Virtuoso performance
People were so moved at a concert by an internationally renowned pianist they had tears in their eyes.
Paisley-born Toni James gave a recital at the town’s Stow Brae Kirk to an audience of more than 160.
Toni, 32, who lives and works in America, came home to perform at the event, which was organised by the church’s guild.
She said: “It has been really lovely to be here and reconnect with people I know in Paisley.
“It was marvellous to do the concert.
“There were more than 160 people there.
“I had a moment of nerves at first but that dissipated when I started playing and was ‘in the music’.
“And, yes, mum told me there were a few teary eyes.”
The audience heard former Castlehead High School pupil Toni perform works by Haydn and Brahms.
Her mother Christine said: “I would say more than 90 per cent at the church were not classical music people, but not one of them walked out. “It was perfect, amazing. “It was a wonderful night and at the end some people were crying, they were so moved by the piece by Shostakovich.”
People were struck by Toni’s ability to shift seamlessly between styles, as adept in Scarlatti as in her majestic, v i r t u o s i c render i n g o f Shostakovich’s final prelude and fugue which brought the audience to their feet.
The pristine, dynamic nature of her playing is always placed at the service of the composer, producing an emotional response in the listener, getting to the musical heart of the works she performed.
“There were definitely a few misty eyes among the audience,” Christine said.
It was at her grandmother’s house when she was five years old that Toni – now living in San Diego, where she is an assistant professor of piano at the state university – first discovered her wonderful talent.
And she will be back in her home town on October 5.
She has been invited to Paisley Town Hall by the Paisley composer Alan Fleming-Baird.
“He is going to compose a piece of music for her and she is coming back in October to play that concerto for him,” Christine said.
Mrs James also thanked Stow Brae Church Guild for hosting the event.
Definitely a few misty eyes in the audience Christine James