Leeds International Piano Competition - Season 2 / Year 2012

The first of a six part series providing extensive coverage of the Finals of 'The Leeds', presented by Suzy Klein. Each programme features one of the six finalists, showcasing their concerto performance in full. The series also takes viewers behind-the-scenes to see how The Leeds works and discovers why the competition continues to draw the very best young talent from around the world. As the competition approaches its 50th Birthday in 2013, we hear from Dame Fanny Waterman who, at 92, is still at the centre of the competition she created.

Suzy Klein presents the second of six programmes showcasing the best young pianists from around the world, as they reach the climactic final stages of 'The Leeds'. She introduces the youngest of this year's finalists, 22-year-old Jiayan Sun from China, who performs one of Prokofiev's most popular and dazzling works, his virtuosic Piano Concerto No 3. Will it be enough to impress the judges?

Suzy Klein presents the third of six programmes showcasing the best young pianists from around the world, as they reach the climactic final stages of 'The Leeds'. This time it's the turn of Australian finalist Jayson Gillham to step into the spotlight at Leeds Town Hall.

Suzy Klein presents the fourth of six programmes showcasing the best young pianists from around the world, as they reach the climactic final stages of 'The Leeds'.

As the series reaches its halfway point, Suzy takes stock of the performances given so far with her regular guest experts Tom Poster and Noriko Ogawa, before they introduce another complete concerto from the final round. Andrejs Osokins of Latvia takes on one of Prokofiev's most popular and dazzling works, his brilliantly virtuosic Piano Concerto No 3.

Meanwhile, we see how the influence of this most prestigious of piano competitions is felt outside the concert hall and among the Leeds community.

Suzy Klein presents the fifth of six programmes showcasing the best young pianists from around the world, as they reach the climactic final stages of 'The Leeds'. Two competitors opted to perform Beethoven's popular Piano Concerto No 5 ('The Emperor') at this year's concerto final.

Suzy introduces the second of these, given by 24-year-old Italian Federico Colli. Her regular guests, renowned pianists Noriko Ogawa and Tom Poster, give their opinions and expert analysis, while Suzy looks back over five decades of the competition's reputation for picking winners and propelling them onto the world stage as it approaches its golden jubilee.

Suzy Klein looks back over five weeks of compelling performances from one of the strongest concerto finals in the competition's history, before introducing the remaining competitor - the intense 25-year-old American, Andrew Tyson. His choice of Rachmaninov's achingly romantic but technically demanding third piano concerto promises to bring the final to a triumphant conclusion. Can he rise to the challenge and produce the performance of his career?

Regular guests Tom Poster and Noriko Ogawa offer their expert analysis on all the performances and pick their own favourites, followed by competition founder Dame Fanny Waterman making the long-awaited announcement of this year's first-prize winner.