News

For over 35 years, UK-based charity Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) has supported the early careers of over 100 of the world’s most talented musicians, including Ian Bostridge CBE, Alison Balsom OBE and Jess Gillam, allowing them the opportunities to flourish as international performers.

This year, Jordanian-Palestinian concert pianist and TL alum Iyad Sughayer has been selected from 150 applicants to become a YCAT Concordia Artist for 2021.

Chosen as ‘One to Watch’ by International Piano Magazine, Iyad completed his Masters at Trinity Laban in 2018, having won the prestigious Trinity Laban Gold Medal award. His debut album, the Khachaturian Piano Works, was released to critical acclaim in November 2019 with Gramophone describing it as ‘exhilarating and delivered with perfect clarity’.

Iyad comments –

“I’m delighted to have been chosen as a 2021 YCAT Artist and I’m very excited to be working with the wonderful team at YCAT for the next few years! I feel very privileged to have been given this great opportunity to develop my career.”

Supported by the Concordia Foundation, Iyad will work with a dedicated artist management team, enjoy national and international performing opportunities, and receive and digital support.

In YCAT’s recent press release, Chief Executive & Artistic Director Alasdair Tait commented –

“The level of applicants applying for YCAT continues to be astoundingly high. However, I am delighted that the final jury was unanimous in identifying artists of exceptional talent with great potential and personality whom they believe would benefit greatly from YCAT’s support. With the catastrophic disappearance of live performance last year, the overwhelming sense of need for support and advice for these young musicians has never felt more urgent.”

YCAT announced their 2021 selected artists at a private presentation concert at Wigmore Hall on 20 May.

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