Music prodigy preparing to stun South African audiences

He has played piano at the Offices of the Prime Minister of Malta, he was awarded the prestigious international AMI Award for his creative excellence in music and most recently he played piano at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics alongside the Paraorchestra and Cold Play. He is an accomplished pianist at 23, something that has taken absolute dedication and love for his instrument because this young talented musician has only one hand.

Indeed, British-born Nicholas McCarthy made his way into the world without his right hand. Yet, this did not hold the super-pianist back and he is currently shaking up the international classical music scene as one of the few left-handed pianists, worldwide. In fact, at present Nicholas is the youngest sole left-handed pianist to ever play.

His stage performances have left audiences in awe and he has been described as ‘sheer poetry’ by The Times. Now, South Africa can look forward to witnessing this left-handed pianist sensation in action as he plans his South African tour for February 2013, when he’ll perform in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, respectively, for one night only in each city.

Nicholas discovered his talent for Piano as late as age 14 but his perseverance and determination to succeed as a teenager when others thought he’d fail paid off as it won him a place at the Royal College of Music in London. He graduated in 2012 making history as the only left-handed pianist to ever graduate from the prestigious 100-year-old institution.

Since graduating, he has become one of the busiest Piano soloists, playing solo and with the premier orchestras in the United Kingdom. He has also made regular appearances on British television and radio but he rates his playing at the 2012 Paralympics closing ceremony in London as one of his biggest highlights. He is currently recording a piano series for the BBC.

Now, as he brings both his talent and his message ‘that anything is possible’ to South African shores and prior to his world tour, classical music lovers can look forward to this musical prodigy’s stunning piano performances.

He will be performing at the Cape Town Convention Centre on Saturday 9th February; Durban City Hall on Wednesday 13th February; and Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg on Friday 15th February at 7:30pm. Book at Computicket.

For more information about his South African tour Visit Nicholas on Facebook or at his official website www.nicholasmccarthy.co.uk