WINNERS OF 2004-2005

SOLO DIVISION

3rd place  Winner  -   Michael Schneider

2nd place Winner -  Fred Karpoff

1st place Winners -
  Yuri Chayama
    Mana Tokuno

CONCERTO DIVISION

Two First Place:    Fred Karpoff & Ioannis Potamousis

Awards and Honorariums totaling $6500

Solo 1st Place -$1500

Solo 2nd Place-$1300

Solo 3rd Place-$1200

Honorium from Mesa State College-$1500 to 1st Place

(including performance engagement)

Performance Engagement at Keller Hall at UNM and Honorarium

Total of $1000 for Concerto Winner or Winners

SEMI-FINALISTS & CONCERTO FINALISTS OF 2004-2005

(In Alphabetical Order)

Lauren Anderson is currently studying piano performance at the University of New Mexico with Professor Falko Steinbach. Since beginning her studies with Professor in 2001, she has traveled abroad (Germany and Italy) to participate in master classes and perform in concert. She received a musicianship scholarship. Ms. Anderson will represent the state of New Mexico in the Division Level of the Young Artists Music Teachers National Association Competition this coming January in Long Beach, California, as she did last year as well. While maintaining a busy schedule of piano and academics, Ms. Anderson also composes. Her most recent compositions are explorations in sound, language, and mathematics. The cadenza she performs in Beethoven's Concerto No. 1 in C Major is her own. Ms. Anderson is also working toward a bachelor degree in pure mathematics.

Yuri Chayama was born in Japan. She received her Bachelor's Degree at the College of Music in Japan. She also received her Artist's Diploma at the college of Music in Aachen, Germany. She has worked as accompanist to vocal classes in the College of Music in Aachen, Germany.  Her participation and performances include: International Mastercourse in Nice, France Piano Mastercourse in Kassel, Germany, by Prof. Renate Fischer-Kretschmar Mastercourse in Montepulciano, Italy, by Prof. Falko Steinbach International Musicfestival in Weikersheim, Germany, by Prof. Falko Steinbach International Mastercourse by Chopin Gesellschaft in Darmstadt, Germany, by Prof. Renate Fischer-Kretschmar Mastercourse in Heek,Germany, by Prof. Falko Steinbach Val Tidone Summer Music Camp, Piano Mastercourse in Italy, Received a Scholarship.  Since January 2005 she has been living in Albuquerque, studying with Prof. Falko Steinbach at the University of New Mexico.

Jeong-Yoon Choi, a native of South Korea, began her musical studies at the age of six, and won her first competition at age ten. While in America, she won the New England Conservatory's Honors Competition, University of Maryland's Concerto Competition, and Homer Ulrich Competition. Recently she appeared at President Monroe's historic House sponsored by Arts Club of Washington and at The National Theatre in Washington D.C. She was also chosen as a recitalist for Concerts at the Alden 2004-2005 season, supported by Arts Council of Fairfax County, Virginia.  She has appeared in many solo and chamber music concerts in USA including performances at Jordan Hall (as a winner of NEC Honors Competition), Dekelboum Concert Hall (as a winner of UMCP Concerto Competition), Monroe House, The National Theatre, KM Art Center, Out Lady of Victory Church, Ulrich Recital Hall, and Gildenhorn Recital Hall, as well as performances in Korea, Canada, and Russia. She has also participated in master classes with Russell Sherman, Andre Watts, Martin Canin, Gabriel Chodos and Joseph Kalichstein. Summer festivals have included International School for Musical Arts in Canada, Contemporary Piano Institute of Boston, Ecole Normal de Musique de Paris, Juilliard School, St. Petersburg Conservatory and Sergei Babayan International Piano Academy. Active as a performer of contemporary music, several composers have dedicated works to her.  She attended the Busan High School of Arts and Busan National University. She holds Master of Music from New England Conservatory and Doctor of Musical Arts from University of Maryland. Her teachers include In-Il Kim, Jacob Maxin, Randal Hodgkinson, Paul Shenly and Larissa Dedova. At the University of Maryland, she had been a staff pianist teaching piano class for three years.  Her Awards and Honors include:  Winner of Homer Ulrich Competition, University of Maryland, 2003,Winner of Concerto Competition, University of Maryland, 2002,Winner of Honors Competition, New England Conservatory, 1997,2nd Prize, Busan Music Competition, 1991'

John Cobb is an international performer and recording artist known for his broad interpretive range and technical command.  The New York Times has praised his "solid technique, bronze tone and flexibility of interpretive style." The Chicago Daily News commented, "the vibrations that filled the hall were less those of the piano than those of an exquisite musical mind." Dr. Cobb is a direct musical descendant of Franz Liszt through his teacher, pianist Claudio Arrau, whose teacher was a pupil of Liszt.  

Brita Ford is a former student of Michael Baron  at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado.  She currently holds a M.M. from Manhattan School of Music.

