A Belfast woman who composed music for the BBC Paris Olympics coverage will help select the winning pianist in a regional competition.
Alt-pop artist Rebekah Fitch said she is “over the moon” at being chosen as guest judge for the final of Translink’s ‘Grand Pianist’ competition to mark Belfast’s Grand Central Station’s opening.
The competition — which saw a concert piano travel to five rail and bus stations in August and September, as part of a regional roadshow — invited amateur pianists to vie for the opportunity to perform at the new transport hub in the ‘Grand Final’ on October 3.
Rebekah, a 28-year-old singer-songwriter widely tipped for musical stardom, said she can’t wait to see the home-grown talent.
“Any initiative that puts a spotlight on creativity is really exciting — and important,” she said. “Bringing creativity to the forefront and championing people is crucial.
“There’s so much hidden talent out there, and I can’t wait to see all the diverse people from different walks of life taking part.”
The ‘Grand Pianist’ competition attracted over 100 hopefuls to the regional heats, where leading professional conductor and composer Matthew Owens — who will sit alongside Rebekah on the judging panel during the final — selected 12 musicians to compete for the top spot. London-based Rebekah, who’s married to Mexican architect and sustainability consultant Eliseo (28), said that being chosen to compose and produce the music for the Beeb’s Olympics trailer was “really significant” for her.
“I moved from being a singer-songwriter into being a composer and it felt like starting again,” she said.
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Rebekah, whose parents Jeremy and Christine, a businessman and psychiatrist, have always been a huge support, said her version was chosen because “it felt the most emotional”.
“They wanted the trailer to convey how the athletes are so invested in what they’re doing that it’s a real love story for them,” she said.
“It’s not just a career, it’s a life goal; something their whole heart goes into.”
In 2019 Rebekah performed for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at a charity event at The Empire in Belfast, describing the royal couple as “really lovely”.
Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol praised his compatriot for “great songs and a powerhouse voice”, adding that it was “easy to see great things ahead for her,” while music magazine Hot Press described her as “a Northern Irish pop phenomenon”.
Looking to the future, Rebekah said writing for films and TV “would be epic”.