Sofiia Dorrosh

Ukrainian pianist Sofiia Dorosh (17) is rapidly emerging as one of Europe’s most compelling young talents. A student of the Davidsbündler Music Academy and the Kyiv State Music Lysenko Lyceum, she moved to the Netherlands in 2022 with her professor Tetiana Abaieva and now continues her studies in The Hague with Abaieva and Borys Fedorov.

Since arriving in the Netherlands, Sofiia has performed at leading venues including Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam and appeared on national television in Podium Klassiek and MAX TV. She has given solo recitals across the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Ukraine, and is deeply committed to humanitarian work, regularly performing in benefit concerts for Ukraine.

Her competition successes include top prizes at the Prinses Marianne Concours, the Cesar Franck International Piano Competition, and the Rijmond Music Prize, as well as reaching the semifinals of the 2025 International Robert Schumann Competition in Düsseldorf.

Sofiia will perform at our Closing Concert in 2027, where her expressive depth and technical brilliance promise a memorable finale to the festival.

Anisa Ford

Since winning our 2026 competition, Anisa Ford completed the masterclass with Dutch piano virtuoso Wibi Soerjadi in August 2026 at his estate in the Netherlands, during which she was praised by the maestro for her talent and skills and was selected to close the concert of the participating students. Wibi Soerjadi wanted her to come back in 2027 and so did we. We are very proud that she agreed to come back again and show us the progress she gained in the Netherlands.

Born in 2011, Anisa Ford began playing piano during the pandemic, teaching herself a Mozart piece from YouTube at age ten. What started as a quiet pastime quickly revealed a natural affinity for classical music. Under the mentorship of Michael Harvey, she developed a deep musical fluency and emotional sensitivity that distinguished her early performances.

Within 18 months, Anisa earned a scholarship to the Purcell School of Music, demonstrating a rare ability to absorb and interpret complex repertoire. Her rapid progress and expressive playing soon drew wider attention.

She gained national recognition on Season 3 of The Piano, where her performance of Glinka’s Skylark at Liverpool Street Station captivated passersby and impressed judges Jon Batiste and Mika. “A powerful human who happens to be 12,” Batiste remarked.

Anisa now studies at the Royal Academy of Music’s junior department, continuing to refine her craft with an eye toward major concert stages.

Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor is a pianist and keyboard player known for his imaginative, improvisational style. His music is atmospheric, distinctive, and full of unusual harmonies, shaped by a fluid and highly personal technique.

In recent years, Paul has become recognised as one of the most interesting and original solo pianists on the scene. He avoids the usual jazz clichés, instead creating a fresh and harmonically rich sound that often draws on classical influences. At the same time, his playing keeps the spirit of jazz alive through constant invention and curiosity.

Paul was a 2018 northern line R6 ambassador artist with Jazz North, supported by public funding from Arts Council England. In 2021, he took part in Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s respected Creative Lab collaborative sessions.

If you would like to participate in the Mirfield Piano Walk, you are warmly invited to apply if:

• you are an amateur pianist with ABRSM Grade 6 or higher, or
• you are a conservatoire graduate student or first‑year alumni.

If you do not fall into either category but believe you should still be considered, please send us a recording of yourself playing the piano. We will review your submission and get back to you.

Our contact details are at the bottom of this page.

Please use the application form on this page.

Bringing together amateur pianists with professional and well‑established performers in a single event creates an environment that can inspire young musicians to consider a musical career. For audiences, hearing these young performers can be equally motivating and may even encourage visitors to take up piano lessons themselves.