Xenia Pestova Bennett

Presented by Moving on Music in association with Belfast International Arts Festival 2026, this special concert marks the centenary of the birth of the elusive German composer and pianist, Hans Otte (1926 – 2007).

Virtuoso pianist Xenia Pestova Bennett presents Hans Otte’s monumental Das Buch der Klänge (“The Book of Sounds”), now recognised as a cornerstone of meditative minimalism and a forerunner of today’s “post-classical” movement.

Lasting just over an hour, the piece is in twelve continuous sections, taking the listener on an immersive journey. Influenced by Zen Buddhism and the idea of healing through sound, the music invites each of us to discover our own resonance. Ranging from minimalist to virtuosic and at times reminiscent of Satie, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, early John Cage, Keith Jarrett and even Scriabin, this masterpiece defies classification and only truly reveals itself when experienced live through the resonances created in the room.

Pianist, composer and improviser Xenia Pestova Bennett has earned an international reputation as a leading proponent of uncompromising music. Her work spans a wide range of sound worlds from classical and contemporary art music to free improvisation, electronica, multimedia and avant-pop. Xenia will be presenting a feature documentary on Hans Otte for BBC Radio 3 in November 2026.