Piano maestro Martin Roscoe performs all over the world - and the origins of his brilliant career lie in music lessons as an infant. He spoke to GAIL ATKINSON. . .

IT'S 45 years since Martin Roscoe had his first piano lesson as a boy, little thinking that one day he would earn his living playing. These days the classical pianist performs around the world in countries including South Africa, Hong Kong and Singapore.

However, home-loving Martin doesn't like to wander far from his North West base too often.

Originally from Merseyside, Martin moved to Blackburn at the age of 22, only leaving for Cumbria eight years ago.

However, next month he's making a return to East Lancashire and will appear for two performances at the annual Ribble Valley International Piano Week.

The event has been going since 1987 and moved to its current home in Stonyhurst's Centenary Theatre in 1994.

Martin has been involved in the organisation of the festival since 1991 and relishes the chance to gather some of the world's finest pianists together in one place.

"We plan well ahead and we get tremendous support," said the 51-year-old.

Audience numbers at the festival have increased steadily over the years, particularly since the date was moved from the middle of June to the middle of July.

"It's taken a long time to get to the height we are at now," Martin added, "but the last two or three years have been very successful.

"One of the main reasons for that is we have moved the date.

"We found that after we did that our audiences went up, so we felt delighted."

The event has also become renowned for the quality of the musicians it attracts.

"I like to invite all the top pianists to come," said Martin.

"The two people who are extremely well known this year are Paul Lewis, who plays on the second night -- he is one of the up-and-coming pianists -- and Stephen Kovacevich, an American who is based in London now. He has had a fantastic international career and has made countless records with EMI."

Martin himself will accompany baritone Mark Rowlinson when he presents his Howl of the Wakened Hounds recital at noon on the Monday.

Then, the following night, he will join cellist Moray Welsh and violinist Marianne Thorsen to play trios for an evening of chamber music. It's all a far cry from Martin's first piano lessons, where his tiny fingers practised five finger exercises and picked out simple melodies on the keys in fairly humble surroundings.

"I just started with the local village teacher in Runcorn," he said. "But it soon became apparent I absolutely loved music so I went to a different teacher when I was 13.

"Then, when I was 16, I went to college in Manchester."

But what was it that inspired Martin to make his first forays into classical music?

It seems that annual summer event -- the Proms -- was what launched him into the music world.

"The one thing which really kicked me off was when I went to a Proms concert at the Albert Hall in London," he said.

"I can still remember being extremely excited by the incredible sound and impact of the music.

"I was just seven but I was the only member of my family who stayed awake!"

How appropriate then, that such a famous summer music festival should have set Martin on the path to organising another exciting event in the shape of the Ribble Valley International Piano Week.

But Martin doesn't allow the preparation and organisation of such an event to take over his life entirely.

Away from performing, he teaches at London's Royal Academy of Music and the Guild Hall School of Music and Drama.

However, he also enjoys walking in the beautiful hills near his home -- and listening to music.

Surprisingly, though, for somebody so deeply involved in the piano world, he doesn't choose to listen to much piano music when he relaxes, but instead prefers to take "time out" and listen to opera instead.

"It's quite interesting that out of choice I don't tend to listen to piano music," he said.

"I tend to listen to orchestral music or opera."

Fortunately for the International Piano Week, however, increasing numbers of visitors are more than happy to listen to Martin and other talented pianists perform at the event.

The Ribble Valley International Piano Week, funded by the Arts Council England, starts on Saturday, July 10. Tickets are available from the box office on (01229) 861355.