French classical pianist Francois-Rene Duchable is quitting the industry in protest at its elitism - by destroying two grand pianos and burning his recital suit at his last three gigs.

Duchable - who won France's soloist of the year title three years in a row in the 1990s - believes the piano is an "arrogant instrument", so at the end of this month (JUL03) he plans to launch his piano into LAKE MERCANTOUR in the French Alps in his first farewell concert.

The second farewell concert will see Duchable burning his recital suit on stage, while the last gig will see him blow-up his piano in mid-air.

He says, "I have had enough of sacrificing my life for one per cent of the population. I have had enough of participating in a musical system, which in France at least, function badly and limits classical music to an elite.

"Used as this society uses it, the piano is an arrogant instrument which excludes all those that don't know about music."

04/07/2003 17:16