Italian pianist Colli takes the Leeds

Federico Colli, 2012 winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition

After a competition lasting two and a half weeks and a final split over two nights, Italian pianist Federico Colli has won the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition. His concerto choice for the final was Beethoven’s 5^th in E flat, Op.73, the only concerto to be heard twice over the course of the two evenings. Swiss pianist Louis Schwizgebel took second place with his performance of Beethoven’s 4^th Piano Concerto. UK readers can catch up with both performances on BBC iPlayer (Final 1; Final 2; for one week only) while the prize winners’ gala concert is broadcast on Radio 3 today at 2PM. BBC TV is doing an NBC and delaying the start of their coverage until next weekend, and continuing it over the next six weeks.