THE KAREN COMBS TRIBUTE AWARD FOR MOST VERSATILE PIANIST
Well-rounded skills are essential for success, yet the greatest prestige is often bestowed on specialization. This festival seeks to promote all-around musicianship by offering a prize for the student who demonstrates imaginative and interpretive excellence along with the greatest versatility. Students vying for this award are encouraged to play as much repertory (with as much variety of styles) as possible within the 15-minute limit -- preferably with demonstrations of various improvisational styles.