Twenty-two young pianists from Colorado, Virginia, and Wisconsin competed in the 2013 Festival for Creative Pianists on April 11-13 in the Moss Performing Arts Center Recital Hall at Colorado Mesa University. Two renowned judges adjudicated for the festival: Dr. John Salmon (Professor, University of North Carolina- Greensboro) and Dr. Monte Atkinson (Professor, Colorado Mesa University). Due to illness, Dr. Gary Smart (Presidential Professor, University of North Florida), was unable to serve as our third adjudicator.

In addition to the traditional evening programs, the festival featured three educational forums for students and teachers. Two of these were Clavinova Interactive Showcase Presentations, sponsored by Hart Music and Yamaha Corp. The third session was a Music Technology workshop presented by Dr. Darin Kamstra of the CMU faculty.

The judges took an unprecedented amount of time to arrive at their decisions due to the high caliber of all the contestants, each of whom should be congratulated for their impressive accomplishments!

FIRST PRIZE WINNERS

Lauren Danforth - BEST PERFORMANCE OF A PRE-BAROQUE, BAROQUE WORK OR CLASSICAL PERIOD WORK

Wiley Skaret - THE JONATHAN MANN AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A ROMANTIC PERIOD WORK

Sarahi Burciaga - THE MARY LEAH CHAVIES AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF AN IMPRESSIONISTIC OR CONTEMPORARY WORK (IN ANY STYLE)

Jackie Levitt - THE EVELYN BILLBERG AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A COMPOSITION IN ANY STYLE BY A FEMALE COMPOSER

Emma McKinch - BEST PERFORMANCE OF A LYRICAL AND PREDOMINANTLY SLOW WORK

Abigail Heaton - THE GRAND JUNCTION MUSIC TEACHERS AWARD FOR THE BEST PIANIST STUDYING WITH A GJMTA TEACHER

Wiley Skaret - THE J. B. HART ARTIST PIANIST AWARD

Tyler & Bentley Porterfield - THE ESTHER BOELTER PIANO ENSEMBLE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A WORK FOR 4 OR MORE HANDS ON 1, 2 OR 3 PIANOS

Adrian Caro - THE SUSAN TORGRUDE AWARD FOR MOST VERSATILE PIANIST*

Gareth & Jareth Rader (duet) - THE SUSAN TORGRUDE AWARD FOR MOST VERSATILE PIANIST*

Sophia Feghali - THE DR. CARL & MICHELE FEGHALI AWARD FOR BEST DEMONSTRATION OF EMBELLISHING AND/OR IMPROVISING IN A CLASSICAL WORK OR A CONCERTO MOVEMENT FEATURING THE PERFORMER'S OWN ORIGINAL CADENZA(S) AND/OR LEAD-IN(S)**

Lauren Danforth - THE PEGGY KRAUSE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION BY THE CONTESTANT*

Caleb Kostreva - THE PEGGY KRAUSE AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION BY THE CONTESTANT*

Lauren Danforth & Emma McKinch (duet) - BEST DEMONSTRATION OF GENUINELY SPONTANEOUS IMPROVISATION IN ANY STYLE (SOLO OR PIANO ENSEMBLE)***

Dawson McColley - BEST PERFORMANCE OF A TASTEFUL TRANSCRIPTION OR ARRANGEMENT (IN ANY STYLE, ORIGINAL OR NOT) FOR PIANO SOLO OR FOR 4 OR MORE HANDS ON 1, 2, OR 3 PIANOS

Malinda Lyons & Drea Wagner (given to two teachers) - THE CREATIVE TEACHING INCENTIVE AWARD

*Two First Prizes were awarded in these categories.
**It is coincidental that the sponsor and designee of this award are related. Judges were unaware of this connection in the awarding of the prize.
***New award category (will be continued in future festivals).

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Patrick DaCosta (teacher: Joy Thompson, Eckert, CO)
For an excellent performance of Colorado River (original composition)

Kate Seaton (teacher: none currently, formerly Arthur Houle, Grand Junction, CO)
For an excellent performance of Twirling Jesters (original composition)

Emma McKinch & Lauren Danforth (teacher: Drea Wagner, Sheboygan, WI)
For an excellent duet performance of Fly with the Eagles by Vandall

Ryan Gibb (teacher: Malinda Lyons, Grand Junction, CO)
For an excellent performance of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (arr. by the contestant)

Jareth & Gareth Rader
For an excellent duet performance of Waltz by Rachmaninov

Mark your calendars for 2014

The 2014 festival will be held April 4 & 5. Our third judge and special Guest Artist performer will be Professor Luke Gillespie: http://riax.com/host/luke-gillespie.com/cms/?page_id=37