29th of November 2005 - Jamie Chooses Eddy James
JAMIE CULLUM CHOOSES EDDY JAMES, A 79 YEAR OLD PIANO TUNER TO WIN FIRST PRIZE IN THE PIANIST/YAMAHA PIANO COMPETITION FOR OUTSTANDING AMATEURS.
Last night, in front of a sold-out Cadogan Hall, London, Jamie Cullum awarded first prize in the Pianist/Yamaha Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. Acting as a judge for the evening he rewarded Eddy James a 79 year old piano tuner who's worked with legends Liberace, Victor Borge and Count Basie among others over the years.
Eddy wowed the capacity audience with dazzling performances of Body and Soul by John Green, The Man I Love by Gershwin and Rogers & Harts Manhattan.
Jamie Cullum commented: He took my breath away and I realised I still have a lot to learn and this from someone whos never played on a stage in front of a live audience hes amazing, just amazing.
Eddy James was stunned by his victory: After decades of tuning other peoples pianos so that they could go out to perform it was a dream come true to play on stage in front of a live audience. I never expected to win and Im in shock.
Eddy wins a 10,000 Yamaha voucher.
Sabine Vinck, 35, Director of Finance Programmes at the London Business School won the Classical award and also wins a 10,000 Yamaha voucher.
The Pianist/Yamaha Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs is the only piano competition in the UK for amateurs and will now be an annual event.