Maria King - Pianist - Part 1 - from Classical Pianist to cruise ship headliner

Having graduated at the Royal Northern College Of Music an studying contemporary music in Paris, Maria King has appeared both as concert soloist and duo partner at major venues across the country, including the Philharmonic Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Purcell Rooms, The National Portrait Gallery, St Martin in the Fields and the Lowry Quays Theatre. As well as recitals at festivals including Northern Aldborough, Cheltenham (both Contemporary and International Festivals), Honiton, Rydale, Buxton and Bath, Maria works regularly alongside both children and adults with moderate to severe learning difficulties. Maria now regularly headlines on the major cruise lines including Holland America, Crystal, Princess, Celebrity and Seabourn. She has a unique style, combining technically brilliant playing with her quirky sense of humour. I know you'll enjoy Maria. She's got a wonderful personality and really gives a good idea of what it's like to be a successful headliner on the ships.

In this, the first of 4 instalments, Maria explains her journey from classically trained pianist to headline entertainer on cruise ships. We discuss the trails of lost luggage, how it took three years to convince an agent to book her.