A RENOWNED one-handed pianist who performed at the Paralympic Games is coming to Southend to open a series of concerts later this month.

Southend Council has announced the Nicholas McCarthy, celebrated as one of the world’s most inspiring pianists, will kick off the Southend concert series on Friday, October 18.

Born without his right hand in 1989, Nicholas is the only one-handed pianist to graduate from the Royal College of Music in its 130-year history.

He was awarded honorary membership to the RCM by its President, HRH King Charles, in March 2018.

McCarthy has performed extensively across the UK, including at prestigious venues such as The Royal Albert Hall.

He has also toured internationally in South Africa, South Korea, Malta, Kazakhstan, and the U.S and is a familiar face on television and radio, having appeared on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, BBC television, Channel 4, and ITV.

One of Nicholas’s most memorable performances was with the British Paraorchestra at the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games, where he performed alongside Coldplay in front of an audience of 86,000 people and half a billion viewers worldwide.

Matt Dent, councillor for culture, tourism, and business, said: “We are delighted to welcome Nicholas McCarthy to Southend to open our much-loved council concert series with this exceptional programme of piano music.

“Our concerts provide both residents and visitors with the opportunity to experience world-renowned music without having to travel to the major concert halls of London and other cities.

“I encourage everyone to book early to witness the amazing talents of this highly regarded international performer.”

The concert will take place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, starting at 8pm.

The event will feature a programme of music performed entirely with one hand, including works by Wagner, Liszt, Schubert, Bach, and Scriabin.

Tickets are priced at £12 and can be purchased onlinevia southend.gov.uk/culture-southend/concert-series or by phone on 01702 215011, Monday to Friday, during normal office hours.

Any remaining tickets will be available for purchase at the concert.

The Southend concert series runs from October until June 2025.