopin’s nationalistic feelings.

Two nocturnes also stem from his period at Nohant. The first of opus 48 is a work of considerable significance. The second of opus 55 was begun during a holiday of 1842 in the company of artist Delacroix but finished the following year in Paris.

Like his other three ballades, his first in G minor is narrative in character but not of any specific story, remaining as absolute music throughout, and presenting the pianist with quite a challenge.

After an interval comes a single work, Tchaikovsky’s delightful set entitled ‘The Seasons’. Despite the name this is twelve short pieces, each evocative of a month of the year, written on commission to appear in a magazine throughout 1876.

Tickets at £16.50 are available from Paragon Books and the information centre in Sidmouth, Reflections in Budleigh Salterton or online at www.sidmouthmusic.org.uk.