Tom Hewson wins the 2014 Nottingham International Jazz Piano Festival competition.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
The young British pianist Tom Hewson has taken first prize at the Nottingham International Jazz Piano competition. We have received a press release from his alma mater, Trinity Laban Conservatoire.
We have received the following press release from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London;
Trinity Laban jazz graduate wins acclaimed international piano competition.
Trinity Laban MMus jazz graduate Tom Hewson has been named the winner of the Nottingham International Jazz Piano Festival competition.
Trinity Laban MMus jazz graduate Tom Hewson has been named the winner of the Nottingham International Jazz Piano Festival competition.
Since graduating from Trinity Laban in 2009, Tom has been performing regularly with the country’s top young jazz musicians, including fellow Trinity Laban alumnus Lewis Wright (MOBO winner with Empirical). Tom’s solo piano CD Slightly Peculiar received airtime on BBC Radio 3 and Jazz FM, and his music was also used in the influential 2012 film Girlfriend in a Coma. Time Out magazine described him as ?one to watch?.
Tom said: ?I’m very honoured to win the competition, and I have to thank Trinity Laban for helping to set me on this path. I gained exposure to a range of inspiring music that has been a constant source of motivation, and I met many musicians and teachers with whom I’ve continued to work with after graduation. Jazz is a very social music that depends on friendships and relationships and I wouldn’t have made those connections without my time at Trinity Laban.?
The competition, which is the only independent solo jazz piano competition in the world, was judged by top musicians Andrea Vicari, Jamil Sheriff, David Newton and Tim Richards. As the winner, Tom will have the opportunity to play a series of gigs at top institutions, such as Ronnie Scotts, the 606 club and Jazzland (Vienna).
Ian adds;
Congratulations to Tom Hewson on the winning of this award. It’s great to see a British winner and it is a testament both to the strength of the jazz scene in the UK and to the quality of British jazz education.