Justin Gray, a brilliant young American virtuoso who has won numerous awards for his artistry, has been described by the Remarker Arts Magazine in Dallas, Texas as "managing to perform with with both passion and composure, fervor and poise, zeal and control."  Mr. Gray was the Kawai Grand Prize winner in the 2005 Palos Verdes Music Peninsula Festival Competition in Los Angeles, and he has also won prizes in the 1994 Kingsville International Competition, the 1995 Texas Music Teacher’s Association Competition for Solo Piano, the 1996 Grace Welsh Prize for Piano in Chicago, the 2004 Mid-Texas Symphony Competition, and the 2004 Los Angeles Liszt Competition.  Mr. Gray has been coached by such esteemed artists as Claude Frank, Ian Hobson, Anton Nel, and Jeffrey Swann. He has also studied extensively with Tong-il Han and Donna Edwards.  In his career, Mr. Gray has been a participant at the 1995 Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California, the 1996 Festival for Young Artists in Lawrence, Kansas, the 1997 Cliburn Institute for Young Artists in Fort Worth, Texas, and the 2004 International Piano Institute of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has been featured as soloist with the Southern Methodist University Symphony, conducted by David Milnes.  Mr. Gray is a graduate of The Juilliard School where he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance under Bartok scholar Gyorgy Sandor and was a recipient of the William H. Merrill scholarship. He recently graduated with his Masters of Music degree in Piano Performance from Southern Methodist University, where he was granted a full artistic scholarship and was under the instruction of Alfred Mouledous, a former pupil of Walter Gieseking. Mr. Gray is currently a Doctoral candidate at the University of North Texas, where he is a student of Joseph Banowetz.

Riko Higuma.  Born in Japan, Ms.Higuma started her piano studies at the age of five. She gave her first solo recital at the age of eleven at Teatro San Martin in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ms.Higuma has received numerous awards including the top prize of the Jacob Flier International Competition. She has given solo recitals and played in chamber music concerts throughout the United States, Italy, Russia and her native Japan.  Ms.Higuma has participated in music festivals around the world, including the Nagano-Aspen Music Festival, Piano Summer at New Paltz, New York, International Academy in Russia, Merano Fest in Italy and LaJolla Music Society Summerfest in California. She was one of the Young Artists for the Van Cliburn Piano Institute in Fort Worth in the summer of 2002, where she appeared with the Fort Worth Symphony under Edward Browne. Among the distinguished artists with whom she studied in master classes are Eugene Istomin, Vladimir Feltsman, Igor Lazko, Paul Badura-Skoda, Oxana Yablonskaya, Vladimir Virdo, Dang Thai Son and Leon Fleisher. She has studied chamber music with Issidore Cohen, members of the American String Quartet, Steve Taylor and Cho-Liang Lin.  Her collaboration in chamber music performances has included such distinguished artists as Albert Markov, Cho-Liang Lin, Alan Gilbert, Charles Curtis, Steven Tanenbom and Timothy Eddy among others. In La Jolla Summerfest 2003, her live performance was broadcast on NPR�fs Performance Today. She studied with Phillip Kawin for six years at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, of which she is a graduate and is engaged as a staff vocal accompanist.

Fred Karpoff has concertized as both soloist and collaborative pianist throughout North America and across Europe and Africa, including at the Franz Liszt Hochschüle für Musik in Weimar, the Theatre d'Esch in Luxembourg, the American Cultural Center in Brussels, the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, the Bulawayo Academy of Music in Zimbabwe, the National Concert Hall in Dublin, and the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He has performed at the Rutgers Summerfest, Skaneateles, Ravinia, and Siena (Italy) music festivals, as well as in recitals on public radio stations throughout the United States in collaborations with the Cassatt Quartet, Larry Combs, Eric Ruske, and members of the New World, Chicago, and Audubon String Quartets and the Los Angeles Piano Quartet. The Syracuse Post-Standard wrote, "In terms of musicality, Karpoff is one of the most exciting pianists to watch and hear in the history of the Skaneateles Festival. His involvement and intensity at the piano are at once apparent, and his phrasing invariably superb. Karpoff's interpretations consistently reveal not only a keen dramatic sense of purpose, but also a deep understanding of a work's architectural structure."  A former Artistic Ambassador for the United States Information Agency, Fred Karpoff has studied with Ann Schein, Yoheved Kaplinsky, and Robert Weirich and holds the DMA from the Peabody Conservatory, where he was a frequent performer in the master classes of Leon Fleisher. He has also worked with renowned artists such as Jeffrey Kahane, Richard Goode, Murray Perahia, Menahem Pressler, and the late Karl-Ulrich Schnabel.

