JESSICA Duchen's acclaimed novel Alicia’s Gift follows the piano prodigy Alicia Bradley and her embattled parents from the revelation of her talent, aged three, through to adulthood and her participation in the Leeds International Piano Competition. The process leaves none of them unchanged and ultimately forces Alicia to face harsh truths about herself, her guidance and her gift.

On Sunday, The Alicia's Gift concert, narrated by Jessica Duchen with Viv McLean on piano, explores its heroine’s progress with the help of some of the piano pieces in her life; words and music fuse in a closely integrated narrative, telling the story together. Alicia’s passion for Chopin is reflected in selections ranging from the Third Ballade to the stormy Etude Op 25 No 12. Her emotional growth is mirrored in the atmospheric worlds of Granados and Ravel, among others. Her search for the perfect teacher carries her through a roller-coaster of Falla, Debussy and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. And the usually unseen hard work of a budding pianist is demonstrated when Viv shows the audience exactly what "Russian scales" are.

Jessica Duchen is a music journalist for The Independent and the author of four novels, and biographies of Fauré and Korngold. Pianist Viv McLean won First Prize at the 2002 Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona and has performed in major venues in the UK, as well as throughout Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA.

Alicia's Gift is at the Assembly Rooms in Presteigne on Sunday at 3pm. Tickets available on the door, from The Workhouse, or by visiting wegottickets.com