Page 845 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Coverage Book 2023-24

"I hadn't touched the piano for a few weeks," he tells BBC News. "So I've only had
two weeks to prepare four hours of music. But I feel wonderful to be here."
With so little time to rehearse, the 25-year-old said he was approaching the
competition as a "chance to play for a home audience" and get some exposure,
rather than an opportunity to win one of classical music's most prestigious awards.

"I want the audience enjoy what I'm doing and hopefully get some concerts from it,"
he says.

"I really wasn't thinking that I would even get to semi-final, let alone have a chance at
a prize."

"For me, music is about touching people's hearts. As Beethoven said, the only wrong
notes are those played without feeling."

IMAGE SOURCE,FRANCES MARSHALL
Image caption,
The pianist played with the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective during his semi-final
performance

Over the years, the Leeds International Piano Competition has launched the careers
of artists including Andras Schiff, Eric Lu and Murray Perahia; and comes with a
£30,000 prize.

Open to pianists under the age of 30 from around the world, it was established in
1961 by the renowned piano teacher Dame Fanny Waterman.

Trevelyan says he has wanted to take part ever since he heard Russia's Sofya
Gulyak become the contest's first female winner in 2009.

"I remember listening to the coverage and I said to my piano teacher, 'I would love to
play in the finals one day'," he says.