Welcome to PianoTexas 2012

The Official PianoTexas Blog

March 26, 2012

It is finally time! Here are the final results fresh from the 2012 PianoTexas Screening Jury. I'm sure the Jury had difficulty with choosing from so many talented applicants. Check back soon for photos and bios on the Young Artists participants page. If you are a Young Pianist or applicant to this year's festival and do not see you name below, we still want you to be part of PianoTexas! Attending as an active observer is a great way to get a feel for the festival, hear fantastic concerts, recitals, and masterclasses, and still have lessons with some of the world's leading artists. Click here for details. Without further ado, here is the list:

Abela, Audrey

Bai, Tianyi

Bulkina, Anna
Chai, Congcong

Chen, Jiyang

Chen, John

Chen, Sisi

De Cock, Stijn

Hu, Xuesha
Karpeyev, Alexander

Kim, Adam

Kloke, Sina

Li, Chun

Ma, Yuting

Orth, Kyle

Sanchez-Werner, Llewellyn

Shen, Lu
Sun, Jiayan

Widayani, Edith

Woo, Alan

Xu, Xiaopei

Zhang, Cheng

Zhao, Wanting
Zhou, Meng

ZS (yes, of course. I'll be there)

February 28, 2012 PianoTexas

It is the time of year when young pianists eagerly await admission decisions from summer programs. For some, the truly stressful wait to hear from college and university admissions departments is in full swing. Who knows where and for how long they will be? I remember those exciting (and nerve wracking) days. Now that I see things from the other side of the veil of secrecy between the would-be student and the academy, there is a different type of excitement that overcomes me: The type that comes with sleepless nights at the office with a pot of coffee close at hand (see pic on right of the stacks of DVD's and CD's). At PianoTexas office, there has certainly been an air of anticipation, waiting for the last applications to come in, looking to see who will be calling Texas Christian University home for the better part of the month of June. A record number of applications and supporting materials have been stuffed in my faculty mailbox. My email has been taken over with questions, most of which I’ve been able to answer with, “try reading the information on the website.” Of course, if you are reading this, I’m confident you were not one of those types…

I’ll now get on with the real reason you are reading this. Yes, applications for performers in all three categories are in (the deadline was February 22, 2012). Yes, if you are interested in participating as an observer, you have until April 25, 2012 to submit your application. The website will soon be updated with all the latest information regarding housing cost for those who would like to stay on campus. And, yes, there will be pianos generously provided by the Rockley Family Foundation. More on that soon.

So, when can I expect to hear whether or not I’ve been accepted to 2012 PianoTexas? Good question. All the audition DVD’s (for young artists) and CD’s/DVD’s (for teachers and amateurs) are currently being repeatedly stuffed into the entertainment systems of the three distinguished members of our Screening Jury. If all goes well, notification will be sent out about March 20 – give or take. Scholarship decisions will be announced at the same time for Young Artists. May 1 will be the deadline for tuition payments as well as housing payments for those deciding to live on campus.

Just a bit longer to wait. Best of luck to those whose commitment to the piano means a busy and intense summer of practice, performance and study. Whether at PianoTexas or at one of the many other fine international programs (or at both!), the world of music needs people like you.

January, 2012 PianoTexas

This last year marked the 30th anniversary of the PianoTexas International Academy & Festival which was held on the TCU campus from May 18 to June 28. Pianists from across the United States and across the world came to Fort Worth on this special occasion in celebration of the music of Ludwig van Beethoven. The main programs of PianoTexas provided learning and performance opportunities for three main categories of participant: Young Artists, Teachers, and Amateurs. In all, 24 states were represented as well as 13 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. In addition to active participants, many observers from all over the world joined in the festivities.

The PianoTexas Distinguished Artist Series presented a superb group of internationally renowned pianists in an unprecedented performance of the complete cycle of Beethoven’s piano sonatas in eight separate concerts. John O’Conor, Antti Siirala, Malcolm Bilson, John Lill, Christopher Taylor, Paul Badura-Skoda, Adam Golka, as well as TCU’s own John Owings each gave critically acclaimed performances for enthusiastic audiences. Winners of the PianoTexas concerto competition were invited to perform with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of FWSO Music Director Miguel Harth-Bedoya as well as special guest conductors Geoffrey Simon and Leon Fleisher in the PianoTexas Symphonic Series. All performing artists and conductors were joined by TCU’s notable piano faculty in offering daily masterclasses, private lessons, educational discussions on the music of Beethoven, as well as informal “conversations” during the entire course of the program. The chamber music of Beethoven was also brought into the spotlight through masterclasses and recitals coordinated by TCU Professor of Cello, Jesús Castro-Balbi. Numerous outreach concerts included performances at the Modern Museum of Art as well as area community and senior living centers. Audiences from all areas of north Texas were delighted by regular, free recitals given by participants covering keyboard music from Johann Sebastian Bach to Henri Dutilleux.

Next year’s PianoTexas promises to be the best yet with ever more great performances by the world’s leading pianists as well as engaging recitals by tomorrow’s piano superstars. Insightful masterclasses, seminars, discussions, lessons and classes will make this an event not to be missed. Mark your calendars for June 7 to July 1, 2012.

Welcome to the world of PianoTexas International Academy & Festival.