George Harliono

A GIFTED 10-year-old with dreams of following in the footsteps of his idol, world famous pianist Lang Lang, is set to perform his first big solo concert in Cambridge.

George Harliono, of Saffron Walden, only started playing the piano three years ago.

But he has moved on to great heights already, passing his grade 8 piano exam and being awarded a scholarship this term into Purcell, in Bushey near Watford, a school for the world’s best young musicians. He stays away for the week at Purcell and has three-hour music lessons every day.

The Reporter caught a sneak at what the talented youngster can do at the weekend...and we were astounded by what we saw.

George played masterpieces by Beethoven, Chopin and Balakirev inch-perfectly and, quite astonishing for someone so young, with real character.

And all this with his feet firmly on the ground.

“It is hard work to learn complex piece but I really like the challenge,” the youngster told us. “When I play them it is like winning a prize – so it is good to display them in a concert.”

George’s talent clearly runs in the family – 11-year-old brother Josh is a grade eight violinist and six-year-old sister Adelaide plays piano and cello.

His mum, Maureen Evans, said: “We knew George was good, but did not know how good. I took him to Purcell for a second opinion. Straight after he had played they said they wanted him and offered a scholarship. This is what he wants and he loves it.”

She added: “When people look at George they are looking at a 10-year-old boy...then he sits down at the piano and it is like a watchinng a transformation. He is never scared to go on stage.”

George has won piano competitions in the UK and Europe and would love to be a concert pianist - “or I would like to make toys”, he says - when he is older, much like Lang Lang. George has already rubbed shoulders with the great man himself, as one of 22 young musicians who accompanied him in a performance at The Royal Festival Hall in the summer.

“It was great fun and I wasn’t as nervous as if I had been playing in a concert,” he said.

George will be playing pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin and Balakirev in the 45-minute concert, taking place at Emmanuel United Reformed Church in Trumpington Street, Cambridge, on Thursday October 20 at 1pm.

The concert is free, but donations to the church fund are gratefully accepted