87-year-old fulfils ‘lifelong dream’ of becoming a concert pianist in tear-jerking The Piano finale

27 May 2025, 14:54 | Updated: 27 May 2025, 16:58

The winner of The Piano performs winning piece

The widow from North Wales, who used to play in RAF bands, created a beautiful piano miniature in memory of her late husband.

Diana, an 87-year-old RAF veteran from North Wales who dreamed her whole life of becoming a concert pianist, earned performance of the night and a standing ovation in the third season of The Piano.

Her composition ‘Dreams’ was created in memory of her late husband Phil, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015 and died six years later. The couple had been married for 63 years.

“This piece was born out of loss and grief,” Diana said. “From a young age I dreamt of being a concert pianist. And it has taken all of my 87 years to finally realise that dream. So my message is to never give up on your dreams.”

The music resonated deeply with members of the audience and her fellow contestants, as well as judges, singer-songwriter MIKA and Grammy-winning artist Jon Batiste, who labelled Diana “the Queen of England” to express his admiration for the pianist.

As soon as Diana lifted her fingers from the keys, the audience responded in a roar of appreciation, taking to their feet for a standing ovation.

The 87-year-old said: “Thank you all so much for your wonderful reception of my music. Just unbelievable.”

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Diana won the Newcastle episode of Channel 4’s feel-good talent show, set in the main concourse of the city’s train station, and was invited to be one of the finalists at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead.

After playing ‘Dreams’ on Newcastle station’s upright piano, Diana took it to the next level for her final performance with a new arrangement for piano and string quartet, performed on a Steinway grand.

Diana explained the piece came to her when, in a moment of grief over her late husband, she sat down at the piano one day and just started playing.

“One evening I was feeling really, really lost. I remember going to the piano and I was just dreaming on the piano, improvising, and somehow, out of that came a tune,” she said.

“I just went with it really and suddenly I found I could write music, something I never thought I would do in my life, and then I felt different because I kind of realised I was working on something and I was feeling that this is not the end.”

Read more: 87-year-old moves ‘The Piano’ judges to tears with original composition

87-year-old woman wows with original composition on The Piano

All seven finalists of The Piano have been gifted a piano, a tradition that follows on from last season.

Diana joins the ranks of star young pianists Lucy Illingworth and Brad Kella, the previous winners who have both gone on to release albums and make debuts at Classic FM Live at the Royal Albert Hall, broadcast on Sky Arts.

Read more: Lucy improvises boogie-woogie duet with ‘The Piano’ winner Brad Kella

“I never believed that I was actually good enough,” Diana added, “I would like to say to people never give up on your dreams, because I’m living mine at my age.”