Episode 1

Presented by Petroc Trelawny.

The 17th Leeds International Piano Competition began on the 29th August with a short-list of more than 60 competitors who have travelled to Leeds from all parts of the world, intent on following in the footsteps of past laureates such as Murray Perahia, Radu Lupu, Andras Schiff, Mitsuko Uchida, Lars Vogt, Louis Lortie and Artur Pizarro. With the intial judging stages now out of the way, the list is down to six.
Tomorrow and Saturday are the Concerto Finals, when each of the six will perform with the Halle and Sir Mark Elder. Petroc Trelawny, alongside acclaimed pianists Kathryn Stott and Benjamin Frith, have been following the journey of the six so far, and in this, the first of four programmes on Radio 3 from this year's Leeds Competition, they offer insights and highlights from the semi-final recitals stage, and a chance to get to know the six musicians who will take the event to its culmination over the next two days.