Federico Colli Wins the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition

Federico Colli from Italy, has won the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition in a thrilling conclusion to this year's event. This prestigious first prize includes a £18,000 cash prize, donated by the Liz and Terry Bramall Charitable Trust; the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Gold Medal sponsored by Michael J Gee, Rowland J Gee and Nigel Gee of the Cecil Gee Charitable Trust and the Champs Hill Records Award enabling the winner to record his debut solo CD at the Music Room, Champs Hill. The Finals, broadcast live by BBC Radio 3, saw Colli give an outstanding performance of Beethoven’s 5th Piano Concerto at Leeds Town Hall with the Hallé Orchestra directed by Sir Mark Elder. The other prize winners were Louis Schwizgebel (24) from Switzerland (Second prize); Jiayan Sun (22) from China (Third Prize), Andrejs Osokins (27) from Latvia (Fourth prize), Andrew Tyson (25) from the USA (Fifth prize) Jayson Gillham (26) from Australia (Sixth prize). Dame Fanny Waterman, Chairman and Artistic Director of the Competition, now in its 50th Anniversary year, said of the results: “The standard of this year’s competition was exceptionally high and the six prize winners were all truly remarkable as we have heard at this afternoon’s wonderful Gala Recital. Federico Colli said: “It has always been my dream to win the Leeds International Piano Competition and I am absolutely overjoyed at being the First Prize winner of the 2012 Competition. This year’s prizes saw the addition of a new Orchestra Prize, The Terence Judd – Hallé Orchestra Prize, in memory of a brilliant young pianist and past pupil of Dame Fanny Waterman.