Brilliant Russian pianist Irina Lankova has wowed audiences across the world with her sensitive and passionate interpretations of great romantic piano works. Irina's reputation is built mainly on her rousing interpretations of Rachmaninov, Scriabin, and Chopin. With numerous concert and recording successes to her name, she's now installed here on the French Riviera. I met her for a coffee and a chat about her career and the music she loves, and in the process I learned about her exciting new venture called "Private Concert".

How do you like living here on the Riviera?

I love it! It's a very beautiful place, and I can speak French, so I have been able to adapt quite quickly. After London and Moscow, I was a bit worried that there would not be enough culture here, but I've discovered there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the arts. You just need to research and plan. The Riviera has long been somewhere that attracts and inspires artists, and there's a strong Russian tradition here as well.

You play very romantic music.

I adore romantic music! It's so expressive and sensitive. Chopin said "I only try to express the soul and the heart." And that's the joy of this style of music - the composer expresses his own incredibly personal feelings, and then as a pianist I can take this, and by my interpretation add my own emotions. Of course when the people listening absorb the music there is a third layer of their individual emotions - it makes each performance unique for each person listening.

What are the biggest influences that inspire your choices of music and the way you play it?

The times I get really transported by a piece are when I am going through some big change in my life. For instance when my daughter was born I found I was captivated by the joyous pieces by Chopin. Before that I was in a questioning, introspective phase, and I became deeply attached to the work of Scriabin. It was a time when I was asking myself all kinds of questions about the meaning of life, and I found that Scriabin was echoing my own feelings in his musical progress. He was stretching the links between harmony and melody - he seems to be saying that for him, art is what can transform the world and how he relates to it. I felt exactly the same and it inspired me to record my CD of his music.

So really your influences come from within?

That's the Romantic spirit! Our individual interpretations are what count. Although saying that I do admire many of the great names in the world of music, of course. For example I love the piano playing of Grigory Sokolov - he's surely the best in the world. And Boris Berezovsky is a wonderful performer. One great influence on the way I perform was when I went to a jazz concert at Ronnie Scott's in London: the intimacy of the venue prompted me to start talking to my audiences, and this seems to go down very well.

Can we see you in concert here on the Riviera?

I've got a concert coming up in Châteauneuf de Grasse on 24th of March, and I'll be playing at the Cloîtres de Cimiez in the summer. I love performing at concerts - they are so spontaneous. In a CD recording you are striving for perfection, and end up carried into a different world. In a concert I can take the audience there with me.

What about Private Concert - how does that work?

We arrange concerts for clients: whatever the occasion, it might be a surprise birthday party, a corporate event, anything really. We take the stress out of the event by handling all the organization - maybe the client wants us to simply provide a musician, or maybe they want us to run the whole organization of the event. We can hire a hall, even get the invitations printed. The music can be me playing solo, or it might be with an ensemble. Sometimes the client simply wants a harpist or a singer, So you see it's very flexible.

Don't you find you are playing to a less motivated audience?

The amazing thing is that so many people come up to me and say things like "I have never really been to a classical concert before, but I loved this - it's really converted me!" That's really satisfying.

What about teaching the piano?

Yes I give some lessons - I work with a variety of levels: as long as the student that is motivated to learn. I have one pupil right now who is twelve years old, but already I know he will be a professional. For me it's very rewarding to see them progress. I also find I learn more about the music by teaching people to play it.

Irina is teaching at the master classes "L'Académie Internationale d'Eté de Nice" from 17th till 24 of July 2012.

Her concert in Châteauneuf de Grasse is at Terraces des Arts on 24th March at 8pm. Tickets are available at the Mairie 0492 603 603.

To find out more about Irina, or to arrange for lessons, please visit her website. Further details on Private Concert are available here.

All photographs courtesy Irina Lankova