UK Jazz News

Pianist Ben Shankland wins BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2023

Ben Shankland with the award. Photo credit: BBC Radio Scotland/Martin Shield

Pianist Ben Shankland (*), a current student at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, has won the 2023 BBC Young Scottish Jazz Musician Award. The competition was held at BBC Scotland’s Studios on Pacific Quay in Glasgow yesterday 26 November.

The other finalists were Sam Cleary (22) – Guitar, William Ewins (16) – Double Bass, Matthew Kilner (26) – Tenor Sax, Joe Pickering (22) – Alto saxophone, Ali Watson (24) – Double Bass

Chairman of jurors Haftor Medbøe, in a brief statement said, talking to all of the finalists whom he described as “all winners”: “You didn’t make it easy for us… it is great to see this depth of talent at such a frighteningly young age.”

The moment of the announcement was caught on X-Twitter video HERE

Speaking to UKJN, John Turville, Visiting Tutor in Jazz Piano, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire said: “Wishing many congratulations to my student Ben Shankland at RBC on winning the BBCYSJM 2023, a versatile and brilliant pianist and composer with a great future!”

While the jurors deliberated, there was a performance by BBC Young Jazz Musician Ewan Hastie and the other trio members: pianist Tom Gibbs, and drummer Stephen Henderson.

The house trio playing with the contestants was Paul Harrison (keys), Mario Caribe (bass) and Doug Hough (drums).

The presenter was Seonaid Aitken.

It was announced that part of the prize will be a concert by the winner at the next running of “next year’s competition”, implying that the award is now an annual event, rather than a two-yearly event which the UK competition (+) is.

(*) Biography supplied by BBC Radio Scotland begins.Ben Shankland (19) – Piano. Edinburgh-born pianist and composer Ben Shankland is, despite his young age, already gaining recognition on the UK jazz scene. He began his musical journey studying classical piano and bassoon, which greatly developed his general musicality before finding an interest in jazz in his teens. Before long, he was hooked and began honing his craft as a member of Scotland’s finest youth jazz orchestras, with mentorship from pianists John Turville and Alan Benzie, and saxophonists Tommy Smith and Mike Williams.

Currently, he performs with his trio around the country, exploring his original compositions with Ewan Hastie and Chun-Wei Kang. He is also active as a solo pianist, an interest which developed out of his classical background and inspiration from the music of Fred Hersch. In addition to his work as a leader, Ben has performed and recorded as a sideman in various bands with fellow young musicians. Alongside his primary focus in improvised music, Ben continues to perform in the classical world. Notably, he recently accompanied BBC Young Musician 2022 percussionist Jordan Ashman in an award-winning recital, and was the soloist in performances of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra.” (Biography supplied by BBC Radio Scotland ends)

The jurors were Laura Macdonald, Dave Milligan, Martel Ollerenshaw and Haftor Medbøe (Chair)

This competition was developed in association with Glasgow Jazz Festival.

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