'The Piano' viewers left spellbound after watching blind contestant Lucy's sublime performance

A 13-year-old blind pianist has amazed audiences with her "life-changing" performance on Channel 4's "The Piano." Lucy is a blind and neurodiverse musician whose stunning Debussy captivated the judges and audience at London’s Royal Festival Hall. The West Yorkshire pianist from Halifax performed alongside three other finalists, 25-year-old Jay from the Isle of Wight, 27-year-old Sean from Edinburgh and 26-year-old Danny from Manchester. According to the BBC, Lucy honed her skills through the musical charity The Amber Trust. Her mother, Candice said, "It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience that neither of us will ever forget.

"It was life-changing; this kind of event doesn't usually happen in our lives," she added. Judge and pop singer Mika, alongside renowned pianist Lang Lang, crowned Lucy’s performance of Debussy’s dreamlike Arabesque No. 1 as the winner. "Magical things happen with music that is against all odds and all limitations," she said. "It's astonishing when it happens. When it happened in Leeds when Lucy performed, it was jaw-dropping; it was the most humbling thing you could see." Superstar pianist Lang Lang, who was awestruck by the performance, described Lucy as a "real genius".

Lucy had amazed passersby at Leeds train station with her rendition of Chopin's Nocturne in B-flat minor. As we reported earlier, Lucy shot into spotlight following her performance at a train station. Lang Lang compared Lucy’s musical choice at "The Piano" to her performance of Chopin’s Nocturne, saying that the Arabesque No. 1 is "slightly harder." "Because of the Chopin nocturne, it’s easier to control the speed. This piece has to be like opening a treasure. This piece is a challenge. But no challenge, no fun, right?" After Lucy’s final performance, The Amber Trust charity tweeted saying it had been “a privilege to support Lucy over the last eight years by funding piano lessons with her wonderful teacher, Daniel”. "The Piano" hosted by Claudia Winkleman is a talent show that celebrates UK's best amateur pianists.

Lucy's mother, Candice added, "I was so impressed how Lang Lang and Mika were so good with Lucy, they were totally respectful of her needs. And to see that these two maestros were in awe of her made my heart burst with emotion." Lucy's story is touching, with her family and teacher detailing how her love of music began as a child. Per the Musicman, Lucy was diagnosed with cancerous tumors in her eyes, which caused her to cry and scream during treatment. During her stay at the hospital, doctors and nurses were shocked when Lucy was playing on a small keyboard. This is where her teacher, Daniel Bath, through his work with The Amber Trust, helped Lucy in playing the piano. 

He would place her hands on top of his, allowing her to feel which fingers played which notes. Bath stated that he never saw somebody with the same depth of musical comprehension as Lucy. Her struggles with communication were caused by a chromosome 16 duplication, allowing only music to be a way of communication. Her mother recounts instances of Lucy playing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" perfectly on a small keyboard, which prompted her to find a piano teacher. Her passion for music has touched the world, and her performances are a live testament to her spirit. Lucy's story is a beacon of light that shows that music can bring joy and happiness even in the most difficult circumstances.