Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s
2017 National Competition for Piano
April 29 § Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center
Eight young pianists from around the country will compete for prestigious recognition and thousands of dollars in prize money. Judges include Julian Martin, one of the country’s foremost pianists and pedagogues; internationally renowned pianist and adjudicator Tong-il Han; and Nelita True, who is sought after the world over as a performer and a teacher.
(Sarasota, FL) Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents its 2017 National Competition for Piano, Saturday, April 29, at the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N. Tamiami Trail. The finals competition begins at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public but tickets are required. Tickets are available online at www.artistseriesconcerts.org. For more information, call 941-306-1202.
Since its inception in 2007, the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s scholarship program has become one of the most prestigious competitions in Florida, awarding more than $270,000 to 72 talented young musicians, with many past winners going on to further study and successful careers in music. The competition rotates each year between singers, pianists, and string instrument players. In 2016, to mark the organization’s 20th anniversary, the competition expanded from a state-wide competition to a national competition—open to young musicians, ages 18 to 25, who live in the United States.
According to Lee Dougherty Ross, director of competitions and community outreach for Artist Series Concerts, young pianists from more than a dozen states submitted applications for the 2017 competition. “Many students who applied are studying at the nation’s top music conservatories,” says Dougherty Ross. “We received applications from students at The Juilliard School, Harvard University, Cleveland Institute of Music, the Peabody Conservatory, Florida State University and the Curtis Institute of Music, among others.”
This year, eight young pianists, ages 18 to 25, will compete in the semi-final round. Of these, four will continue to the final round. These finalists are then presented in an evening public performance and judged by a panel of distinguished performers and educators. This year’s esteemed finalist judges include Julian Martin, one of the country’s foremost pianists and pedagogues; internationally renowned pianist and adjudicator Tong-il Han; and Nelita True, who is sought after the world over as a performer and a teacher. The semi-finalist judges are the acclaimed pianists Milana Strezeva, Amy Yang, and Grigorios Zamparas.
“Our adjudicators are all brilliant music educators and musicians,” says Dougherty Ross. “Being judged and counseled by such perceptive talents is exciting and an honor that will stay with the performers their whole lives.” Dougherty Ross adds that the prize winners will be announced following the final performance. The first-place winner receives $8,000. Awards of $5,000, $4,000 and $3,000 will be given to the second-, third- and fourth-place winners.
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota was formed in 1996 as Artist Series of Sarasota. The non-profit organization presents world-class musical experiences in a diverse range of genres, including classical, cabaret, pop, Broadway, orchestral and opera. A central focus of Artist Series Concerts’ mission is to spark a lifelong love of the musical arts by exposing young people to interactive music experiences. It accomplishes this through its performance-based outreach programs in area schools, creating unique learning opportunities for thousands of students and educators every year. In addition, Artist Series Concerts’ preeminent Sarasota National Music Scholarship Competition grants more than $20,000 annually to gifted, young musicians from around the country. Past winners have gone on to pursue successful music careers. For more information, visit www.artistseriesconcerts.org.
