BBC Young Musician 2022: Inspiring blind Scottish pianist Ethan Loch reaches grand final

A teenage Scottish pianist, who has been blind since birth, has reached the grand final of the BBC Young Musician 2022.

Ethan Loch, 17, won tonight’s keyboard category final of the prestigious contest and progresses to the final which will be broadcast on BBC Four and BBC Radio 3 this Sunday.

Born with a genetic condition that affected his sight, Ethan grew up in Dennyloanhead, near Falkirk, and had his first piano lesson aged four, with his mother, Larinda.

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His exceptional talent was quickly recognised and as well as being invited to play at major venues around the world, he has also received international awards.

Ethan Loch, 17,  - blind from birth - reaches the final of BBC Young Musician 2022. Pic: BBC Young MusicianEthan Loch, 17,  - blind from birth - reaches the final of BBC Young Musician 2022. Pic: BBC Young Musician
Ethan Loch, 17, - blind from birth - reaches the final of BBC Young Musician 2022. Pic: BBC Young Musician

Ethan was in a radio documentary aired by the BBC, ‘Batman and Ethan’, which focused on the freedom a blind child can experience through working with renowned teacher Daniel Kish.

He has also previously appeared in the BBC’s The One Show and Little Big Shots on ITV.

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A former pupil of St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh, he now studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow.

Keyboard category finalists: Duru Erdogan; Firoze Madon; Jacky Zhang; Dida Condria and Ethan Loch. Pic: BBC Young MusicianKeyboard category finalists: Duru Erdogan; Firoze Madon; Jacky Zhang; Dida Condria and Ethan Loch. Pic: BBC Young Musician
Keyboard category finalists: Duru Erdogan; Firoze Madon; Jacky Zhang; Dida Condria and Ethan Loch. Pic: BBC Young Musician

When he was unable to perform to live audiences during lockdown, Ethan, who is also a talented composer, decided to do weekly online concerts.

Filmed by his dad, Fraser, the virtual shows proved popular, with a number of the performances helping to raise funds for The Amber Trust whose work provides musical opportunities for blind and partially sighted children.

The keyboard final was recorded in early July at Saffron Hall in Saffron Walden, Essex, where the other finalists were pianists Dida Condria, 19, Duru Erdogan, 18, Firoze Madon, 18, and Jacky Zhang, 14.

The panel of judges included pianist and composer Tom Poster and pianist and BBC Young Musician 1992 finalist Daniel Tong. They joined organist, director of music at Pembroke College, and broadcaster Anna Lapwood, chair of all the BBC Young Musician 2022 Category Final judging panels.

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During the interview as part of the category final, Ethan talked movingly about always being attracted to sounds: from the whirring of a washing machine to the engine starting – and how this interest simply evolved into a deep love for music, and for the piano in particular, playing which he feels he can fully express himself.

In Sunday’s Young Musician grand final Ethan joins viola player Jaren Ziegler, flautist Sofía Patterson-Gutiérrez, trumpeter Sasha Canter, and percussionist Jordan Ashman.

The BBC Young Musician grand final, recorded at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on September 29, is scheduled for broadcast on BBC Four and BBC Radio 3 this Sunday, October 9, with a presenting team featuring Jess Gillam, Alexis Ffrench and BBC Young Musician regular Josie d’Arby.

Each finalist will perform a concerto with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Mark Wigglesworth in front of an expert jury chaired by Anna Lapwood and including BBC Radio 3’s Editor for Live Music Emma Bloxham, Southbank Centre’s Head of Classical Music Toks Dada, conductor Ben Gernon, and sitar player, composer and producer Anoushka Shankar.

All Category Finals will be available to watch in full on the BBC Young Musician website.

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