Ribble Valley Olympic pentathlete Samantha Murray up for BBC piano challenge (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Ribble Valley Olympic pentathlete Samantha Murray up for BBC piano challenge

2:30pm Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Jessica Cree, Education reporter

OLYMPIC silver medallist Samantha Murray will be turning her talents to the piano when she takes part in a BBC challenge.

The Ribble Valley pentathlete, who has never played the instrument before, will appear alongside celebrities like presenter Nicky Campbell, weather host Carol Kirkwood and Radio Manchester DJ Allan Beswick as part of Piano Season, which will feature across BBC TV and radio.

The stars will be given just six weeks to master the piano, with the aim of making it to a gala concert in Cardiff in aid of Children In Need on October 29, which will be broadcast live on Radio 3.

Samantha will also talk about her experiences on the station’s In Tune programme.

She said: “I am really looking forward to taking part because I don’t play an instrument and I thought it would be a really nice thing to do. It was not until I signed up that they told me I would be playing in a concert so I have been really thrown in at the deep end. I have not had any lessons yet, I will just be taking each day as it comes.

“I have university exams, and I will be restarting training too, so it is going to be really hectic.”

The 22-year old is planning on applying some of the determination and commitment she applies to her five events.

She said: “I just think playing the piano is a really nice thing to be able to do. I am not at all musical but it is all for a good cause and hopefully it will be fun too.”

The Piano Season is intended to celebrate some of the greatest piano works written by composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann, as well as looking at great jazz works.

There will also be an edition of BBC1's Imagine dedicated to world-renowned pianist Lang Lang to mark his 30th birthday.