Leeds International Piano Competition’s Artistic Director to Step Down

After a decade-long tenure, Adam Gatehouse will be stepping down from the role in Spring 2025 

Founded in 1961, the UK’s Leeds International Piano Competition is a global platform for emerging pianists, who are further supported by the competition’s career development, coaching, and industry networking opportunities. 

Adam Gatehouse will be stepping down as Artistic Director of the Competition in Spring 2025, after nearly ten years in the role. 

When he was first appointed in 2015, Gatehouse succeeded the late Dame Fanny Waterman, who founded the Competition and led the event for over 50 years. 

Initially sharing the role with pianist Paul Lewis, Gatehouse helped transform and strengthen the Competition’s global standing and international reach, including the launch of the event’s International First Round and global streaming of performances. 

Additionally, he enhanced the competition’s prize packages through collaborations with organizations including Steinway & Sons, Wigmore Hall, Askonas Holt, and Warner Classics.

After assuming sole responsibility as Artistic Director in 2018, Gatehouse was joined by CEO, Fiona Sinclair, further evolving The Leeds into a year-round cultural phenomenon, with initiatives including the annual Leeds International Piano Series, a Learning and Engagement program, and the RPS Award-winning Leeds Piano Trail. 

He also helped foster relationships with key partners including the University of Leeds, Leeds City Council, and the Lang Lang International Music Foundation. 

Gatehouse studied conducting at London’s Guildhall School of Music with Sir Adrian Boult and André Previn. From 1974 to 1991, he was Music Director of the Ballet Rambert, Dutch National Ballet, and the Dutch National Youth Orchestra. From 1991 to 2013, he was a producer and later Editor Live Music with BBC Radio 3. 

In 1999, he created the BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Artists scheme, which helped launch the careers of over 100 international artists, including Paul Lewis, Stephen Osborne, Belcea Quartet, Janine Jansen, and Igor Levit, among others. Gatehouse was also the Founder and Director of France’s acclaimed Festival de Valloires in Picardy. 

Prior to his departure from The Leeds, he will support activities for the 2024 prize winners and build the foundations for the 2025/26 Leeds International Piano Series. The next Leeds International Piano Competition will take place from September 8–18, 2027.  

“After nearly a decade at the helm of this remarkable organisation, I feel immense pride in what we’ve achieved together,” Gatehouse said in the press release. “When I first accepted the role in 2015, Paul Lewis and I envisioned a Competition fit for the 21st century. Mindful of the huge legacy of our founder Dame Fanny Waterman, we aimed to make the Competition and its organisation more outward-facing, professional, and impactful - enhancing its global presence, creating new partnerships, and fostering year-round activities to transform it into more than just a competition. I believe we have achieved what we set out to do, and it is now time for someone new to build on this vision.

"The success of The Leeds is a testament to the collective effort of a remarkable team, as well as our Trustees, donors and collaborators,” he added. “Their tireless commitment has been instrumental in reinvigorating the Competition’s legacy. I would also like to give special thanks to Dame Imogen Cooper, Chair of the 2021 & 2024 Juries, and my many distinguished fellow jury members, as well as all the wonderful Leeds Alumni and pianists, who have become such a close family to me.”

“I have been privileged to work alongside Adam, to deliver and build on his bold and ambitious vision for the Competition,” Sinclair expressed. “His energy, creativity, and commitment to excellence have helped to reshape what The Leeds stands for – not only as a competition but as a global cultural force. His work has inspired countless artists, audiences, and communities, and his legacy will be felt for years to come. We wish him the very best as he embarks on this next chapter.”

“Adam Gatehouse has brought remarkable dedication and vision to The Leeds, working alongside a talented team to elevate the Competition’s artistic standards, global reputation and reach,” commented Ken Beaty, Chair of the Board. “We deeply appreciate his contributions and collaborative leadership, which have strengthened the foundation of this cherished institution. We look forward to continuing to build on the successes achieved during his tenure.”  

Since its inception in 1963, the Leeds International Piano Competition has been broadcast by the BBC since 1966 on television and radio. In 2024, the competition received a record 366 applications.

Co-founded by Dame Waterman, and Marion Thorpe, Countess of Harewood, the Competition has launched the careers of pianists, including past winners Radu Lupu, Murray Perahia, Dmitri Alexeev, Alessio Bax, Sunwook Kim, Sofya Gulyak, Federico Colli, Anna Tsybuleva, Eric Lu, Alim Beisembayev, and Jaeden Izik-Dzurko. Past finalists of the event have included Mitsuko Uchida, Sir Andras Schiff, Kathryn Stott, Peter Donohoe, Louis Lortie, Lars Vogt, and more.