Success and Recognition for Keyboard Students

Friday 4 December 2015

Royal College of Music keyboard players continue to impress audiences and judges around the world.

Pianist Sonya Pigot, who joined the RCM this year, has won the AMF Nora Goodridge Young Artist Award, which results in a scholarship worth $12,500 Australian Dollars. Following the finals at the Wigmore Hall, Sonya has been invited to give a further performance at Australia House, where prizes are presented by the Australian High Commissioner and his wife.

After his success as BBC Young Musician 2014, RCM pianist Martin James Bartlett (pictured) continues to enjoy a busy professional concert schedule alongside his studies. Martin was interviewed by International Piano magazine for their most recent issue, saying “it’s vital to interact as a large part of the job is talking about how you feel about music and what it means to you”. The magazine noted “he has that rare ability to engage audiences without relying on showmanship”.

Meanwhile, pianist Ilya Kondratiev has won the Intercollegiate Beethoven Prize, which is awarded by the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe. Ilya beat competition from all nine UK conservatoires at the competition, which was held in London earlier on 28 November. 

The recent success of Tolga Ün is testament to the strength of additional study options at the RCM. Tolga was awarded Second Prize at the Broadwood Harpsichord Competition at the Horniman Museum. Harpsichord is Tolga’s second study instrument, which he has developed to award-winning level though his work with Historical Performance.