Dr. Hwa-Jin Kim was born in Daegu, South Korea, where she began her piano studies at the age of five. She was chosen to perform at MBC Television Station in Daegu at age seven, and she appeared as a soloist with the Daegu Symphony Orchestra at age fourteen. She won numerous competitions and entered the prestigious Seoul National University in South Korea on full scholarship, studying with Dr. Jin-Woo Chung. Upon graduation, she came to New York to continue her studies with Zenon Fishbein at the Manhattan School of Music, where she received her Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees.  Dr. Kim has performed in South Korea at Seoul Arts Center, Seoul Cultural Center, and Arts Center in Daegu. She has also performed at the Rossini Summer Festival in Italy, and at many other venues in Boston, Rhode Island, and New York, including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.  Dr. Kim has been a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music, Reformed Presbyterian Seminary of the East, and New York Bethesda Theological Seminary, teaching both piano and music history. She has also been on the piano faculty at the Music School in Providence, and a private piano instructor at Brown University in Rhode Island.  After moving to the Asheville/Hendersonville area of North Carolina in 2000, Dr. Kim has been featured as a soloist in numerous concert series and benefit concerts. She joined the music faculty at University of North Carolina at Ashville as an adjunct assistant professor in January 2003, and has given solo recitals annually.

Evan Kory, originally from Nogales, Arizona, a small town bordering Mexico, Evan Kory began his musical studies at the age of six with Dorothy Boudreau. During the summers of 1998-2002, Evan attended the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, where he cultivated a love for classical music. Subsequently, he enrolled at the Interlochen Arts Academy studying with pianist Yoshikazu Nagai during his junior and senior years of high school.  Evan has performed abroad in festivals such as the first Beijing International Music Festival and Academy in China and the International Academy of Music in Italy.    Presently, Evan is entering his third year at the Manhattan School of Music in New York and studies with Professor Philip Kawin.

Faith Lanctot, has had music at the center of her life since she was a dancing and singing toddler. She lives in Grand Junction, Colorado, is home-schooled, and has eight brothers and sisters.  She has studied piano with Dr. Michael Baron for eight years. Faith has won seven First Prize awards in the Grand Junction Music Teacher’s Association Sonatina Competition, First Place in the Junior Solo Division of the Four Corners Piano Competition in Durango, First Place in the First Plymouth Congregational Church Annual Competition in Denver, and two First Place prizes in the Colorado State Music Teachers’ Association Concerto Competition. She has performed recitals and has been soloist with orchestras in the United States and in Italy.

Juanita Madland has been playing piano since age four. She won alternate for the first solo competition of the IPI. She has bachelor and master degrees in piano performance, the latter with Evelyne Brancart whose teacher was a pupil of Liszt.  In the last ten years Juanita has given multiple concerts in Oslo and at the branch of the Salzburg Mozarteum in Italy, at the Peter Paul Rubens Museum in Antwerp, and in Germany. She won the New Mexico adult concerto competition, performed with concertos and solos in Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and was twice in Van Cliburn competitions, one where the New York Times photographed her with an article in the paper. Previously she directed and performed in a United Service Organization (USO)Troupe in the Caribbean and won a Ted Mack contest for the Midwest.  She teaches music at UNM-LA and gives regular concert-lectures as the "Pedagogical Pianist."  In 2002 Juanita Madland was NM Music Teacher of the Year and is a permanent Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. She and her husband have three musician children.

Eun-Hee Park graduated summa cum laude from Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado. A member of Alpha Chi, the National College Honor Society, she is currently accepted to a mater’s program in music performance at Oklahoma City University on full scholarship, where she will continue her studies with Dr. Michael Baron, head of the piano department.  Since she started studying piano at her age of seven, she has won numerous awards and scholarships in both Korea and the U.S.A.  Ms. Park has attended the summer music program, Corsi Internazionali di Musica at the University of Urbino, Italy, and has participated in masterclasses of Renato Premezzi, Daniel Pollack, David Korevaar, Daniel Epstein, Robert Marler, and Lisa Campi.  She has performed recitals in Korea and the U.S.A.

Elias-Axel Pettersson, born in Sweden and raised in New Mexico, Elias began playing piano and violin at an early age.  He received a High School Diploma in Piano upon completing the requirements for GUILD (sponsored by MTNA).  In recent summers, Elias received scholarships to attend music festivals including the Adamant Music School (Vermont) and Summit Music Festival (New York).  In 2003, he was invited to perform in the Adamant Music School Master Class Session given by the distinguished pianist and pedagogue, Menahem Pressler.  Elias was recently accepted into the prestigious 2005 International Prague Masterclasses.  In 2004, Elias competed in the 8th Biennial Los Angeles Franz Liszt International Piano Competition.  In the Budapest Concert Division, he was awarded a “Special Jury Prize” for his performance of Liszt’s Sonetto 104 del Petrarca (from Années de Pèlerinage: Deuxieme année).  He also received 4th Prize in the Concerto Division for his performance of Liszt’s Concerto No. 1 in Eb Major.  He is also a member of the Friday Morning Music Club of Washington D.C.  Elias’s solo performances include appearances in Gildenhorn Recital Hall and Homer Ulrich Recital Hall (University of Maryland), Henry Alvah Strong Auditorium (University of Rochester), Howard Hanson Hall (Eastman School of Music), Keller Hall (University of New Mexico), Simms Fine Arts Center (Albuquerque Academy), B’nai Israel Synagogue (Albuquerque, New Mexico), and the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque, among others.  He has played in masterclasses for André Watts, Jean-Bernard Pommier, Jeremy Denk, Dina Joffe, Pavel Nersessian, the Merling Trio, and the Guarneri String Quartet. He graduated from the University of Rochester with a B.A. in Music (high honors) and a Minor in Biology.  Concurrently, he studied piano at the Eastman School of Music with Dr. Douglas Humpherys, co-chair of the keyboard division.  Elias received his M.M. in Piano Performance from the University of Maryland as a student of Professor Larissa Dedova.  Elias is a National Dean’s List Scholar and a Chancellor’s List Scholar.


