It has just been announced that one of this year's young Festival performers - Simon Passmore - has won First Prize in the prestigious Grand Prix Pianos Maene. Simon, currently in his fourth year studying with Murray McLachlan at the Royal Northern College of Music, was the only UK entrant amongst the 24 pianists taking part in the biannual Grand Prix Pianos Maene, held in Brussels, Belgium. His win, which follows his prize at the 21st Chopin Festival in Maxovia, Poland, in November, marks the first time a British pianist has won the 18-24 category. Congratulations to Simon.
Simon will be appearing for the fourth time at Swaledale Festival this year - in a duo recital with another artist who has previously appeared in our Young Artist Platform and then gone on to excel in her career - soprano Rowan Pierce. Their recital is at St. Michael and All Angels Church in Spennithorne at 16:00 on Sunday 31 May (event number 30). Their programme will include music by Purcell, Schumann and Debussy.
The Swaledale Festival's Young Artist Platform is designed to give a boost to the careers of promising young artists on the way up. We try to work with young artists on a long-term basis - giving them multiple opportunities to perform and thereby helping them to develop audiences and increase their confidence. It is good to see these two young musicians excelling and we are delighted that they will be performing again for us this year.