Mia Odeleye

Mentored on Channel 4’s The Piano by Grammy-winner Jon Batiste, Mia Odeleye is a pianist of rare expressive depth.

We are delighted to welcome Mia Odeleye to the Newcastle Piano Festival 2026.

Following her spellbinding appearance in the final of Channel 4’s The Piano, where she was mentored by Grammy Award-winning pianist Jon Batiste, Mia has gained national recognition for her expressive playing and deeply thoughtful programming. Her performances combine technical assurance with a strong sense of narrative, inviting audiences into music that is both emotionally direct and historically resonant.

Alongside acclaimed interpretations of core classical repertoire, Mia is a passionate champion of composers of the African diaspora, particularly African-American women of the early twentieth century. Her advocacy for composers such as Florence Price and Margaret Bonds reflects a wider commitment to bringing overlooked voices back into the concert hall, placing them in dialogue with familiar works to create programmes that are illuminating, powerful and moving.

Recent highlights include being awarded Wandsworth Young Musician of the Year and performing as pianist for the new musical Marie and Rosetta starring Beverley Knight. Mia’s return to the North East promises an evening of compelling musical storytelling, where virtuosity, curiosity and social awareness meet in a standout festival performance.

Programme

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child (Op. 59 No. 22) – arr. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Fugue in E major (WTC Book II) – J.S. Bach

Sonata No. 13 in B♭ major (I) – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Étude in C minor “Revolutionary” – Frédéric Chopin

Three-Fours: Andante molto – Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Interval

Fantasie No. 1 in E minor – Florence Price

Suite Andalucía (selections): Córdoba, Andalucía, Gitanerías – Ernesto Lecuona

Troubled Water – Margaret Bonds

Ukom (from Talking Drums) – Joshua Uzoigwe

Malagueña (from Suite Andalucía) – Ernesto Lecuona

About the Newcastle Piano Festival

Newcastle Piano Festival is the city’s only dedicated piano festival, returning in March 2026 for its third edition. Produced by Semibreve CIC, the festival brings together outstanding artists, inspiring programmes and a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere in the heart of Jesmond.

Founded in 2023 with no public funding, the festival has grown through community support, volunteer commitment and a belief that exceptional music should feel open, friendly and accessible to all. Alongside headline concerts, the programme includes family events, participatory workshops and opportunities to discover new and under-represented voices.

Festival Atmosphere & Piano Spaces

For this concert, audiences are warmly invited to arrive early for our pre-concert drinks reception, with the bar open and live cocktail piano creating a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. For Mia Odeleye’s concert, the drinks reception begins at 18:00.

Throughout the weekend, audiences can also enjoy informal café-style piano performances, generously supported by Bonners Piano Centre, who are loaning the festival an acoustic upright piano. A digital piano with headphones will also be available in the box office / café area, inviting visitors of all ages and abilities to sit down and play in an informal, pressure-free setting.

Venue, Access & Parking

All events take place at Jesmond United Reformed Church, Burdon Terrace, Jesmond. The venue is step-free and accessible.

There is free on-street parking in nearby residential streets during evenings and on Sundays. At other times, parking is available locally at approximately 60p per hour. Jesmond Metro station is also within easy walking distance.

Layla’s Kitchen Café will be open at selected times during the festival, with drinks available from the bar for evening events.

Make a Weekend of It

Most events are included in our Weekend Pass, offering access to all public concerts and events across 20–22 March 2026. If you’re planning to attend more than one event, the Weekend Pass offers the best value and the chance to fully immerse yourself in the festival experience.
Please note: the I Love Piano Showcase is a private event for participating children and their families and is not included in the Weekend Pass.

Our Partners & Year-Round Community

Newcastle Piano Festival is proudly supported by Bonners Newcastle Piano Centre, Layla’s Kitchen, The Maestro Online, and Let’s Play Piano — a friendly, monthly piano meetup that takes place at the festival venue and welcomes pianists of all backgrounds and abilities.

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