Ioannis Potamousis.  Born in Athens, Ioannis Potamousis graduated "Summa Cum Laude" from the Piraeus Federation Conservatory in Greece, from the studio of Thalia Mira obtaining the First Prize and a gold medal in piano. As a member of Roswitha Gediga’s studio, he pursued his education at the Cologne State University in Germany and received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees with "Outstanding" recognition. In May 2002, Ioannis Potamousis graduated from the studio of Pavlina Dokovska in the Professional Studies Department at the Mannes College of Music. He is currently a DMA candidate in piano performance at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and is a student of Susan Starr.  Most recently Ioannis was a finalist at the Mozart Concerto Competition organized by the State University of Cologne as well as a winner of the Myconiou prize given by the Academy of Athens. Additional awards include a special prize, awarded by the Haus Marteau association of Music Friends in Lichtenberg, Germany, also a winner in piano of the State Institution of Athens as well as the top prize at the Balkan Piano Competition in Patra, Greece. February 2001accolades for Mr. Potamousis included the 2001-2002 NASO Young Artists Concerto Competition in New York and the Silver Medal in the 2001 World Piano competition in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Mr. Potamousis is also the winner of the prestigious Concerto Competition at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Additionally Ioannis was awarded with the prize of the best performance of a Liszt work, at the Santa Fe International Piano competition in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in August 2004. More over, at the same competition Mr. Potamousis was selected to play at the finals of the concerto and solo category in August 2005. In July 2004 Ioannis was also featured as virtuoso piano soloist in the Beethoven Choral Fantasy with the Summit Festival Symphony Orchestra of Summit, New Jersey.  Ever since 1995, Ioannis Potamousis has been featured in recitals and chamber music concerts in Greece, France, Germany and in New York. As a soloist he has been featured with the Cologne University Orchestra, with the Collegium Musicum, the Altstadt Philharmonic of Cologne, the Athens State Orchestra and with the Soloists of Patra. In April 2003 he made his New York orchestral debut in at the 93rd Street Symphony Space, playing the first piano concerto by Tchaikovsky with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra. In 2004 Ioannis performed the same concerto with the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra in New Brunswick. Ioannis has also recorded works for both piano solo and chamber music for the WDR Koeln, West Germany Radio and for the State Radio of Piraeus in Greece.  Mr. Potamousis has been a member of the teaching faculty at New Jersey City University in Jersey City and maintains a private studio based in New York.

Michael Schneider's performing career began at age eleven when he made his orchestral debut performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 with the San Angelo Symphony. Mr. Schneider made his Carnegie Hall debut performing in Weill Recital Hall on November 16, 2002 as a prizewinner of the 2002 Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition. He also won the prize for the best performance of a work by an American contemporary composer. Mr. Schneider most recently won second prize at the 10th Pacific Piano Competition in Vancouver, Canada last February 2004. Mr. Schneider frequently introduces his programs with historical background and many times shares his own personal and sometimes witty experiences with the music.  This fall marks the inauguration of the San Angelo Piano Festival, a new festival in West Texas directed by Mr. Schneider in order to bring a wealth of talent and music for the city of San Angelo to enjoy and be a part of. Events will include several guest artist recitals, impromptu musicales, and a young artist program that includes master classes and a young artist recital. The first student to graduate from the Artist Certificate Program at the University of North Texas, he also holds a Bachelors Degree in Piano Performance from that school as a student of Dr. Pamela Mia Paul.  Currently, Mr. Schneider is studying in the Professional Studies program at the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of Mr. Paul Schenly, where he also holds a Masters Degree in performance.

 
Mana Tokuno was born in Toyama, Japan, in 1978. Ms.Tokuno began music lessons at age six and in 1992, she began studying with Midori Tanabe (former professor at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) in Tokyo,National University of Fine Arts and Music.  She went on to study with Victor Rosenbaum at The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she received her master of music degree with academic honors and played with the NEC Orchestra at her commencement concert. Since her childhood, Mana
has been the winner of numerous awards, including many competitions in Japan, Valsesia Musica in Italy (Semi-Finalist, and Special Prize for her interpretation of Schubert Sonata in A Major, D.959), Corpus Christy International competition in Texas (Sixth place and special Leo Sirota Award for her Schubert Sonata in A Major,D.959), and the Susan L. Tajra Music Scholarship in France.  In June 2003, she was one of six pianists selected from all over the world to participate in The Daniel Barenboim Workshop: The Beethoven Sonatas, presented by Carnegie Hall.  Again, in January and March 2004, she was selected as one of four pianists to participate in The Leon Fleisher Workshop: The Late Schubert Sonatas, and performed at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall. In addition to an active solo schedule of performing throughout the US and Japan, she often collaborateswith singers and other instrumentalists.  In 2000, she presented a series of lecture concerts in the elementary schools in the US and Japan. Currently she resides in Boston, Massachusetts, and is active as solo recitalist, chamber musician and music coach.

