About this Event
Internationally renowned both as a soloist and for her chamber work with Yo-Yo Ma and Janine Jansen, Lancashire-born Kathryn Stott is also a passionate and naturally sought-after teacher committed to helping pianists realise their potential, both in music and in their lives beyond.
She now teaches exclusively at the Royal Northern College of Music and, as part of her students' development, organises regular showcase recitals for them here at Forsyth.
This latest concert is a fantastic opportunity to hear eight emerging artists present a globe-trotting programme, ranging from the classic masters Chopin and Liszt to living greats Tan Dun and Fazıl Say.
PROGRAMME
Szymanowski, Étude in B-flat minor Op. 4 No. 3
– Eliza Folkert
Tan Dun, Eight Memories in Watercolor (excerpts)
I. Missing Moon
II. Staccato Beans
III. Herdboy's Song
– Siqi Huang
Chopin, Ballade No. 4 in F minor Op. 52
– Masato Wada
Stevenson, Peter Grimes Fantasy on themes from the opera by Benjamin Britten
– Yurij Szyrokyj
Liszt, Concert Étude S.144 No. 3 'Un sospiro'
– Yucheng Xu
Fazıl Say, Black Earth Op. 8
– Madeleine Brown
Grainger, Ramble on The Last Love Duet from Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss
– Winnie Su
Messiaen, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus (excerpt)
X. Regard de l'Esprit de joie
– Stanley Butcher
PERFORMERS
Eliza Folkert
Eliza Folkert is an award-winning pianist and winner of the 2021 International Chopin Competition in Corpus Christi, Texas, where she also received the CD Recording Prize. She is a First Prize and Special Honor laureate of the XIII International Sonata and Sonatina Piano Competition in Texas, an award that included a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Her additional distinctions include First Prize at the Alcorn State Piano Competition in Natchez, Mississippi; Second Prize at the Paderewski Piano Competition in Farmington, Connecticut; and recipient of the Chopin Scholarship and Best Recording Award at the 2017 Chopin Competition in Atlanta.
Eliza has worked with distinguished concert pianists such as Nelson Delle-Vigne Fabri, Eugene Indjic, Dina Yoffe, Marek Drewnowski, Michèle Béroff, Nina Drath, Kevin Kenner, and Janusz Olejniczak. She has performed internationally throughout the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Austria, France, Finland, and Poland, including appearances at Carnegie Hall in New York City and Spivey Hall in Atlanta.
In 2023, Eliza completed her Bachelor of Music degree at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University Bloomington. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, where she studies with renowned pianist Kathryn Stott.
Siqi Huang
Siqi Huang is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Piano Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). In 2018, she was admitted to the High School Affiliated to Xinghai Conservatory of Music with the highest marks in both piano performance and academic subjects. In 2021, she achieved the highest score in the Guangdong Provincial Entrance Examination for Piano and was accepted into the Piano Department of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music for her undergraduate studies.
Her competition achievements include:
- 4th Prize, Professional Category, 7th Germany Euregio Piano Award (2021)
- 1st Prize, Professional Solo Piano Category, World Music Competition, Italy (2022)
- 5th Prize, Professional Category, Basel International Piano Competition, Switzerland (2023)
Siqi has participated in masterclasses with renowned pianists such as Boris Berman, Matti Raekallio, Bruce Brubaker, as well as prominent Chinese pianists Qin Chuan and Wu Chun, earning high praise and recognition for her artistry and musical sensitivity.
Masato Wada
Currently pursuing a Master of Music in Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) under the tutelage of Kathryn Stott, Masato Wada is a Japanese pianist born in Hiroshima. A graduate of the Tokyo University of the Arts, Wada has studied piano with Motoko Kojima, Kazuki Tanaka, and Yuya Tsuda, and solfège with Kumi Shimada.
Wada’s competition successes include First Prize and the Chairperson’s Award at the 24th Changjiang Cup International Music Competition, the Grand Prix at the 17th Piano Audition (Professional Special Category), and the highest award at the 16th All Japan Piano Audition. Wada also won the First Prize in three categories (Elementary, Junior High, and High School) at the Chugoku Youth Music Competition and received the Okayama Prefectural Governor’s Award. Furthermore, Wada was a finalist in both the Tokyo Geidai Piano Competition and the Student Music Concours of Japan.
In 2021, Wada was awarded the Kawai Prize at the Hiroshima Summer Concert, which led to a solo salon concert. Driven by a quest for music that deeply resonates with the soul, Wada frequently performs in concerts, including the series "Koryu no Hibiki" (The Echoes of Exchange).
Yurij Szyrokyj
Coming from a non-musical family, Yurij’s journey into music was neither paved by tradition nor expectation but instead blossomed from a deep sense of curiosity.
In 2017 when Yurij was only 11 years old, he won his class in the EPTA National Piano Competition which took place at the Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester. This experience marked his first significant public performance and served as the catalyst for auditioning at Chetham’s. As a student at Chetham’s, Yurij has had the privilege of studying under esteemed teachers such as Dina Parakhina, Ben Powell and Dr Murray McLachlan. During his six years there, Yurij has received further guidance from highly respected musicians including Christopher Elton, Kathryn Stott, Galina Eguiazarova, Alexandra Dariescu, Katya Apekisheva and Gülsin Onay. He reached the finals of the RNCM Chopin prize for two consecutive years and won the school’s annual Concerto Competition. As a result Yurij made his concerto debut in October 2024 performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Wayne Marshall.
Yurij has performed extensively as a soloist, appearing at notable venues including Manchester Cathedral, Bridgewater Hall and Stoller Hall. In 2024 Yurij was awarded the first prize and the Chester Music Society Young Musicians’ Bursary at the Chester Young Musician competition. Yurij is also hugely passionate about collaborative music-making and has recently performed Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time.
