The Piano season 3: release date, judges, interviews and everything we know

More amateur pianists get to show off their ivory-tinkling talents when C4’s smash-hit competition The Piano returns for a third series

This time, however, there are a few changes…

Claudia Winkleman will once again be on hand to introduce and put the performers at ease as crowds gather to watch them play the piano at some of the UK’s busiest train stations and for the first time, an airport.

Meanwhile, watching the virtuosos from behind the scenes are returning mentor and pop chart-topper Mika and new recruit, acclaimed American singer and songwriter Jon Batiste, who replaces Lang Lang, the world-renowned classical pianist who appeared in the previous two series.

Over five weeks, at each stop on their tour of the UK, Mika and Jon will decide which of the pianists will appear in a special concert being held at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in the town of Gateshead. for the series finale, where they will crown their ‘Performance of the Night’.

Along the way, of course, we will also hear some emotional stories from the pianists as they share their reasons for playing, how they learned and what it means to them.

The Piano season 3 release date

The seven-part series of The Piano season 3 will launch on Channel 4 on Sunday, April 13 at 9 pm and will air weekly for seven weeks in the same slot.

The Piano season 3 - locations

Claudia, Jon and Mika’s first stop of this series is at London Liverpool Street before moving on to Brighton, Sheffield and Newcastle Central.

Plus, for the first time, the show will swap railways for runways as London Heathrow Terminal 5 plays host for an episode.

The Piano season 3 - a sneak peek at some of the key players…

Meet some of the pianists performing at London’s Liverpool Street station in the first episode…

ANISA

plays Skylark, composed by Mikhail Glinka.

Anisa, 12, learnt to play the piano during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Covid restrictions meant it was hard for me to find a piano teacher so I watched a lot of You Tube tutorials," says Anisa. "I’m a bit nervous about performing. It’s quite a big step."

JOHN

plays Maybe It’s Because I’m a Londoner, Roll Out the Barrel and other music hall songs.

John, 77, has been playing the piano since 1954.

"I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years ago," says John. "Now I take eight different drugs, seven times a day. I can’t play like I did back in the day but I don’t let it stop me having fun. It’s the end of the line for the trains but it’s not the end of the line for me."

KEBA

plays Old Heavens, his own composition

Keba learned to play on a public piano in a train station when he was homeless.

"It helped me to survive," says Keba. "I didn’t know how to play, but I played every day. I would play for hours. I would forget about hunger and everything that was happening, so it was my refuge."

MARIA

plays Class 1984, composed by Timothy Van Patten

Maria learned to play on the pianos at the music academy where she works as a dinner lady…

"There are pianos everywhere you go," says Maria. "I used to sneak off and play them. I never bought piano lessons because I thought they were too expensive. I live with my mum and I am her carer so I don’t have much time to myself, but I make sure I play the piano every morning."

CHRIS

plays Limitations, his own composition

Chris is a piano teacher who used to be in BritPop band…

"I’ve been playing since I was 7," says Chris. "Teaching piano was not part of the plan. My heart’s desire was to be a performer."

The Piano season 3 - interview with Claudia Winkleman, Mika and Jon Batiste…

What should fans expect this time?

CLAUDIA: “We have Jon, who you will fall in love with. We are incredibly lucky to have him, and I was in awe of him. And we have the extraordinary Mika back. We went to some completely new locations, too. And I think you will love the brilliant pianists – they are wonderful!’

So, Jon, how are you finding being a mentor?

JON: “It’s overwhelming. To see all these people step up to the piano and tell their story, and then have to curate this concert, is a lot to process, especially when you think about how it’s going to change so many people’s lives, and how it’s going to affect the people we choose and those we don’t.”

In the first series, the musicians weren’t aware they were secretly being watched by Mika and Lang Lang. Does the show have a different feel now that they know they are being observed from behind-the-scenes?

MIKA: “The show has evolved. It has a different energy this year, which is obviously because Jon is around. And, because it’s the third series, the people who are putting themselves forward know what it’s about now. I’ve also seen a shift in the types of pianists that are coming along, and a diverse range of musical styles, backgrounds, ages and reasons why they’re playing.”

How would you say performing in a public space like a train station or airport compares to a more formal setting, such as a theatre or concert hall?

MIKA: “Everything about it is different. Jon’s done it, I’ve done it, and it’s really nerve-racking. Everyone’s in transit, everyone’s moving around, and they’re not there to see you. Someone playing music in public space while you’re waiting for a train is a disturbance.”

What are your own memories of performing in public venues?

JON: “I come from a tradition of street performance in New Orleans, where bands would block up street corners for a day. And when I was at [world-renowned performing arts academy] The Juilliard School in New York City, we performed in the streets, on corners and in subways. It’s about making people, who clearly have other things going, decide that stopping to watch you is worth their time.”

MIKA: “When I was at the Royal College of Music in London’s South Kensington, we got in trouble because we always used to try to play, sing or perform for all the tourists going to the nearby museums. We knew we could make tons of money, but the college told us not to go busking as we didn’t have the right to do it.”

Are there key things you’re looking for when deciding which pianists should get a place in the finale concert?

JON: “It’s very subjective, and you have to put the concert together, station by station, without knowing what’s to come. Sometimes we torture ourselves for days, thinking, ‘Did we make the right choice?’”

MIKA: “We talk about it for hours after each session. It’s difficult because you don’t want to be like, ‘Well, we want X-amount of this type of style of music or an equal amount of girls and guys.’ And, yes, like Jon said, it’s really hard to curate a concert without knowing what’s coming up next.”

CLAUDIA: “What’s extraordinary is that Mika and Jon often know who’s going to be good, as the pianists are walking towards me, before they speak to me, before they play.”

Finally, we know you’re very busy with various presenting roles, such as BBC1 hits Strictly Come Dancing and The Traitors, Claudia. But have you ever considered taking up a musical instrument or singing?

CLAUDIA: “No! I once sang Happy Birthday to Lang Lang and he made me sign a contract saying I would never sing in his presence again. I sang with Jon when we first met and he burst into tears. So, I’m not allowed. I’m completely unmusical!”

Is there a trailer for The Piano season 3?

No yet, but as soon as one is released we will add it to this guide.