FIRST PRELIMINARY

July 26-31, 2004

PETER ZOLLNER (USA)age 15,is a native of Grand Junction, Colorado.  He began his piano studies at age 4 with his grandmother.   He has studied for some time with Dr. Michael Baron at Mesa State College.

RIKO HIGUMA (Japan)is a graduate student at the Manhattan School of Music where she studies with Phillip Kawin.   She is performing the Paganini Variations by Liszt.

CARL  ETTINGER (USA) from Albuquerque is a student of Falco Steinbach.  He is performing the first movement of Concerto in Eb by Liszt.

EVAN KORY (USA) from Nogales, Arizona, is a student at the Manhattan School of Music where he studies with Phillip Kawin.

EVAN KORY  will perform the first movement of Concerto in D Minor K466 by Mozart.

RIKO HIGUMA (Japan)will be performing the first movement of Beethoven Concerto No. 5 (The Emperor).

KATHRYN HAYDEN (USA)  lives in Albuquerque, New, Mexico . She is a student of Jacquelyn Helin.  She will perform Sonata in b minor by Liszt.

CARL ETTINGER (USA) from Albuquerque is a student of Falco  Steinbach. He is performing the "Out of Doors Suite" by Bartok and Etude Op. 10 no. 8 by Chopin.

IOANNIS  POTAMOUSIS (GREECE), a DMA student at Rutgers University will be giving his solo performance for the competition.

KATHRYN  MIENTKA (USA)  is a student of Michael Baron at Mesa State College  in Grand Junction, Colorado. She is performing Prelude Op. 23 no. 4 by Rachmaninoff and Arabesques on the Blue Danube by Strauss-Schulz-Evler.

FAITH LANCTOT (USA 17 years old is from Grand Junction, Colorado where she has studied piano with Michael Baron. Faith will perform the Dante Sonata by Liszt and Toccata by Prokofieff.

SEUNG WON YOO ( South Korea) is a student of Dr. Joseph Banowitz at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas.  She is performing the third movement of Concerto No.5 by Saint-Saens.

IOANNIS  POTAMOUSIS (GREECE)is a DMA student at Rutgers University. He is performing the first movement of the Concerto in Bb minor by Tchaikovsky.

EUN -HEE PARK (South Korea) will be giving solo performance.  She is a student of Michael Baron at Mesa State College.  EUN-HEE PARK is playing the Menotti Concerto.

BRITA FORD (USA)is a student of Michael Baron  at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado.  She is performing Concerto No.2 (1st movt.) by Saint-Saens .

ALEXANDER SCHWARTZKOPF (USA) pianist and composer is performing the first movement of Concerto in d minor by Brahms.

JUANITA  MADLAND (USA) teaches piano at the university of New Mexico - Los Alamos. Her program is as follows:  French Suite BWV  812;  Sonata K457 1st. movt. by Mozart;  Brahms ,Op. 118 nos.
2,3,and6.

GREG OGIN will be performing solo competition.  Greg is a student of Juanita Madland in Los Alamos, New

SECOND PRELIMINARY

Dec. 27-29th, 2004

December 27th, 28th and 29th of 2004 featured one of the largest piano events of the Southwest. Thirteen performing artists gave 25 performances in Solo and Concerto Competition and "Meet the Competitors" Concerts.

Adjudicators for the event were Dr. Falko Steinbach University of New Mexico; Michael Mauldin, Composer; Dr. John Olson Eastern New Mexico University; Robert McKenna Artist; and adjudicators each from Italy and Russia.

Semifinalists in the December Preliminaries:

SOLO

Justin Grey, Michael Schneider, Mana Takuno, Lauren Anderson, John Cobb, Elias-Axel Pettersson.

CONCERTO

Justin Grey

SPECIAL AWARDS

Instrospective Mozart: John Cobb

Demonic Liszt: Michael Schneider

The Competitors
(in alphabetical order)
(* signifies selected semifinalist)

Rodion Burtsev, age 16, was born in the Soviet Union and is now an honors student at Los Alamos High. At age 6, Mr. Burtsev began his musical education under the tutelage of award-winning violinist Dylana Jenson. Under the influence of his mother, Natalia Efremova, he changed his musical orientation and at age 10 began regular, intensive piano instruction. He has participated in numerous master classes with renown artists, including Evelyn Brancart, Robert Hamilton, Falko Steinbach and others. In 2004, Mr. Burtsev received a bronze medal in the Four Corners interstate piano competition. He was accepted into the 2004 New Mexico Music Teachers National Association competition and in the Virginia Waring Piano International Competition in California in January 2005. Mr. Burtsev is also an amateur video artist and has written, directed, edited and produced several short films.

