All the right notes
Piano winner Brad Kella will have a family Christmas to remember, thanks to Claudia, Mika, Lang Lang – and his very own Steinway!
Robert Wilson
- Robin Parker
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There’s a bittersweet air puncturing the joyous festive music that rings through the upmarket shopping centre of the converted Battersea Power Station in London. As Lang Lang, resplendent in a Christmas jumper, wows passing shoppers with a rousing take on Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, the classical megastar is gearing up to say farewell to The Piano after two years as a judge.
“I will miss all the wonderfully talented musicians I’ve met – artists with genuine hearts,” the pianist says with characteristic sincerity. “And of course, I’ll miss my friends Claudia and Mika.”
As a selection of contestants from the second series take to the ivories to play a festive favourite (and the odd original), including the winner Brad Kella, it’s clear Lang Lang will be a great loss. “He told me to use all the colours of the piano, to put my heart in it and not rush,” says Kella. “More importantly, to breathe before you play and imagine you’re not playing in front of lots of people.”
Winner of The Piano, Brad Kella. Rob Parfitt
The brilliant Liverpudlian musician is returning to the show having since played the Royal Albert Hall, the Radio Times Screen Test Awards, in the John Lewis Christmas advert and at Anfield – “which, as a Liverpool fan, was huge! I’ve also recorded an album. None of this would have been possible without Lang Lang and Mika being so supportive.”
On the show on Christmas Day he’ll be playing a piece called Shelter, “which I pitched to the John Lewis team, hopefully for next year’s advert. It’s about how it’s important that everyone has some kind of shelter over Christmas. As a kid from care, I know there are some children who’ll get put in a random family’s home and might feel scared and confused, but it’s important they enjoy a homely Christmas.”
Following Kella’s success on The Piano, life has completely changed for the 23-year-old and he now does have a safe roof over his head – and his own piano. “I was gifted a Steinway from the show, which is in my living room, so I’d love for the family to get round and have a sing-song. It’s the first time that I’ve been financially stable at Christmas, so I’m looking forward to a really good one with my children, my girlfriend and my family.”
Lang Lang will be leaving The Piano after two years as a judge. Robert Wilson
CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN
What’s your favourite Christmas song?
White Wine in the Sun by Tim Minchin. It has emotion and melody and makes me cry. We go and see him as a family. I’m a massive fan.
How central is music to your Christmas?
My family takes Christmas deadly seriously. We’re not casual about it. The music begins on 1 December and Minchin always comes on first. I’ve got a lot of time for Michael Bublé, too.
So will you be tickling the ivories?
No! My brother plays the piano. There’s lots of little kids running around who sing into a mic. Beatles songs mostly, while we eat cheese and play lots of games super-competitively.
MIKA
What’s your favourite Christmas song?
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It has that magic combination of melancholy, sweetness, sorrow and joy together. And no sleigh bells!
You’ve performed a number of Christmas songs. Have you ever tried to write one?
I have just written one – completely by accident! I had this idea about a love that comes just once a year and it’s called Love Me in December. You’ll have to wait 12 months for it – maybe I can debut it in next year’s Christmas special…
How central was music to you at Christmas when you were growing up?
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My mother would make me play about three hours of repertoire while everyone sang – mostly terribly – but it was the best time of the year. From the age of seven, I sang the masses on Christmas Eve, in Latin and English. When I started refusing, my parents were so distraught that I agreed I would go but only if we could bring all our animals. I walked into the London Oratory for midnight mass with four dogs, two rabbits and a turtle.
Authors
Robin Parker
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