Page 846 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Coverage Book 2023-24

"That was 15 years ago and it feels like a dream come true to be here now."
'Full support'
For this weekend's final, he goes up against the following contestants:
• Kai-Min Chang (Taiwan)
• Junyan Chen (China)
• Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (Canada)
• Khanh Nhi Luong (Vietnam)

Like his fellow finalists, Trevelyan is no stranger to international competitions.

In 2015, at the age of 16, he became the youngest prize-winner in the piano
category of the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris. A year later, he was a
finalist in the BBC's Young Musician.

For his latest final, he will play Bartók’s Concerto No.3, accompanied by the Royal
Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

"It's always been one of my favourite pieces," says the musician.

"My dad gave me the score when I was eight and he said, 'I hope one day you'll play
it', and I've been thinking about it ever since.

"So when I was given only a few weeks to prepare for Leeds, it was the obvious
choice."

End of youtube video by The Leeds International Piano Competition
Classical music fans may know that Bartók wrote the concerto during the final
months of his life, as a surprise birthday present for his second wife Ditta Pásztory-
Bartók.

Did that backstory contribute to his decision to play it at Leeds, given that he had to
cut short his honeymoon?

"Yes, somewhat," he laughs. "Although hopefully I won't die like Bartok did before he
got to play it."

And, he adds, his wife is behind him all the way.

"Luckily enough, the competition called two days before the end of the honeymoon,
so we'd already had a good time.

"And there was an excitement that I'm going to Leeds, because I've been talking
about it a lot to her. She's very happy that I'm here."
The finals of the piano competition take place on Friday 20 and Saturday 21
September, with highlights broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

For the first time, the contest will be held at the historic St George’s Hall in Bradford,
while Leeds Town Hall undergoes renovation.