Xiao-Bo Chen was born into a musical family in Shanghai, China. She graduated from the high school of the prestigious Shanghai Conservatory of Music with top honors. After coming to the States, Ms. Chen received her Performer's Certificate and Artist Diploma from Texas Christian University. A prize winner of many competitions, Ms. Chen made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2001 after winning the Frinna Auerbuch Competition in New York. She has won the Maria Canals Competition (Spain) and Sorantin Young Artist Competition (San Angelo, Texas), and has performed as a soloist with the Fort Worth Chamber Orchestra, TCU Orchestra and University of North Texas Orchestra. Ms. Chen is currently pursuing her Masters degree in piano performance at University of North Texas.

Jennifer Chu is a senior at the University of New Mexico, with a double major in history and music. Ms. Chu is 21 years old, from Albuquerque and currently studies with Professor Falko Steinbach. She started playing piano at an early age under the tutelage of her mother, Pei Pei, who is a piano teacher. Ms. Chu plans to continue her studies in music and will soon be submitting applications to law school.

Brian Davenport is a 16-year-old pianist from Los Alamos, New Mexico, who gravitates toward all things musical, from church organist to musical theater to classical ballet and jazz dance. Mr. Davenport enjoys creating his own music and has written several original compositions for solo piano, some of which have placed in national competitions and have been featured in performance with Santa Fe New Music. He has also performed in recent Santa Fe Opera productions of Carmen and Wozzeck. Brian studies piano performance with Juanita Madland. In addition to music, Mr. Davenport has many interests, including science fair competitions, speech and debate team activities, art and Boy Scouts.

Karl Erik Ettinger born in Michigan and is currently a serving a Graduate Teaching Assistantship in Group Piano at the University of New Mexico, where he studies with Professor Falko Steinbach. After coming to serious piano study later in life, Mr. Ettinger earned the Bachelor of Music degree from the Conservatory at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. He feels fortunate to have studied with Nancy Hartman, Michael Rickman, Richard Cass and Professor Steinbach, all of whom continue to provide inspiration and guidance. Mr. Ettinger is a member of the New Mexico Federation of Music Clubs and teaches piano privately in Albuquerque. Along with teaching, Mr. Ettinger performs regularly in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. He has participated in master classes in Italy and Germany and has also recently participated in the Val Tidone International Piano Competition in Pianello, Italy. He plans to enter a doctoral program in piano performance next year.

Nathan Salazar is 16 years old, currently a resident of La Mesilla, NM. He has been homeschooled for eight years and is a part of a large homeschool chorus. He started piano lessons with Sharon Lauber of La Mesilla when he was eight years old; since the age of twelve, he has studied with Charlene Cox-Clifton of Los Alamos. In 2002, he placed first in the state at the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) piano competition. He went on to compete at the regional level with the state winners from California, Nevada, Hawaii, Arizona and Utah. In 2003, he placed first in the Professional Music Teachers of New Mexico State Honors competition in his age level, accompanied the Missoula Childrens Theater production in Los Alamos, as well as Immaculate Heart of Mary girls choir and the Espanola Homeschool choir. He plays for the elderly in Los Alamos and for fundraisers at McCurdy Schools. On March 13, 2004, he was awarded Grand Prize in the NM Symphony Orchestra and NM Symphony Guild Young Artists Competition in Piano Performance, a concerto competition. His fourteen-year-old sister, Nena Salazar, accompanied him on the second piano. During the summer of 2004, Nathan attended the International Institute for Young Musicians at the University of Kansas at Lawrence, Kansas. Most recently, he placed first in the MTNA High School competition. He will compete regionally at Long Beach, CA, in January, 2005.

THIRD PRELIMINARY

   JULY 29TH-31ST, 2005                

   ADJUDICATORS for Third Preliminary

(In alphabetical order.)

Michael Baron

Beryl Lovitz  (Honorary)

Michael Mauldin

Robert McKenna

Bill Seymour,  Chair

Tatiana Vetrinskaya

Repertoire for the Third Preliminary

(Artist-Competitors in Alphabetical Order)

Phil Amalong

SOLO

Sonata, Op. 109 in E major Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Vivace.
Prestissimo.
Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung.
Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo.

Dale Backus

CONCERTO

Brahms No. 1 in d min. lst mvt.

Yuri Chayma

SOLO

F. Liszt : Rigoletto-Paraphrase

F. Chopin : Polonaise- Fantasie Op.61

Jeong-Yoon Choi

CONCERTO

Ravel Piano Concerto in G.  3rd Mvt.

SOLO

Schubert – Zwei Scherzi, D. 593

I. Allegretto

II. Allegro moderato

Grieg – Lyric Pieces Op. 54

I. Shepherd Boy

III. March of the Trolls

IV. Notturno

V. Scherzo

Prokofiev – Piano Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 14, 4th mov.

IV. Vivace

Fred Karpoff

CONCERTO

Brahms No. 1 in d min. lst mvt.

