Neil Sedaka - Neil Sedaka Stages First Piano Concerto In London

The Solitaire singer performed Manhattan Intermezzo - his first piano concerto - with the London Philharmonic orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday (17Oct12).

The 73 year old tells the Bbc he has always had classical music leanings and was invited to compete in the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow when he was a student, only to be disqualified because of his Western background.

He recalls, "They were impressed enough that they had me on hold, but a couple of weeks before I was supposed to leave for Moscow, I got a letter from the committee saying I was disqualified because my name was linked to American capitalistic rock and roll."

Sedaka, who studied at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, adds, "It's wonderful for the soul to be able to play classical music."