Though only choosing to focus on piano at the age of 16, Arcadi Volodos never intended that his natural virtuosity should only serve to compensate for this late decision. No fan of the endless rehearsal of the same pieces, believing that robotic repetition kills spontaneity, he prefers to prepare mentally for his performances. He will bring two composers to Gulbenkian Música that are particularly dear to him: Scriabin, whose work he says is “a faithful and inextricable portrait of his mystical evolution”. Through Mompou’s music, he pays homage to the legendary pianist Alicia de Larrocha, and seems to have direct access to the mind of the composer.