Last week, following a rigorous international audition process, Ignas Maknickas was awarded a place on the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) roster for 2023 onwards. Earlier this year, Yuzhang Li was selected as a Tillett Trust Artist, and will take part in the Tillett Debut scheme 2023-24.
Xiaowen Shang won First Prize at the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe competition in March, and her debut recording on Linn Records, part of the Royal Academy of Music Bicentenary Series, will be released this autumn.
Junyan Chen has been selected as one of 32 pianists to compete at the prestigious Sydney International Piano Competition in July. Junyan also recently appeared on BBC Radio London with fellow student Milda Daunoraite, and together they performed a movement from Satie’s Trois morceaux en forme de poire (listen here from 40:18).
'Our pianists work towards their goal of being all-round musicians – virtuosic, innovative, collaborative, and with a unique artistic voice. I’m delighted when I see the rewards for their commitment and passion.'
Professor Joanna MacGregor CBE, Dame Myra Hess Chair of Piano
Aidan Mikdad was featured in February’s issue of Gramophone magazine as ‘one to watch’ and was highlighted as a ‘rising star’ in BBC Music Magazine’s April edition. Aidan will be competing in the Grand Final of the Bicentenary Prize at Wigmore Hall on Wednesday 28 June.
We are also proud to share the successes of our Piano Department alumni. Alim Beisembayev, winner of the 2021 Leeds International Piano Competition, has just been selected for the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme. Julia Hamos was chosen to stand in for Daniel Barenboim at the Ruhr Piano Festival in May and performed Beethoven’s Piano Sonata Op 110, after she took part in his masterclasses at the Barenboim-Saïd Academy in Berlin. Ariel Lanyi has been awarded the Swiss Piano Prize Prix Serdang and will be recording Mozart Rondos at the Mozarteum.
Our students will be showcasing the calibre of their talent at the annual Summer Piano Festival this week, Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 June. All 20 concerts are free to attend – click here to find out more and book tickets.
Image 1: Junyan Chen © Frances Marshall
Image 2: Ignas Maknickas performing at the Autumn Piano Festival 2022
Image 3: Aidan Mikdad performing at the Autumn Piano Festival 2022