Upcoming Festival on March 27-28, 2009
Applications Are Now Being Accepted
The 2009 festival will be held on
March 27-28 (Friday & Saturday), 2009 with a "kick-off" Guest
Artist Recital by Stuart
Isacoff, one of the three judges, on Thursday evening, March
26th at 7:30 P.M.
Mesa
State College
Department of Music
Moss Performing Arts Center
1221 N. 12th St.
Grand Junction,
Colorado 81501
Eligibility:
Pianists up to age 19 as of 3/27/09 from anywhere in the world.
Applications:
Early applicants (before 1/1/09): Due to the enthusiastic feedback after the '08 festival, we
anticipate greater interest in the '09 festival. Pianists are
urged to apply as early as possible to insure their place in the '09 festival.
Early applications will be considered now through Dec. 31, 2008, upon submission of the
following:
1) Completed online application (section on repertory
may be left blank for now).
2) An in-person audition (contact
Dr. Houle) or a representative
recording (CD, DVD, videotape or audiocassette) by the applicant.
(This requirement may be waived for those who have won prizes in
our festival and/or other competitive venues. Contact Dr. Houle.) For audition or recording please
perform two contrasting selections. These pieces need not be the
same as the piece(s) that will be played at the festival.
3) Application fee of $50 and
photo (not required if applicant has submitted a photo in a
previous festival).
Students play up to 15 minutes of repertory (any style, for solo
piano and/or concerto movement as two-piano reduction), and the
judges provide constructive written
and verbal feedback. Depending on the repertory, the judges determine for which prize(s) each
contestant qualifies.
To qualify for First Prizes, all
students must attend the Saturday evening Winners Recital
(3/28/09, 7:30 P.M.) and one or
both of the two preceding evening
concerts.
Students who cannot meet all attendance requirements may, at the
discretion of the Director, qualify for honorable mention prizes.
Contact Dr. Houle.
Philosophy and unique educational mission:
This festival is the only competition of its
kind in the world, combining both classical and jazz idioms in a
constructive educational setting. Students compete for standard
baroque through contemporary repertory prizes, as well as for
novel prizes that promote neglected but important creative skills
and repertory -- e.g., original concerto cadenzas & classical
embellishing/improvisation (skills demonstrated by nearly all
great composers yet all but forgotten today), versatility (needed
to survive in today's competitive market), lyricism (usually
overshadowed by "loud and fast" playing), original compositions
(few venues exist for young serious composers), works by female
composers, tasteful arrangements/transcriptions (often disallowed
in other venues), etc.
We seek to foster diverse and well-rounded musicianship that goes
beyond the "autonomic wizardry" that is often overemphasized in other
competitions. Above all, pianists are urged to develop and
showcase their unique talents and perform with individuality,
personality, exuberance, originality and spontaneity.
The festival has been cited on NPR, in a major article in the
April 2003 issue of Clavier, and in
other music publications such as Piano & Keyboard, Piano Today, and the
London-based Piano magazine. Sponsors have included many piano
dealerships at the local and corporate level. Please patronize
our generous sponsors.
Participants:
Approximately 20-25 students.
Judges/clinicians:
Our world-class judges are generally experts in
both classical and jazz/pop styles as well as all forms of
improvisation. This combination of skills is rare; furthermore,
judges are chosen for their ability to work well with young
people and provide useful, learned and positive feedback, both
verbally and in writing.
Featured adjudicator: John Salmon.
We are pleased to announce that two other
distinguished judges will join Dr. Salmon for the 2009 festival:
Stuart Isacoff and
Monte Atkinson.
Judges' 2008 program CD's now available!
We are pleased to announce that CD recordings of the Judges Program (3/21/08) are available. Enjoy John Salmon's amazingly creative and embellished Bach as well as Anthony Olson's flamboyant performance of the music of Gottschalk! Contact Dr. Houle for details.
Donations:
We need and appreciate your generous
support!
Donations have tax benefits, and are payable to Mesa
State College Music Department.
IMPORTANT: Please indicate "piano festival" in the memo portion
of checks.
Mailing address for donations:
Dr. Calvin Hofer
Chair, Department
of Music
Mesa State College Moss
Performing Arts Center
1221 N. 12th St.
Grand Junction, CO
81501