Pianist Dominic Ferris has returned to Live at Zédel, London, the cabaret room at Brasserie Zédel where he has a year-long residency, writes Michael Darvell.
For the latest of his Me and My Piano solo shows on 5 May 2018 Ferris was joined by Robert J. Sherman whose father, the late Robert B. Sherman, was one half of the Sherman Brothers songwriting team responsible for the scores of Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Jungle Book, The Happiest Millionaire, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Aristocats and The Slipper and the Rose, among many others, along with singer Georgi Mottram to talk about and perform some of Richard and Robert Sherman’s best-known songs.
For his next show on 17 May Ferris is inviting record producer Don Reedman to talk about his career and especially his recent collaborations with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, along with the crossover opera quartet IDA. Ferris’ piano recordings with the Royal Philharmonic involved Elvis Presley’s If I Can Dream album, which sold over a million copies worldwide. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London under the supervision of Don Reedman and Priscilla Presley. In 2015 it was the biggest-selling record by a non-UK artist.
Ferris has many strings to his bow, or perhaps many keys to his piano would be more appropriate. He trained at the Royal College of Music and since then has undertaken a wide range of musical appearances at, for example, the international press launch of the Royal Wedding at Lancaster House, has provided piano recordings for the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics, and performs not only on his solo piano but also with two piano duos, The Piano Brothers and Ferris & Milnes. One of (Dominic) Ferris & (Martin) Milnes’ outstanding performances was a mashup medley of 33 numbers by Stephen Sondheim performed in just five minutes. This was for Sondheim’s 85th birthday concert at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Talking of mashup medleys, Ferris & Milnes played Lincoln Center in New York last October where they performed a medley of songs by George Gershwin in a special concert mounted by the Mabel Mercer Foundation. In London they played a medley from 31 London shows in just six minutes, and, would you believe it, they have done the complete works of Andrew Lloyd Webber in seven whole minutes!
The other piano duo consists of Dominic Ferris and Elwin Hendrijanto, who met while they were studying at the Royal College of Music. Hendrijanto is a film composer while Ferris writes songs. Together they create original music for their live performances. With so many possibilities on hand, it doesn’t look as if Dominic Ferris will be short of work for a long time to come.
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