Nils Frahm: Music for Piano

Nils Frahm plays piano like no one else—because he's playing instruments no one else has. The German composer builds custom pianos with his longtime collaborator David Klavins. The Una Corda has felt hammers instead of wood, creating impossibly soft tones. The Klavins M450 stands over twelve feet tall, its bass notes resonating like a church organ. When Frahm performs, he moves between these instruments, layering acoustic piano with vintage synthesizers and tape delay. This Barbican residency strips back the electronic elements for a piano-focused program. Expect pieces from *Felt* and *Screws*—intimate recordings made late at night when even the creaking of his chair becomes part of the music. Frahm's live shows are famous for their atmosphere. Audiences are asked to put away phones. The lighting is minimal. The result is a concert that feels more like a private recital, even in a 2,000-seat hall.