A 10-year-old pianist from Cyprus has won the Grand Prix at an international piano competition in London, standing out among 35 young musicians from around the world.
Leonidas Nicolaou, the sole Cypriot participant, secured first place in the 8-10 age category and went on to claim the competition’s top honour, awarded for overall performance and artistic presence.
He performed “Alla Turca” from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K.331 at Duke’s Hall in the Royal Academy of Music.
Historic institution
The event was held at the academy’s main concert venue, one of the United Kingdom’s most historic music institutions, marking a significant milestone in the young musician’s development.
Leonidas began piano lessons at the age of five, and music has since become a central part of his daily life. He now practises for at least one and a half hours a day and attends three lessons a week with his teacher.
According to his family, he showed an interest in musical instruments even before the age of two.
Despite his demanding schedule, he does not view practice as an obligation but as his greatest passion.
Though only 10, Leonidas has already taken part in international competitions in Austria and Germany. He is also a member of a children’s choir, participates in productions of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, and studies double bass at the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra Academy.
His ambition is to one day perform as a soloist with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra.
New opportunities
The London distinction has opened new opportunities, including an invitation from internationally renowned pianist and professor Grigory Gruzman to attend individual masterclasses and begin online lessons aimed at developing new repertoire and further refining his skills.
Support for his progress has also come from private donors. A Limassol-based doctor, Katherine Annabel, and her parents provided him with a MacBook to facilitate online lessons and covered his school tuition fees for one year.
His family said they had fully funded his participation in the London competition without state or other financial assistance, noting that taking part in international competitions, festivals and masterclasses involves significant costs.
They expressed gratitude to those who have supported his journey, as well as to his piano teacher for his dedication and guidance.
Outside music, Leonidas enjoys reading, travelling and visiting museums, galleries and theatres. During his stay in London, he attended the musical “The Lion King”, which he particularly enjoyed, and he has a strong love for animals.
For Leonidas and his family, winning the Grand Prix is not the end of a journey but the beginning of a new chapter, as he continues to pursue his goal of representing Cyprus in international music competitions.
