Jude Kofie, a 12-year-old Ghanaian pianist living in the United States, is a nominee for the inaugural Pianote Awards, which will take place on March 14, 2024. In the category of Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year, he was nominated.
The young pianist is up against some very talented competitors, including Lucy, the blind and neurodivergent teen pianist, Miki Sawada, who won praise for her documentary debut at the Independent Film Festival Boston and her tour of Alabama, and Helen Martyniuk, the viral hit maker from Ukraine whose song “Bee Theme” went viral worldwide.
Jude Kofie, who was born with a heart defect and is autistic, shot to fame in 2023 when a piano tuner noticed his extraordinary talent and gave him a piano as a gift. The tuner was impressed by Kofie’s self-taught abilities.
His journey took a significant turn when he made an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, where the music director for Kelly Clarkson, Jason Halbert, who is autistic himself, offered him a position as a mentor.
Kofie received a great deal of praise for this exposure, which culminated in him being awarded the Heroes Award at the HollyRod Foundation’s DesignCare Gala.
To honor pianists all over the world, the Pianote Awards will include ten categories covering a range of genres and media, including social media sites like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pop as well as classical, jazz, and contemporary music.
In addition, original compositions are recognized at the event, and the Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year is honored.
