Thomas Kelly ,a musical genius flying high as he spreads his wings this week starting at St James’s in Piccadilly to St Pancras in Euston and finishing at St Mary’s with quite staggering playing all streamed live ……. no words from me necessary or could do justice to such performances that can be enjoyed here
St Mary’s https://www.youtube.com/live/5i8auTZdAp0?si=hZZZdHk2oTK039vq
St James’s https://www.youtube.com/live/-YfHfnXR6CY?si=dnTuqRW903jhHFcp
St Pancras https://www.youtube.com/live/YGTxLevRpnM?si=kqnjei1uGtG7qUhR
Anyone who can play the Liszt Sonata with the intelligence mastery and showmanship that we heard today belongs in the same category as the great interpretations of Curzon, Gilels or Arrau. Hats off Tom you have made it and the sky is the limit now
Thomas Kelly started playing the piano aged 3 and aged 9 performed Mozart’s 24th Concerto with Orchestra. Thomas studied at the Purcell School for Young Musicians and is currently the Benjamin Britten Fellow at the Royal College of Music, (the highest award for any pianist at the RCM) where he is guided by Professors Dmitri Alexeev and Vanessa Latarche.
Thomas was a prizewinner at the 2021 Leeds International Piano Competition, enjoying critical recognition and in 2022 won 2nd Prize and the semi-final concerto prize at Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition. He has won numerous international competitions including 1st prizes at the Pianale International Piano Competition (2017), Kharkiv Assemblies (2018), Lucca Virtuoso e Bel Canto Festival (2018), Theodor Leschetizky Competition (2020), and Intercollegiate Sheepdrove Piano Competition (2022). In 2024 Thomas was awarded the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother Rose Bowl upon graduating the RCM, and most recently became a finalist of the International Liszt Competition in Utrecht which will take place in January 2026.
Past performances include Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, St John’s Smith Square, Steinway Hall, Leighton House, St James’ Piccadilly, Stoller Hall (Manchester), West Road Concert Hall (Cambridge), Leeds Town Hall, Kammermusiksaal Berlin Philharmonie, Paris Conservatoire, the TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, the Lunel-Viel festival near Montpellier, StreingreaberHaus in Bayreuth, Teatro Del Sale and the British Institute in Florence. Thomas was also recently featured on the BBC Arts In Motion documentary series in a masterclass with Yuja Wang.
He regularly collaborates with fellow musicians, including stepping in for Nikolai Demidenko alongside Dmitri Alexeev in his transcription of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite for 2 pianos in 2021, and performing Messiaen’s Turangalila-Symphonie with Jac van Steen conducting the RCM Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall.
Thomas has also been a C. Bechstein Scholar supported by the Kendall-Taylor award, generously supported by the Keyboard Charitable Trust, and is grateful for the generous support of Talent Unlimited . Thomas is currently looking forward to a solo Wigmore appearance and regular concerto appearances among other upcoming performances.
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 