The Piano at the Station
Music and storytelling came together at Hastings railway station on Saturday 25 July, as commuters and families enjoyed live piano performances inspired by the children's book The Piano at the Station by Helen Rutter, one of the featured titles in this year's Summer Reading Challenge.
Selected as part of the national reading initiative's 2026 'Read to the Beat' theme, The Piano at the Station celebrates the connection between stories and music. The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children to discover new books and keep reading throughout the school holidays.
Invited by Southeastern, we were delighted to support the event, with HIP pianist Dida Condria performing throughout the afternoon.
Dida's performance demonstrated how live music can enhance an everyday public space, offering an unexpected cultural experience for visitors passing through the station.
The event highlighted the joy live music can bring into everyday spaces. Throughout the afternoon, children stopped to listen, families enjoyed the music together, and visitors passing through the station were able to experience a live piano performance in an unexpected setting.
We are grateful to Southeastern for the invitation to take part and to Dida Condria for helping bring The Piano at the Station to life through live performance.
We hope the young readers who picked up The Piano at the Station enjoy the story and take part in this year's Summer Reading Challenge.
The Afternoon’s Programme
Rameau: Les Tendres Plaintes et Les Tourbillons
Mendelssohn: Songs without Words Op 19b
Bach/Kempff: Chorale Transcriptions
Grainger: Irish Tune from County Derry
Debussy: Estampes – Pagodes
Sibelius: Impromptus Op 5, No 5
Beethoven: Sonata Op 110 1st mvmt
Chopin: Raindrop Prelude & Finale from Sonata No 3 in B minor
Rachmaninoff: Selection from Etudes Tableaux Op 39
John Field: Selection of Nocturnes
Keith Jarrett: My Wild Irish Rose
