Eastbourne contest features exciting young pianists at start of their careers

Saturday, July 5 sees the semi-finals from 9.30am; free entry. Sunday, July 6 hosts the final at 2.30pm; £15 including tea/coffee. Free entry for under 18s. www.sande-award.co.uk; [email protected].

Spokeswoman Victoria Henley said: “The internationally-renowned Norah Sande Award attracts exceptional entrants including several BBC Young Musician of the Year finalists. The weekend of performances has become a popular annual date in the cultural calendar of Eastbourne – a chance to hear some of the most exciting young adult pianists on the brink of their professional careers.

“Last year’s winner was Royal Academy of Music pupil Jamie Cochrane who had just received a DipRAM for outstanding performance in a postgraduate finals recital. Rapidly developing a reputation as one of the most innovative pianists of his generation he had already performed in prestigious international concert halls including The Royal Albert Hall and the Sheldonian, Oxford and was involved in a recording for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

“As part of his Norah Sande Award Jamie charmed and delighted the audience when he performed with the Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra last October and also at the prestigious Huntingdon Performing Arts Centre to great critical acclaim. This spring saw him performing in a solo concert at the Brighton Festival.

“On Saturday, July 5 the semi-finalists perform 20-minute programmes from 9.30 am. Entry is free and the audience is welcome to join and leave between competitors’ performances. On Sunday, July 6 at 2.30pm three finalists will each play a full recital programme incorporating classical, romantic and contemporary pieces, none of which will have been played during the semi-finals. Tea is served whilst the adjudicators deliberate. The results will be announced around 5pm with the winner being presented with a cheque for £2,000 and a future recital opportunity. Tickets for Sunday’s final (£15, U18s free) can be booked on Saturday or on the door.”

The Norah Sande Award was enabled by a substantial bequest from the late Norah Sande, in memory of her grandmother, Alice Mary Caffin. Its object (and the wish of the legatee) is to encourage and support young musicians at the commencement of their careers.