The Leeds International Piano Competition has revealed its 2018 events programme.
With talks, masterclasses, exhibitions, free family events and concerts as well as a range of opportunities for the people of Leeds, highlights include:
- Piano+ Hosted by the competition’s principal partner, the University of Leeds, this series is designed to offer a new layer of entertainment and insight to audiences. With masterclasses, talks and insight events with members of the Competition Jury, including Paul Lewis, Lars Vogt and Imogen Cooper, there will also be conversations and events with musicians and celebrities such as Alfred Brendel, Ed Balls and Alistair McGowan and an exhibition of historic pianos – including those owned and played by Chopin and Haydn – from the Cobbe Collection.
- The Leeds Piano Trail 12 decorated pianos will be stationed across the city centre from 17 August 2018. Available for the public to play, they will host ‘mini recitals’ by local music students and pianists and see pop-up performances by competition alumni, competitors and celebrity guests.
- The ‘World’s Smallest Concert Hall’ From 10-14 September 2018, a specially fitted shipping container located in Victoria Gardens in front of Leeds Arts Gallery/Leeds Town Hall will play host to a daily programme of free events including 10-minute recitals by competitors and jury members, taster piano lessons, talks and educational activities for local community groups.
Adam Gatehouse, Co-Artistic Director of the Leeds International Piano Competition, said:
‘We are thrilled to be finding such exciting new ways of connecting the competition to the City of Leeds, its residents and visitors as well as the wider Yorkshire community. We want to celebrate and champion the piano by creating accessible and innovative piano-centred activities, events and progammes and share our passion for the piano engagingly and imaginatively with the widest possible audience. We also want everyone to have fun in the process.
‘In so doing, we are providing a much-enhanced experience for audiences and competitors in Leeds as well as reaching out to the world with a global First Round on three continents, international broadcasting and worldwide concert engagements.
‘And last but not least, we are also looking forward to sharing this great city with the world.’
The Leeds International Piano Competition runs from 6-15 September 2018 in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
Header photo: Chinese pianist, Sa Chen, plays for Leeds schoolchildren © Robling Photography