When Yurij is away from the piano, he enjoys cooking and travelling, and regularly volunteers in his Ukrainian community, helping out with activities and lessons at its annual summer camp.
Yurij is now studying with the world-renowned pianist Kathryn Stott at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Yucheng Xu
Yucheng Xu was born in Hangzhou, China, and his interest in music was evident from an early age. When he was only five years old, his mother sought out a professional piano teacher for him. They began their formal training under the guidance of Jin Hanwen.
After growing up, he was admitted to the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music High School with a top score, and won first place in the 2020 Chopin Award (China Region). In the same year, he held a solo concert for the first time in the Concert Hall of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and was selected for the Outstanding Talent Program of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music. After that, he participated in various competitions and won many championships for the school, such as first place in the professional B group of the Steinway Piano National Competition, and the national championship winner of the 15th Shangqing Competition in 2022.
Currently, he has been admitted to RNCM and is studying under the renowned pianist Kathryn Scott. He has participated in multiple performances with her student team, enriching his own performance experience.
Madeleine Brown
Described as having “the potential to become a major voice in the classical music world” (Peter Donohoe CBE), Madeleine Brown is establishing herself as one of the most exciting young pianists of this generation. Having graduated with a BA in Music from Trinity College, Cambridge, she is now studying with Kathryn Stott at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she recently won the college’s prestigious Gold Medal Competition. She was recently awarded the RNCM Silver Medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians, adding her to the Company’s acclaimed Young Artist Programme.
Madeleine has performed to international acclaim, receiving first prize at the Bromsgrove International Musician’s Competition in May 2025 and an Honourable Mention diploma at the Vigo International Piano Competition 2025. She has performed in esteemed venues including London’s Steinway Hall, King’s Place, St. James’ Sussex Gardens, Stoller Hall, Lansdowne Club, West Road Concert Hall, Penderecki European Centre for Music, Bonn Schumannhaus and Köln Bechstein Centre. Praised for her extensive repertoire list and memorisation ability, Madeleine performed the complete Goldberg Variations in 2021. She has received masterclass tuition from several highly acclaimed pianists, including Sir Stephen Hough, Richard Goode, Philippe Cassard, Uta Weyand and Leon McCawley.
Madeleine has previously learnt with esteemed pedagogues, including Helen Krizos, Dina Parakhina and Charles Owen, and is very grateful to receive coaching from Stephen Kovacevich, Zlata Chochieva and Muza Rubackyte. Madeleine is grateful to the Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation and the Drake Calleja Trust for their generous support.
Winnie Su
Born and raised in Australia, Winnie was awarded her licentiate Lmus.A diploma at the age of 14 as a student of Margaret Hair. She is currently undertaking postgraduate study in Piano and Music Education at RNCM under the tutelage of Professors Graham Scott and Kathryn Stott. As a passionate educator, Winnie is a tutor at the Junior RNCM and Forsyth Music Shop.
Her accolades include over 80 prizes in festivals and competitions, including the RNCM Concerto Competition, Beethoven Competition, Williams-Howard song prize and the Sydney Eisteddfod Kawai Piano Scholarship. Winnie made her first concerto soloist appearance aged 12 in Sydney, and she has performed in major venues across the UK and Australia, including the Wigmore Hall, The Bridgewater Hall and Chatswood Concourse. She has made soloist appearances with renowned orchestras including The Hallé, RNCM Symphony Orchestra, Leeds Symphony Orchestra and Willoughby Symphony Orchestra. She is also grateful to be selected as a 2025 Mendelssohn Boise Scholar and joined the Youth Program of the Musicians’ Company.
She would like to extend her deepest gratitudes to Help Musicians UK, The Biddy Baxter and John Hosier Music Trust and the Margaret Allen Piano Award for their generous support for her studies and career. And to her dad, for his unwavering love… and enduring patience!
Stanley Butcher
Stanley Butcher is a pianist and composer from Norwich and based in Manchester. He is currently studying with Kathryn Stott at RNCM and previously studied with David Parry. He has given recitals as a solo and collaborative pianist across the UK, including in Manchester, Glasgow, Southport, Norwich and performed in many venues across Norfolk such as the Assembly House, John Innes Centre, Yorke Trust Chapel, Overstrand Arts Centre, and St Andrews Eaton. More recent appearances have been at Forsyth Piano Showroom, RNCM Concert Hall, and St John’s Renfield in Glasgow where he gave a recital in aid of Lodging House Mission.
At RNCM he has received extensive coaching in solo playing, accompanying, and chamber music from Joseph Middleton, David Owen Norris, Susan Bullock, Gabor Takacs-Nagy, and Philippe Cassard. He has received prizes including the Dennis Horner Accompanist Prize in the Kathleen Ferrier Bursary, the Elsie Thurston Prize for song with duo partner Erin Thomas, and was accompanist for the 2025 Barbirolli Prize winner. Chetham’s Piano Summer School in 2023 gave him tuition from Joanna MacGregor, Leon McCawley, Adam Swayne and others. In 2024, he was the first person to join the Southrepps Festival Young Artist scheme as a pianist, receiving tuition from Tom Primrose and Ben Johnson.
He has composed for the King’s Lynn festival multiple times including a commission from the Mitsu Trio and workshops with Michael Finnissy and Sir James MacMillan. He has given world premieres of multiple pieces including Jonathan Dove’s ‘Sunday Morning in Siena’, and his own works; both in piano duo recitals with conductor David Parry, whom he assisted on Offenbach’s ‘Robinson Crusoe’ and Dove’s ‘Marx in London!’ Stanley is generously supported by the Norfolk Youth Music Trust.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Forsyth Brothers Limited, 126 Deansgate, Manchester, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
