A classical musician is hoping he does not fall flat in a challenge to play all of Beethoven’s piano sonatas for charity.
Sebastian Stanley, who studied at the Royal College of Music and is now a piano teacher in St Albans, is performing all 32 pieces in just 12 hours to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
He is training for the Beethoven Sonatathon by performing all of the different compositions in open-concerts around the country.
The cause is close to Sebastian’s heart because his father was helped by the charity battling two aggressive forms of cancer.
The 33-year-old has already raised £3,000, but hopes to raise at least £10,000 for the cause.
Sebastian said: “My father is the driving factor behind my Beethoven story, and because he survived two very aggressive forms of cancer, I wanted to try and do something amazing for other people living with cancer.
“He always dreamed of the day I would play all these sonatas and I am trying my hardest to make that a reality now. He is too weak to travel, but I have never seen him so happy as he is now at the thought of myself performing such a feat of pianism.
“Macmillan can drastically help people such as myself and my family to come to terms with what cancer can do to a family.”
Sebastian has performed as a soloist since he was 18, and has recorded many albums in Spain where he was born.
Fundraising manager for Macmillan in Hertfordshire, Georgia Clark, said “I would like to extend my thanks on behalf of the charity to Sebastian for taking on this musical challenge for Macmillan.
“The funds raised from the series of concerts will be used by Macmillan to provide vital medical, practical, financial and emotional support to people living with cancer in Hertfordshire, from specialist cancer nurses to Macmillan Grants.”
He has already hosted two of the open concerts, at the University of Cambridge on February 24 and in St Albans on June 16, but the Sonatathon will take place at the end of 2019.
Sebastian will perform Moonlight Sonata at his next concert in Welwyn on October 6. Contact Sebastian on sebstanley@gmail.com to attend.
To donate, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/beethovensonatamarathonTo find out more about Sebastian’s journey, visit beethovensonatathon.org/about
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