THE prize winning 14-year-old pianist Cordelia Williams will be performing at Kelly College?s Melvin Hall as a guest of the Kelly College Music Society on January 14.
Her outstanding win in the PACA piano competition brought her to the notice of concert venues and orchestras in the seven southern counties covered by this biennial competition.
She is currently performing a series of concerts to raise funds for her own Steinway grand piano. A regular recital performer since the age of eight, this is a great opportunity to enjoy a young artist at the start of what promises to be a glittering career.
Cordelia, who studies at Chetham?s School of Music in Manchester with Bernard Roberts, gained the ABRSM diploma, with distinction, shortly after her thirteenth birthday.
She has commissioned three new piano pieces from the Australian composer, Wendy Hiscocks. The world premiere of the third piece ?Tarantella? has been recorded by Naim Audio and released on CD along with her performances of Bach and Debussy.
In 1999 she was invited by the Schubert Ensemble to perform in their Young Artists Concert at the Purcell Room. Then, in 2001 she gave her French debut in Provence playing music by Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.
Still aged only 14 the Wiltshire pianist became the youngest ever first prize winner in the biennial PACA Piano Competition.
This is open to pianists under the age of 20 from within seven Southern counties of England.
Cordelia has performed concertos with the Sheffield Chamber Orchestra and Chetham?s Lower School Orchestra. Earlier this year she played Beethoven?s 3rd piano concerto with the Salisbury Sinfonia.
Her concert at Kelly College, Tavistock will feature J S Bach?s Sinfonia in C minor (Partita no 2); Carl Vine?s Five Bagatelles (1994); Brahams? Six piano pieces, op.118; Chopin?s Allegro maestoso (Sonata no. 3) and Debussy?s Images, book 1.
The concert is at 7.45pm. Tickets at the door £8 (£6 concessions). Under 18s accompanied by a ticket holder are admitted free.