Festival For Creative Pianists

RESULTS OF THE 2016 FESTIVAL FOR CREATIVE PIANISTS

Thirty young pianists from Colorado (Littleton, Morrison, Denver, Cherry Hills Village, Centennial, Pine, Longmont, and Colorado Springs) and Sheboygan, Wisconsin competed in the 2016 Festival for Creative Pianists on June 9-11 at the Wash Park Center for Music and Arts, 400 S Williams St., in Denver, CO.

Three renowned judges adjudicated for the festival: Dr. John Salmon, Dr. Luke Gillespie and Dr. Kevin Olson.

The complete schedule included highly engaging presentations by all three judges as well as a workshop with Feldenkrais® Practitioner Bethany Cob.

Student Award Highlights

Three of the seven Best Original Written Composition Finalists were honored as "Best of the Best." Their compositions have been selected for web posting by Abundant Silence:

• Desi Silverman-Joseph: "Night Eagle Nocturne"
• Greta Thoresen: "Side Saddle Sonatina"
• Maria Ali: "What They Say in Space (Disassociative)"

Special kudos to Desi Silverman-Joseph, age 11, who won a total of SEVEN prizes, thereby shattering all previous prize-garnering records:

• ARTIST PIANIST AWARD
• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A PRE-BAROQUE, BAROQUE WORK OR CLASSICAL PERIOD WORK
• BEST COMPOSITION BY A BUDDING YOUNG COMPOSER
• FINALIST: BEST ORIGINAL WRITTEN COMPOSITION (NIGHT EAGLE NOCTURNE YouTube)
• BEST DEMONSTRATION OF GENUINELY SPONTANEOUS IMPROVISATION (YouTube)
• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A ROMANTIC PERIOD WORK
• MOST VERSATILE PIANIST

Another standout contestant was Maria Ali, who scooped FOUR prizes:

• BEST DEMONSTRATION OF EMBELLISHING AND/OR IMPROVISING OR ORIGINAL CADENZA
• FINALIST: BEST ORIGINAL WRITTEN COMPOSITION
• BEST DEMONSTRATION OF SPONTANEITY AND/OR IMPROVISATION JAZZ, POP, GOSPEL OR RAG
• BEST PIANIST STUDYING WITH A CMTA MEMBER

Other top awardees included:

• Triple prizewinners Rebecca Olsen (age 9), Aidan Lindstrom (age 15), Bethany Kempe (age 14), and Greta Thoresen (age 12)

• Dual prizewinners Mark Worthington (age 16) and Sarahi Burciaga (age 14).

• Dual Honorable Mentions: Zachary Freeman (age 13).

Complete List of 2016 Prizes Awarded

Best Performance of a Pre-Baroque, Baroque Work or Classical Period Work (split prize)
Rebecca Olsen, age 9 (teacher: Carolyn Shaak)
Desi Silverman-Joseph, age 11 (teacher: Joyce Li)
Lilly Meyer, age 16: Honorable Mention - Mozart performance (teacher: Kellie Johannik)

Best Performance of a Romantic Period Work
Desi Silverman-Joseph, age 11 (teacher: Joyce Li)
Zachary Freeman, age 13: Honorable Mention - Chopin performance (teacher: Bonnie Early)

Best Performance of an Impressionistic or Contemporary work (split prize)
Sarahi Burciaga, age 14 (teacher: Carol Rankin)
Bethany Kempe, age 14 (teacher: Janet Ali)

Best Performance of a Composition in any Style by a Female Composer (split prize)
Rory Devin, age 15 (teacher: Janet Ali)
Connor Watz, age 16 (teacher: Heather Woll)
Megan Johnson, age 15: Honorable Mention (teacher: Kellie Johannik)

Best Performance of a Lyrical and Predominantly Slow Work (split prize)
Aidan Lindstrom, age 15 (teacher: Lois Sollenberger)
Alissa Rokes, age 13 (teacher: Carol Jilling)
Genesee Johannik, age 11: Honorable Mention (teacher: Kellie Johannik)

Best Pianist Studying with a DAMTA Member (split prize)
Sarahi Burciaga, age 14 (teacher: Carol Rankin)
Aidan Lindstrom, age 15 (teacher: Lois Sollenberger)

Best Pianist Studying with a CMTA Member (split prize)
Maria Ali, age 18 (teacher: Janet Ali)
Bethany Kempe, age 14 (teacher: Janet Ali)

Artist Pianist Award
Desi Silverman-Joseph, age 11 (teacher: Joyce Li)
Kenneth Fleenor, age 5: Honorable Mention (teacher: Janet Ali)

Piano Ensemble Award for Best Performance of a Work for 4 or More hands
Bethany Kempe, age 14 (teacher: Janet Ali)

Most Versatile Pianist (split prize)
Greta Thoresen, age 12 (teacher: Drea Wagner)
Desi Silverman-Joseph, age 11 (teacher: Joyce Li)

Best Demonstration of Embellishing and/or Improvising in a Classical Work or a Concerto Movement
Maria Ali, age 18 (teacher: Janet Ali)

Best Demonstration of Genuinely Spontaneous Improvisation in any Style
Desi Silverman-Joseph, age 11 (teacher: Joyce Li)

Best Demonstration of Spontaneity and/or Improvisation in a Jazz, Pop, Gospel or Rag Style Work
Maria Ali, age 18 (teacher: Janet Ali)

Best Performance of a Cowboy Jazz Selection (split prize)
Eliza Keating, age 15 (Luke Rackers)
Greta Thoresen, age 12 (teacher: Drea Wagner)

Best Performance of an Original Composition by the Contestant
Mark Worthington, age 16 (teacher: Bonnie Early)
Zachary Freeman, age 13: Honorable Mention (teacher: Bonnie Early)

Best Composition by a Budding Young Composer (age 12 or under)
Desi Silverman-Joseph, age 11 (teacher: Joyce Li)
Rebecca Olsen, age 9: Honorable Mention (teacher: Carolyn Shaak)

Best Performance of a Tasteful Transcription or Arrangement
Aidan Lindstrom, age 15 (teacher: Lois Sollenberger)

Best Original Written Composition Finalists
Rebecca Olsen, age 9 (teacher: Carolyn Shaak)
Mark Worthington, age 16 (teacher: Bonnie Early)
Jacob Hon, age 15 (teacher: Bonnie Early)
Mason Marcy, age 11 (teacher: Jodie Jensen)
Greta Thoresen, age 12 (teacher: Drea Wagner)
Maria Ali, age 18 (teacher: Janet Ali)
Desi Silverman-Joseph, age 11 (teacher: Joyce Li)

Creative Teaching Incentive Awards
The judges and directors commend all the teachers for their outstanding work!
Two especially stellar teachers were recognized for "fostering creativity, imagination, versatility and/or originality" in students:
Janet Ali
Bonnie Early