An eight-year-old schoolboy from Portadown has been named Translink’s ‘Grand Pianist 2025’ following a province-wide competition celebrating musical talent across Northern Ireland.
Jacob Purdy, a pupil from Portadown, impressed judges and audience members alike at the Grand Pianist Final (Under 16 category), held in Belfast’s Grand Central Station on Thursday evening.
The event marked the culmination of Translink’s award-winning music initiative, which invited amateur pianists to perform in stations across Northern Ireland, bringing live music into public transport hubs.
Jacob, who has been learning piano for just two years under the guidance of Portadown based teacher Holly Marshall, performed a dramatic and expressive piece that earned high praise from the judging panel. He described his win as “amazing.”
“I can’t believe I’m a winner of Translink’s Grand Pianist 2025 competition,” Jacob said.
Jacob’s best friend, Levi Thompson – also from Portadown and a fellow Holly Marshall pupil – was “very highly commended” in the Under 16 category – giving County Armagh a strong showing in this year’s Final.
The event saw 14 shortlisted pianists, aged between seven and 82, perform on a baby grand piano set in the centre of the busy Belfast Grand Central Station.
In the adult category, 82-year-old retired engineer Denis Hession from Carrickfergus took the overall title with his rendition of Carrickfergus.
The judging panel was led by Matthew Owens, Music Director of the Ulster Consort, alongside Translink’s Linda Neilan and special guest judge Nicholas McCarthy, the world’s only professional one-handed concert pianist.
Nicholas, who opened the event with a solo performance, said:
“It’s been a joy to see the passion, creativity and individuality each pianist brought to their performance. The finalists truly captured the spirit of connection through music.”
Translink Group Chief Executive, Chris Conway, said the final was a fitting end to a regional roadshow that had connected people in stations across Northern Ireland:
“Our award-winning Grand Pianist competition clearly created memorable moments of connection for people and shows how our rail and bus stations are at the heart of local communities,” he said.
“The excellent in-station performances sparked surprise and delight from many passengers passing through. Now in its second year, the Final at Belfast Grand Central Station always promised to be a spectacular event – and today the finalists did not disappoint.”
