Welcome to the latest edition of Purcell’s Weekly Highlights!
 

Leeds International Piano Competition Winner

It is with tremendous pride that we share news of pianist and alumnus Alim Beisembayev’s First Prize win (The Waterman Gold Medal) at this year’s Leeds International Piano Competition. Alim studied at Purcell from 2010 with Tessa Nicholson, a relationship which continued when he progressed to the Royal Academy of Music. Huge and heartfelt congratulations to Alim on this most important of competition wins.

A special mention and congratulations also to alumnus Thomas Kelly who took the competition’s Fifth Prize.

All of the finalist’s performances are available to view through leedspiano.medici.tv.
 

BBC Young Composer Competition

We were thrilled to hear earlier this week that Composition student Maddy (Yr 11) and alumna Chelsea Becker won their categories in the 2021 BBC Young Composer Competition! Maddy triumphed with her piece ‘From Galaxies to Cells’, while Chelsea succeeded with her work entitled ‘Iris for oboe and electronics’. Congratulations to Maddy and Chelsea on these fantastic achievements.

Special mentions also to Reese (Yr 13) and Andrea (Yr 12) who were Highly Commended.
 

New Talent British International Youth Music Competition

Year 12 pianist Thomas, who studies at Purcell with Tatiana Sarkissova, has won First Prize in his category of the 4th New Talent British International Youth Music Competition. What a fantastic result! Huge well done to Thomas.
 

Sheepdrove Piano Competition

Pianist and alumnus Nikita Lukinov has been awarded joint winner of the 2021 Sheepdrove Piano Competition. Nikita studied at Purcell from 2013 under Tatiana Sarkissova.
 

Alumna Appointment

We were so pleased to hear that alumna and violinist Rosalind Ventris has been appointed as the Director of Musical Performance and Performance Studies at the University of Oxford. Our congratulations to Rosalind. For further information about the appointment, click here.
 

Wigmore Hall: An Evening Recital

Purcell’s students past and present will return to London’s Wigmore Hall for an evening recital on Sunday 10th October at 7.30pm. The programme will include Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Strauss, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Debussy, Ligeti, Max, Handel, Halvorsen and a new work by a student composer. Tickets are available through the venue’s box office.