Barclays is hosting its first UK Charity Talent Show Gala at Boisdale Canary Wharf, at which I will perform a piano recital. I would like to use this opportunity to fundraise for a cause that's close to my heart – giving basic human rights to women in war-torn countries.

 

You’ve read stories about women in Rwanda or Afghanistan who fear for their lives every day and have no means to escape extreme poverty, yet you probably thought you couldn’t do much about it. Women for Women International is an organisation that came up with practical ways to change this. They’re enrolling women from 8 such countries in a one-year training programme where they teach them job and business skills to help them rebuild their lives. And they need financial support to make it happen.

 

It's not a marathon, but it's something I'm good at and I can assure you that over 100 hours of practice (and some irritated neighbours) go into preparing for this Gala. As you may know, I was a pianist some years ago, won over 20 awards in national (Romanian) and international competitions and performed concertos with orchestra on Romanian stages. While I chose a career in front of a computer over one in front of a piano, I am thrilled (and slightly terrified) at the opportunity of performing in front of 200-250 people after many years and raising money for a great cause!

 

I will be interpreting Ballade No. 1 in G minor, one of the Frederic Chopin’s finest and most challenging creations. Composed in the 1830s, the Romantic piece tells the story of Chopin as a political exile in Vienna and Paris during the November Uprising in Poland. The dramatic narrative will take you through a range of emotions, from nostalgia to agitation, from fragility to triumph and vivacity, all culminating in a tumultuous coda.

 

While I would love to invite everyone for the recital, I understand Gala tickets sold out immediately, so I don’t have that option. I will, however, send you a recording of my recital at the beginning of February. And, as some would say, how many marathons runners whom you’ve sponsored did you also turn up to watch?

 

Appreciate any support you feel you can give.

 

Roxana