Valentina Lisitsa explains her 'music party'

2 August 2014, 18:42 | Updated: 2 August 2014, 18:47

Watch highlights of Valentina Lisitsa's 'music party' concert, and find out exactly why she brought balloons and audience members on stage with her.

You wouldn't go to a restaurant without ordering to your taste from a menu of different foods. So why, Valentina Lisitsa asks, would you expect a lack of choice at a classical concert? She's changing all this with her unique concert format at the Bristol Proms, where she's allowing the audience to pick the programme before she plays it.

Valentina's Music Party: pictures

Chatting with Classic FM's Jane Jones, Valentina explained the concept behind the relaxed atmosphere she's trying to create on stage. If Chopin staged musical soirées, why can't modern performers do the same?

"The whole idea behind this concert is to take it beyond the traditional set up of a classical concert - so the idea was for people to come to a music party!"