SOLO

Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 50 "Eroica" Edward MacDowell

Slow, with nobility; fast, passionately (1861-1908) Elf-like, as light and swift as possible Tenderly, longingly, yet with passion Fiercely, very fast

Hwa-Jin Kim

SOLO
Piano Sonata in B Minor, K.27

D. Scarlatti (1685-1757)

Piano Sonata, Hob. XVI: 20 in C Minor Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

I. Moderato
II. Andante con moto
III. Finale: Allegro

Grand Etudes of Paganini No. 6 "A Minor"..Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Faith Lanctot

CONCERTO

Liszt Concerto in Eb

Emi Nakajima

CONCERTO

Brahms No. 1 in dmin. lst mvt.

SOLO

Chopin Ballade No.1 in g minor, op. 23
Ravel La Valse

Victoria Shusterov

CONCERTO

N. Rimsky-Korsakov.

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra

Op. 30 in C sharp minor

SOLO

P. Tchaikovsky. Dumka

Beethoven. Sonata op. 57 in F minor

Allegro ma non troppo

A. Scriabin. Two Etudes

Op. 2, No. 1 in C sharp minorOp. 8,

No. 12 in D sharp minor

R. Shchedrin. Basso-Ostinato

Kate Whitney

SOLO

Chopin, Prelude in e minor

Mendelssohn, Sonata in A flat

Allegro Moderato

Adgio

Finale Presto

Chopin, Ballade in F, opus 38

Peter Zollner 

CONCERTO

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, 1st mvt.

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ARTIST-COMPETITORS --

THIRD PRELIMINARY

(In Alphabetical order)

Philip Amalong attended the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music after winning a Van Cliburn Scholarship. He studied with Frank Weinstock and later earned a Master’s degree studying with pianist Sandra Rivers. Other awards include first prize in the McElroy Competition and the Sarah B. Marvin Scholarship Award, and recently awards at the IBLA Grand Prize International Piano Competition in Sicily and a Fellowship to the Rome Festival in Rome, Italy. He participated in masterclasses of Gary Graffman,Cecile Ousset, and Samuel Sanders. Mr. Amalong has taught at Xavier University and is currently on the faculty at the College of Mount St. Joseph. Philip Amalong has performed with the Razbia Ensemble and played and recorded with the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops, the Fort Wayne Symphony and the Dayton Philharmonic. He performs in various cities throughout the US and has played in Germany, Czech Republic, France and Italy. Mr. Amalong is an Eroica Classical Recordings artist and his recordings include many world premieres. His solo piano disc has received critical acclaim in such publications as American Record Guide, MisicWeb UK, and Music and Vision Daily. Other releases include an Albany Records disc of 20th Century works for flute and piano and a disc of sonatas for violin and piano by Busoni and Elgar. Also released in April 2004 is Sanctuary at 3 AM – a disc of works by composer Rick Sowash featuring Mr. Amalong as both soloist and chamber musician.  Another aspect of Mr. Amalong’s musical career is his work as a composer, both of concert music and of commercial scores for television and film productions. His music has been heard as background to the Academy Awards, the Golden Globe awards and many television and firm productions worldwide.

Dale Backus is a freelance pianist/keyboardist in the front range region of Colorado.  He competes internationally as an amateur pianist.  In January of 2003, he performed at the 14th International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs in Paris, France.  He received 4th place Jury Award and 2nd place Audience Award.  He was invited to do a solo recital in North Carolina in March, 2003, and was also asked to return to France to play a concert in Pontlevoy, France in July, 2003.  He received Honorable Mention at the Fourth Van Cliburn international Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs in 2004.  He also plays in the Center of Awakening church band and regularly performs with 2004 Colorado Songwriter of the Year - Marcy Baruch.  He currently teaches piano part time at the Colorado School of Music in Monument, CO.  He has a B.A. in Music from Wake Forest University, a M.M in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.   Dale is also a Mechanical Engineer at Honeywell in Colorado Springs.  He has held that position for 9 years.  He works on a Government contract (Satellite Control Network Contract) where he helps maintain and enhance are large antenna network with tracking stations throughout the world.  He is married to Laura, who is a professional equestrian.  They have two children, Madeline and Charlotte, who are nine and seven respectively.  They live in Larkspur, CO and take care of a large equestrian center where Laura and the kids enjoy the outdoor lifestyle of horses and Colorado.

Yuri Chayama was born in Japan. She received her Bachelor's Degree at the College of Music in Japan. She also received her Artist's Diploma at the college of Music in Aachen, Germany. She has worked as accompanist to vocal classes in the College of Music in Aachen, Germany. Her participation and performances include: International Mastercourse in Nice, France Piano Mastercourse in Kassel, Germany, by Prof. Renate Fischer-Kretschmar Mastercourse in Montepulciano, Italy, by Prof. Falko Steinbach International Musicfestival in Weikersheim, Germany, by Prof. Falko Steinbach International Mastercourse by Chopin Gesellschaft in Darmstadt, Germany, by Prof. Renate Fischer-Kretschmar Mastercourse in Heek,Germany, by Prof. Falko Steinbach Val Tidone Summer Music Camp, Piano Mastercourse in Italy, Received a Scholarship. Since January 2005 she has been living in Albuquerque, studying with Prof. Falko Steinbach at the University of New Mexico.

