11 Facts About Lara Melda

Lara Melda was born in London, United Kingdom to Turkish parents.

Lara Melda began playing the piano at age 6, inspired by her sister Melis Omeroglu.

Lara Melda studied at The Purcell School for Young Musicians from 2008 to 2011.

Lara Melda is an accomplished viola player and plays chamber music on both piano and viola.

Lara Melda was invited to play for Alfred Brendel in 2016 and continues to work closely with him.

Lara Melda performed her debut concert at the age of 8 and her debut concerto at the age of 12 playing Mozart's Piano Concerto in D minor K466 and Piano Concerto in A major K414.

Lara Melda rose to international prominence in 2010 when she won the BBC Young Musician of the Year at the age of sixteen, performing Saint-Saens' Piano Concerto No 2 in the final round, with Vasily Petrenko and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Cardiff.

Lara Melda has played recitals at the Laeiszhalle ; Les Sommets Musicaux in Gstaad, Switzerland; the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival in Germany and performs often at Wigmore Hall in London.

Lara Melda has been presented by the Istanbul Recitals piano series and performed at the Antalya Piano Festival and Bogazici University.

On 24 March 2012, she received the prestigious 'Promising Young Artist' award from Kadir Has University in Istanbul, and in 2016 was awarded the 'Woman of the Year Arts Award' by the Elele-Avon Women Awards where in her speech, Lara Melda accepted the award on behalf of Turkish women who feel that they don't have a voice in the public square and for those that have not been given the opportunities in life that she has been fortunate to receive.

Lara Melda is most well known and praised for her Chopin interpretations.