Pianist Sophie Cashell from Ireland has been crowned the winner of BBC Two’s Classical Star series.

Sophie beat bassoonist Karen Geoghegan and guitarist Ian Watt to the title and has secured the prize of a recording contract with top label Universal Classics and Jazz.

The judges Charles Hazlewood, Chi-chi Nwanoku, Steve Abbott and Jason Lai had to review the three candidates as they performed at LSO St Luke’s alongside the 40-piece City of London Sinfonia Orchestra.

Their decision was split which meant that the 100-strong audience, randomly selected from the website, had the deciding vote.

Sophie said: “I think all of us who performed here tonight really gave as much as we could and I think that for us the most important thing was playing.

“It’s been wonderful to get to know all of these people and to play and just enjoy making music because that’s what it’s all about really.”

Acclaimed musician and Classical Star Musical Director, Matthew Barley, commented: “I think Sophie will make a fantastic CD. I think she’s really ready for that, she’s dying to do it. She’s it, she’s the Classical Star. She’s off!”