Medici.tv’s extensive coverage of The Leeds International Piano Competition, relaying the full Competition experience including performances from every round to more than 180 countries, begins today, 8 August 2018, at leedspiano2018.medici.tv.
From today, audiences can enjoy the First Round performances of the 24 competitors who were selected from among 68 First Round pianists to go through to the next round in Leeds in September. Their progress can then be followed through 8 days of free live webcasts of the final rounds in Leeds between 6 to 15 September. All performances will also be available on demand for three years.
‘The Leeds’ and medici.tv will work together to deliver a rich digital experience on a dedicated new platform. As well as viewing every Competition performance for free, global audiences will also be able to experience the full atmosphere of the Competition through extensive behind-the-scenes coverage, interviews with the competitors and coverage of other events surrounding the Competition. Broadcaster Petroc Trelawny presents the live webcasts of the whole Competition and is joined by pianists Lucy Parham and former Leeds prize winner Noriko Ogawa for the Semis and Finals.
The new partnership will significantly extend the global reach of the Competition and bring the atmosphere and music-making of this most prestigious event to music lovers in more than 180 countries. It has been made possible thanks to the University of Leeds, a long-standing partner of The Leeds, which has extended its financial support to ensure that international audiences can experience everything that Competition has to offer.
In a major new development for both The Leeds and medici.tv, the global audience will be invited to vote online for the medici.tv Audience Award. This is the first time that worldwide audiences will be able to have a say at The Leeds. The international medici.tv vote will be verified and added to the vote from inside Leeds Town Hall and announced as part of the prize presentation which follows the second day of the Finals on Saturday 15 September. The winner of the inaugural medici.tv Audience Award will have a performance broadcast on medici.tv within the next three years.
Music communities around the world can also come together to follow news, blogs and interact on the newly-created medici.tv platform and via the hashtag #LeedsPiano on social media channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter).
Global streaming is one of the key innovations that are rejuvenating The Leeds under the artistic leadership of Paul Lewis and Adam Gatehouse, and is a key pillar of their new vision for the much enhanced Competition.
Held once every three years, The Leeds is one of the world’s foremost music competitions. Since the first Competition in 1963, it has attracted the world’s finest young pianists, drawn by the opportunities offered by the outstanding prize package, the challenge of demanding repertoire, a stellar jury – and a warm welcome from the City of Leeds. The roll call of eminent past winners and finalists includes many of the world’s best-known pianists. The Competition’s 1972 winner Murray Perahia became Patron in June 2017. Lang Lang is Global Ambassador and Dame Fanny Waterman was appointed Life President and Founder Director Emeritus in 2015.
Paul Lewis, co-Artistic Director of The Leeds, says: “The Leeds has introduced some outstanding pianists to the world over the past half century. Now, through the exceptional quality and reach of medici.tv’s webcasts, we can share the extraordinary music-making of the Competition in real time and to more people than ever before.”
Adam Gatehouse, co-Artistic Director of The Leeds, added: “We are thrilled to be working with medici.tv and our Senior Partner the University of Leeds to hugely extend the Competition’s global reach and to share the Competition and the great city of Leeds with such diverse audiences in a new and exciting way. It is wonderful to be able to unite the global audience in voting to give one of our five Finalists the medici.tv Audience Award.”
Hervé Boissière, Founder & Managing Director of medici.tv: “The Leeds has a long history of excellence and the Competition’s world-class laureates have appeared regularly on medici.tv over the past ten years. We’re thrilled to be able to help introduce the next generation of piano stars to music lovers around the globe and particularly excited to give fans worldwide the opportunity to engage with the Competition directly through the medici.tv Audience Award.”
Following each live webcast, free replay of the various rounds and concerts will be available to online audiences until 16 September 2021, playable worldwide on all devices.
from Piano Street’s Classical Piano News https://www.pianostreet.com/blog/piano-news/follow-the-leeds-international-piano-competition-online-9242/
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