Rebekah Fitch will join leading professional musician and ‘GRAND Pianist’ Head Judge, Matthew Owens on the judging panel for the final on 3rd October, alongside Translink Group’s Priscilla Rooney, who is a key member of the Translink Choir.
Rebekah will also open the event with a dazzling rendition of her single ‘Loose Ends’, setting the tone for an evening of inspiring and moving musical performances from the GRAND Pianist finalists.
The 28-year-old alt-pop artist, widely tipped for musical stardom, said she can’t wait to see the home-grown talent from across Northern Ireland.
“Any initiative that puts a spotlight on creativity is really exciting - and important,” she said.
“Bringing creativity to the forefront and championing people is crucial. There’s so much hidden talent out there, and I can’t wait to see all the diverse people from different walks of life taking part in the impressive surroundings of Belfast Grand Central Station.”
The GRAND Final will feature two categories,16-years-old and under, and an adult category (over 16-years-old). Similar to the format of each of the regional heats, finalists will be invited one-by-one to take their place at a baby grand piano, positioned in the centre of the impressive new transport hub.
Seizing their opportunity to shine, the pianists will each perform a 3-minute piece in front of the judging panel and event audience, which will made up of invited guests, family and friends and members of the public travelling through the station.
Following the performances, the acclaimed judging panel will crown two overall winners – one from each category.
Matthew Owens, who has travelled the length and breadth of Northern Ireland to find talented local pianists, is looking forward to meeting the chosen finalists again in Belfast.
Reflecting on the roadshow and looking ahead to the final, Matthew said: “I’ve been blown away by the talent of the pianists performing at every station we’ve visited in Northern Ireland, as well as the number of people registering to take part, and turning up to provide support and listen to the performances.
“Northern Ireland has incredible musical talent, and it’s been fantastic being part of this competition, which has provided a platform for people to demonstrate their creativity, passion for piano and impressive technical ability.
“The final will be an inspiring display of talent, and the truly unique surroundings of the new station will make it even more special.”
Translink Group Chief Executive, Chris Conway added that the competition has been successful in connecting people in stations across Northern Ireland:
“The feedback we’ve received from both members of the public and Translink staff in all five stations where the competition heats have taken place, has been overwhelmingly positive. It is evident that ‘The GRAND Pianist’ has created memorable moments of connection for people, and demonstrated how our rail and bus stations are at the heart of local communities.
We are looking forward to welcoming our finalists, their friends and families and our esteemed judges to Belfast Grand Central Station for what promises to be a spectacular event.”
Taking place in Belfast Grand Central Station almost one month after it was officially opened for bus operations, the performances by Rebekah Fitch and the competition finalists will be accessible for members of the public to enjoy between 4.30-6.30pm.
‘The GRAND Pianist’ Finalists
Name | Age | Hometown | Heat
|
Adult / Over-16 | |||
Brian Longridge | 57 | Greyabbey | Lanyon Place Station |
Ho Man Tang | 26 | Brighton, Hove | Lanyon Place Station |
John-Paul McGreevy | 18 | Rathfriland | Newry Bus Station |
Zak Irvine | 21 | Bangor | Bangor Train Station |
Lauren McKeown | 29 | Ballymoney | Coleraine Train Station |
U-16 (16 and under) | |||
Joshua Beattie | 11 | Belfast | Lanyon Place Station |
Olivia O’Rourke | 13 | Belfast | Lanyon Place Station |
Elodie Bateson | 14 | Limavady | North West Transport Hub |
Tiernan Colton | 13 | Omagh | North West Transport Hub |
Grace Smith | 9 | Newry | Newry Bus Station |
Trevor Fung | 10 | Hong Kong | Bangor Train Station |
Zhouming Benjamin Huang (Benny) | 16 | Coleraine | Coleraine Train Station |