If I do say something more, people will decide I'm one of those musicians who can be relied on for a quote about political matters, and I don't want to be one of them.' 'I am Left-leaning, I suppose, but I don't think the world wants to know about my political beliefs. 'Well that's a way of avoiding the question in interviews like this,' he laughs. I remark that many musicians describe themselves as 'apolitical'.

Why of course? 'Well, in the sense that everyone has a duty to vote.' I ask him whether he's a political animal. In the past he has passionately attacked cuts to music teaching in secondary schools. Grosvenor is reluctant to come across as sounding too opinionated. 'Perhaps the most remarkable young pianist of our time,' said Bryce Morrison, the veteran music critic. 'A pianist to make you sigh with joy,' exclaimed the critic of The New York Times. It's the life most pianists only reach in their 40s, if ever, and rarely by pianists from these shores. Now he's constantly on the road, en route from one high-profile venue and orchestra to the next. In the same year, he became the youngest ever musician to be signed to Decca Classics and the first British pianist in 60 years. He won the keyboard section of the BBC Young Musician of the Year at the age of only 11, and seven years later performed at the First Night of the BBC Proms. The career of 25-year-old Benjamin Grosvenor, who comes from Southend, has been an almost vertical ascent in a few short years, an unbroken series of competition wins and ecstatically received debuts in concert halls all round the world. But there's a new contender in town who is not only equal to these three greats but possibly even better. Or you might argue for Daniil Trifonov, who is from Russia. If you were asked who is the most exciting young pianist around right now, you'd probably opt for Yuja Wang or the flamboyant, show-stopping talent of Lang Lang.

Benjamin grosvenor