Saturday 21st March 2026 1:45pm – 2:30pm
Outstanding Young Pianists
Sam Lord, Melody Zhao and Natalia Mei
“Celebrating our 550th Concert”
Programme (Subject to revision)
Sam Lord
Beethoven Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major, Op. 81a “Les Adieux” 1st Mvt.
Liszt Transcendental Étude No.8, “Wilde Jagd” (Wild Hunt)
Melody Zhao
Debussy Reflets dans L’eau (reflections in the water) Images, Book 1
Prokofiev PianoSonata No.2 in D Minor, Op. 14
Natalia Mei
Chopin Nocturne in D-flat major, Op.27, No.2
Say Paganini Jazz, Op. 5c
Biographies
Sam Lord
Sam is 15 years old and is in year 11 at Chetham’s School of Music, he has been there since year 8. He has been playing the piano since he was 7 years old. He first played at Rochdale Festival and got 100/100 marks. Sam entered the International Paderewski Competition in June 2025 and got 2nd prize in his class. He has also played at festivals in Ramsbottom, Hazel Grove and Blackburn winning classes in each. Sam has also played in multiple lunchtime concerts at school and concerts in Manchester Cathedral. He has played in two previous concerts in Warrington.
Melody Zhao
Melody is 16 years old and started playing the piano when she was 6 years old. She is in her fourth year at Chetham’s School of Music where she is a pupil of Mr. Simon Bottomley. Melody has won prizes in several local music festivals and was a finalist in the EPTA piano competition in Belgium. Melody recently passed her LTCL diploma with a high distinction.
Natalia Mei
Based in Poynton, Natalia has been playing the piano since the age of five. She joined Chetham’s School of Music for primary school, where she studied with Mr. Simon Bottomley, whose guidance remains central to her musical development. Alongside her academic studies, now at Withington Girls’ School, Natalia has won multiple awards at the Hazel Grove Musical Festival and won the North-West EPTA UK Finals. In Year 9, she earned a Distinction in her ATCL Diploma and recently passed her LTCL Diploma with distinction. Now in year 12, Natalia hopes to study Mathematics at University. She looks forward to continuing her musical studies alongside her future degree, carrying forward the passion for music that first took root at Chetham’s.
Next week is the last concert in the current series and features the Northerly Winds Quintet plus piano.