PIANIST David Barton was jumping for joy after being crowned the winner of Talent Trail 2008.
After a tense wait for the judges’ verdict the 20-year-old from north Hull was told he had won this year’s grand final of the competition, staged at the City Hall.
He played his own version of the Buddy Holly classic That’ll Be The Day, Elton John’s Sad Songs and Jools Holland’s Jump For Joy.
Judges were almost unanimous in awarding him full points, with only two of the ten awarding him second place.
After the announcement and playing his reprise he admitted his victory had not sunk in yet.
He said: “I’m a bit shocked, but it’s fantastic. I didn’t expect to win it. It was a really close competition with a lot of talent, but I’m glad I gave it my best shot.”
After months of performances, 10 acts battled it out at the Talent Trail final.
They have given their all through 18 heats and four semi-finals to make it to the grand final.
Each of them had the chance of a lifetime as they stepped onto the stage at the City Hall to play to a crowd of 1,150. |
David took the £2,000 prize and the title of Talent Trail winner 2008.
And he was happy to provide advice for other pianists who are just starting out.
He said: “Keep at it and practise, that’s the key. Practise, practise, practise.
“You also have to enjoy what you do, that makes a big difference.”
The pianist, who is working as a shop assistant while on a gap year, now needs to decide what he will do next.
He said: “I haven’t thought what I am going to do with the money, I might get some new equipment.
“Obviously I am going to keep playing and I will try to do bigger and better things. As long as it’s a challenge. I like a challenge.”
Singer Russ X took the second place after performing a varied set including Luciano Pavarotti’s Nessun Dorma, Timberland’s Apologise and the Rubette’s song Sugar Baby Love.
Third place was taken by mod band the 45s, who played music from the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and The Who.
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Other acts included Kizzy Bateman and Chantal Maltby. Each showed what they could do on the piano as they accompanied themselves, while Stuart Steels pulled out his guitar again for the final.
There were also plenty of singers, including Duo Temptation, Motown-inspired Dan Furniss, and students Sarah Pollin and Lucy Chester.
The Mail has been at every heat and semi-final to provide coverage in both the paper and the competition’s official website www.talenttrail.co.uk
Pictures, video and words from every heat have given people the chance to follow the competition even if they could not make it to every round.
The big screen in Queen Victoria Square in Hull’s city centre has also shown the Mail’s footage of the heats as shown on the Talent Trail website.
Tomorrow the video of the final will also be available for people to view on the Talent Trail website.
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Runner-up Russ X
The 45s in Third Place
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