International concert pianist Ida Pelliccioli returns to Lucas Parklands this week as part of an ambitious month-long tour that began in Thailand and will take her across Australia before concluding at the Alliance Française de Singapour, Singapore. A professor at the Paris Conservatoire, Pelliccioli made her Australian debut at the Blackall Range venue last year. She now returns with a carefully curated program of baroque and impressionist works, introducing audiences to a selection of lesser-known musical treasures.
A Sonic Explorer’s Mission
Ida distinguishes herself in the classical music world through what she describes as a “sonic approach” to performance. Rather than pursuing technical virtuosity for its own sake, she focuses on drawing extraordinary colours and textures from the piano, treating it as what she calls an “instrument orchestra.”
“For me, what’s most important as a pianist is the quality of the sound,” Ida explains. Her technique focuses not merely on finger movement but on how weight is applied to the keyboard and how sound is projected through the instrument. “When you speak about technique, you think about the movement of fingers, but it’s not only that, it’s how you put the weight into the keyboard, and how you project the sound.”
“The piano can imitate other instruments, it can imitate the human voice, and I’m always looking to reproduce the sound of a full orchestra,” she continues. This approach requires constant adaptation, as performing on different instruments forces her to work on the quality and nuances that can be drawn from each piano and acoustic environment.
This philosophy drives her repertoire choices, which consistently blend established masters with forgotten composers. “As pianists, we have an endless repertoire,” she notes, “and for me it’s very important to bring pieces that are a little bit forgotten, or not so much played.”
Her research process is meticulous, involving extensive reading about each composer’s world and historical context. “I want it to make sense for me, and then I think if it makes sense for me, it will also for the audience,” she explains. Another crucial element is creating thematic connections between works, providing what she calls “a thread that puts all the works in perspective, one with each other.” Her upcoming concert exemplifies this approach, opening with the complete Suite in A by Jean-Philippe Rameau – a 30-minute baroque work originally written for harpsichord that presents unique challenges when performed on modern piano.
“A lot of performers play excerpts from this suite as encores, but tomorrow the audience will hear the whole suite,” she notes. The programme continues with works by Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz, including the rarely performed 14-minute piece “La Vega,” before concluding with lesser-known works by Claude Debussy that showcase his Spanish influences.
Multicultural Influences Shape Artistic Vision
Born in Bergamo, Italy to Italo-Croatian parents and raised in France, Ida’s multicultural background informs her open-minded approach to repertoire selection. She holds dual master’s degrees from the Sorbonne in Italian Literature and Ancient Greek History, with her specialisation in music during the Hellenistic period adding scholarly depth to her artistic perspective, alongside her formal training at the Nice Conservatoire de Région and École Normale de Musique de Paris.
“Having a multicultural background gives you a very open mind,” she reflects. “You are sensitive to differences in traditions, cultures, sounds, and approaches, and all of that brings more richness to one’s life, and as an artist, of course.”
This sensitivity extends to her teaching philosophy at the Paris Conservatoire, where she has worked for five years with students aged eight to 22. The interaction between teaching and performing creates a dynamic cycle of discovery for Ida, who often finds new repertoire while researching pieces for her students’ themed concerts.
The Lucas Parklands Experience
Ida’s choice to return to Lucas Parklands reflects the venue’s unique position in the international classical music circuit. The 27-acre rainforest setting provides not only inspiration but practical advantages for touring artists.
“To have access all day long to the piano and be able to practice between concerts on a tour is very precious,” she explains. “You don’t have access to an instrument everywhere and all the time.”
The natural environment itself becomes part of the performance experience. “Being transported out of time, out of space, that’s what I love about it,” Ida says of the venue’s rainforest setting. “You just feel at peace with the world.”
Beyond the Concert Hall
Between her performance career and teaching responsibilities, Ida is pursuing sommelier certification through the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Having completed her second level certification, she plans to debut an innovative “oenological concert” concept in Singapore next month, pairing wines with musical repertoire in the same way food and wine are matched.
“My idea is to do an oenological concert, where I pair wines with music,” she explains. “It’s not artificial – I try to really create a connection between both worlds, to give each world a different dimension with the other.”
The project’s flexibility appeals to her freelance approach to career management, which allows her to perform in venues ranging from major concert halls to intimate community spaces. Each wine-and-music event would feature local wines, making every performance unique to its location.
Connecting with Community Audiences
For Ida, the intimacy of venues like Lucas Parklands offers something irreplaceable in today’s classical music landscape. “Being in a big concert hall, a big festival, or a smaller intimate venue – for me, they are all equally important,” she states. “What I love about more intimate venues is the closeness with the audience and the fact that you can interact with them after the concert.”
This commitment to accessibility extends to her programming philosophy. Each concert serves as what she calls “an invitation to continue the listening afterwards,” designed to spark curiosity rather than simply entertain.
“My aim and also my responsibility as a performer is to introduce something new to my audience, to make them discover a forgotten piece or an unknown composer,” she says. “The programmes I present are very varied, so there is something for everyone.”
A Growing Cultural Destination
Ida’s return to Lucas Parklands reinforces the venue’s emerging reputation as a significant cultural destination. The purpose-built auditorium, with its exceptional acoustics and collection of world-class instruments including a rare Steinway grand piano, regularly attracts international artists who might otherwise only be heard in major metropolitan venues.
For the Blackall Range community, such performances represent more than entertainment – they position the Blackall Range as a place where global artistry and local appreciation intersect. The venue’s rare “Flame Mahogany” Steinway grand piano, among the last built with ivory keys, provides the quality of instrument that attracts artists of Ida’s calibre. As Ida prepares for her second Lucas Parklands performance, she brings not only her technical mastery and scholarly approach but also her genuine enthusiasm for sharing musical discoveries with audiences ready to listen.
The concert takes on Thursday 21st August at Lucas Parklands, Montville, continuing the venue’s tradition of bringing world-class classical music to the Blackall Range community.
Ida Pelliccioli (YouTube Channel)
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy and timeliness, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the article or the information contained within for any purpose.