Pianist Will swaps school stage for primetime TV

Pianist Will swaps school stage for primetime TV

RIPON Grammar School head boy Will Renton swapped the school stage for primetime television after landing a spot on Channel 4’s hit show The Piano.

The talented pianist appeared in front of a live audience at Manchester railway station as part of the programme.

One of the many highlights was appearing on television alongside presenter Claudia Winkleman and musician MIKA.

“For me this experience was something very different and very exciting - being on TV with Claudia Winkleman and MIKA was very unexpected!” said Will.

Alongside this, as if performing on a public piano in front of commuters and viewers wasn’t nerve-wrecking enough, his appearance coincided the school’s musical production of Oliver!

As his fingers hit the keys, Will was thinking about how he would make it back to school for closing night in time to play French horn in the school musical.

“I knew that returning from Manchester on a Friday evening would be a nightmare!”

Will nevertheless continued with the filming, spending most of the day at Manchester station recording his performance, interviews and additional footage, and dashed back to Ripon in time to take his place in the orchestra.

Will’s appearance in The Piano came after producers spotted the story of his outstanding GCSE results and his success in winning an Unsung Hero award.

He was invited to apply for the programme last November and several months later, an email from production company Love Productions arrived inviting him to audition.

“I was really shocked that they wanted me to do this,” said Will. “I went along with two of my pieces and did a short interview. I was unusually nervous because these were two brand-new pieces to me that I hadn’t played to an audience before.”

Just a few weeks later, Will received another unexpected email - he had been shortlisted and was asked to start preparing in case he made it onto the show.

One of the most memorable parts of the experience was playing his piece several times to a live audience.

“It was eye-opening being able to play for so many people in such a public area on a really nice piano and it was an amazing feeling,” he said.

Will also filmed the final scene with all the contestants, where the winner is revealed. Although his journey on the programme ended at this stage, he was able to meet the other musicians and hear their stories.

His The Piano experience did not quite end there. Will was invited to the programme’s final concert, where he was given a front-row seat to watch the winners from each episode perform.

“It was truly amazing to see such a wide range of outstanding performances,” he said.

“I had an amazing time - it was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I’d like to thank the team at Love Productions for everything they’ve done and congratulations to everyone who took part!”

Will’s appearance on The Piano marks another chapter in a musical journey which began when he started learning the instrument in Year 2.

He initially progressed slowly, but his love of playing grew after he moved to secondary school and his teacher, Katie Bell, encouraged him to progress much faster.

Over time, the piano became much more than an extracurricular activity.

“Along the way from primary school, it became less of a chore and much more of a way to relieve and express myself through all my difficult times,” said Will.

Today, he uses the piano to relax and switch off from the pressures of school life.

“I very much use it as a way to relax, let myself forget my other worries and just as a hobby to enjoy,” he said. “This is very important to me, particularly in managing my high workload.”

Watch Will on The Piano

Will appeared in Series 4, Episode 5 of The Piano, which was broadcast during the summer on Channel 4.

The episode is available to watch on Channel 4 catch-up, with Will’s appearance approximately three-quarters of the way through the programme.

Pianist Will swaps school stage for primetime TV