Chester-born pianist Sally Wigan has won third prize in the 2013 British Contemporary Piano Competition, held at the University of Surrey earlier this month.

The British Contemporary Piano Competition, now in its ninth year, was founded by internationally renowned pianist Philip Mead. 

After two gruelling rounds, showing her dexterity and flair for this challenging repertoire, in works by composers such as Britten, Finnissy, Messiaen and Tippett, Sally was awarded a place in the final and finished third overall with her chosen programme of works by British contemporary composers Jonathan Harvey, George Benjamin, Judith Weir, John McCabe and Arlene Sierra.

“The calibre and competitive spirit of the other finalists was extraordinarily high”, said Sally.

“It was interesting to be able to chat and compare experiences, and what a wonderful, as well as nerve-wracking, opportunity to present these sensational pieces to such an esteemed panel of adjudicators, who are so well-respected in their field.”

Sally Wigan studied with Kalman Drafi at the Franz Liszt Academy, Budapest, as winner of the 2009 Joseph Weingarten Scholarship.

Prior to this she gained her Master’s degree from the Royal College of Music in 2009 under Andrew Ball's tuition, with a programme of English twentieth-century works for her final recital.

Sally attained first class honours in her Bachelor's degree from Birmingham Conservatoire in 2007 with Margaret Newman, graduating with the highest mark for a pianist in her year.

Sally has performed across the UK, Switzerland and Hungary in such prestigious venues as Symphony Hall Birmingham, St Martin-in-the-Fields and Kings Place Concert Hall in London.  For the past three consecutive years, she has been selected as a Park Lane Group (PLG) Young Artist.

Sally is now looking forward to making her debut at London’s Wigmore Hall – one of the world’s premiere venues for chamber music – on March 3, 2014, in a programme which will include works by Debussy, Dohnanyi, Beethoven and John McCabe.