Jeong-Yoon Choi, a native of South Korea, began her musical studies at the age of six, and won her first competition at age ten. While in America, she won the New England Conservatory's Honors Competition, University of Maryland's Concerto Competition, and Homer Ulrich Competition. Recently she appeared at President Monroe's historic House sponsored by Arts Club of Washington and at The National Theatre in Washington D.C. She was also chosen as a recitalist for Concerts at the Alden 2004-2005 season, supported by Arts Council of Fairfax County, Virginia. She has appeared in many solo and chamber music concerts in USA including performances at Jordan Hall (as a winner of NEC Honors Competition), Dekelboum Concert Hall (as a winner of UMCP Concerto Competition), Monroe House, The National Theatre, KM Art Center, Out Lady of Victory Church, Ulrich Recital Hall, and Gildenhorn Recital Hall, as well as performances in Korea, Canada, and Russia. She has also participated in master classes with Russell Sherman, Andre Watts, Martin Canin, Gabriel Chodos and Joseph Kalichstein. Summer festivals have included International School for Musical Arts in Canada, Contemporary Piano Institute of Boston, Ecole Normal de Musique de Paris, Juilliard School, St. Petersburg Conservatory and Sergei Babayan International Piano Academy. Active as a performer of contemporary music, several composers have dedicated works to her. She attended the Busan High School of Arts and Busan National University. She holds Master of Music from New England Conservatory and Doctor of Musical Arts from University of Maryland. Her teachers include In-Il Kim, Jacob Maxin, Randal Hodgkinson, Paul Shenly and Larissa Dedova. At the University of Maryland, she had been a staff pianist teaching piano class for three years. She had served as an organist at College Park United Methodist Church for four years from 2000 to 2004.

Faith Lanctot, has had music at the center of her life since she was a dancing and singing toddler. She lives in Grand Junction, Colorado, is home-schooled, and has eight brothers and sisters. She has played several instruments; however, she is concentrating on piano and violin at this time. She has studied piano with Dr. Michael Baron for eight years. Faith has won seven First Prize awards in the Grand Junction Music Teacher’s Association Sonatina Competition, First Place in the Junior Solo Division of the Four Corners Piano Competition in Durango, First Place in the First Plymouth Congregational Church Annual Competition in Denver, and two First Place prizes in the Colorado State Music Teachers’ Association Concerto Competition.She has performed recitals and has been soloist with orchestras in the United States and in Italy.

Juanita Madland has been playing piano since age four. She won alternate for the first solo competition of the IPI. She has bachelor and master degrees in piano performance, the latter with Evelyne Brancart whose teacher was a pupil of Liszt. In the last ten years Juanita has given multiple concerts in Oslo and at the branch of the Salzburg Mozarteum in Italy, at the Peter Paul Rubens Museum in Antwerp, and in Germany. She won the New Mexico adult concerto competition, performed with concertos and solos in Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and was twice in Van Cliburn competitions, one where the New York Times photographed her with an article in the paper. Previously she directed and performed in a United Service Organization (USO)Troupe in the Caribbean and won a Ted Mack contest for the Midwest. She teaches music at UNM-LA and gives regular concert-lectures as the "Pedagogical Pianist."  In 2002 Juanita Madland was NM Music Teacher of the Year and is a permanent Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. She and her husband have three musician children.

Emi Nakajima, began her piano studies at the age of two. She made her solo debut at the age of 11 with The Philadelphia Orchestra and appeared with the orchestra again in 1994. Dr. Nakajima has made numerous solo, recital and chamber music appearances throughout the United States in such venues as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, The Academy of Music and Curtis Hall in Philadelphia, and with the Reading Symphony Orchestra (PA), Haddonfield (NJ) Symphony and Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. Most recently, she gave chamber recitals in Guatemala City and Weill Hall, and made concerto appearances with the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, Rutgers University Orchestra, and The Academy Chamber Society. She was a prizewinner in the 1996 William Kapell International Piano Competition and first-prize winner of The Pinault 5th Binnial Audio/Video International Piano Competition (2000) and The Pennsylvania Piano Competition (2001). In the spring of 2002, she won the 9th JAA Music Scholarship Awards Competition.  During the summer, Dr. Nakajima has traveled through Europe and performed in such countries as Switzerland and Austria. She has been a regular participant of the Sarasota Music Festival since 1999, was a Peggy Rockefeller Memorial Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Festival in the summer of 2000, and was invited to the 2002 Fondazione Culturale Wilhelm Kempff Beethoven Master Course in Positano, Italy. Dr. Nakajima received her Bachelor of Music degree from The Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Eleanor Sokoloff and Claude Frank and held a Robert Ehrman Fellowship, and a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music, where she continued with Claude Frank. At 26, she received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the music department of the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University under the tutelage of Susan Starr. Her performances have been broadcasted on WRTI (90.1 FM) Radio, Philadelphia and WQXR (96.3) Radio, New York.

Kate Whitney studied piano under Dalies Frantz, Lillian Steuber and Gwendolyn Koldofsky. She has toured throughout the United States as an accompanist for Columbia Artist Community Concerts and appeared as a soloist with the Houston Summer, USC, UCI and Orange Coast Symphonies.