Manchester Jazz Festival piano trail winner
Posted on: July 15th 2022School News
Congratulations to year 4 pupil Leo who has won the MJF piano trail 2022, delivered in partnership with the world renowned Forsyth's Music Shop of Deansgate!
Manchester Jazz Festival discovers young talent in citywide piano trail competition. Nine year old Leo C from Beswick was selected as the winner of Manchester Jazz Festival’s piano trail competition and he was thrilled to receive a Yamaha P45 piano as first prize. On receiving his prize Leo said: “Fantastic! I never dreamed I’d win first prize”.
Leo added: "‘I decided to take part in the Manchester Jazz Festival piano trail, they had 13 pianos dotted around Manchester City Centre. I played eight of the pianos and sent my own composition, which I played at the Manchester Art Gallery. To enter you must submit a video of yourself playing on one the pianos and send it to the Manchester Jazz Festival. The winner was selected by Manchester Jazz Festival and Forsyths music shop for the player with the most creativity, ingenuity and best performance. I was amazed to hear that I had won first prize out of over one hundred entries. It was fantastic! My prize was a Yamaha P45 piano!"
James Sargeant from Yamaha said “Congratulations Leo on winning this year’s MJF Piano Trail competition! Your performance was fabulous and all of us at Yamaha were super impressed with your composition too! Enjoy your prize and keep playing, you’ll be a star one day!”
13 street pianos were dotted around the city for passers-by to play in the build up to this year’s jazz festival. Over 2000 pianists, young and old bought the city alive with music and the search to find Manchester’s best street pianist resulted in over 100 entries.
The 13 pianos were located at The Arndale Centre, The Corn Exchange, Forsyth Music shop, Great Northern, Harvey Nichols, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Central Library, Manchester Piccadilly Station, Quayside Media City UK, Royal Exchange Arcade, Spinningfields, The Trafford Centre and Manchester Victoria Station.