Fifteen-year old Joshua Archibald Seiffer and eleven-year old Stephanie Sherwood, both from Boise, were two of the biggest winners in the 3rd Festival for Creative Pianists.

Through the generous sponsorship of PianoQuest.Com of California, Joshua was awarded a Kawai piano for his "Best Chopin Performance." He also earned the Caldwell Fine Arts "Best Treasure Valley Pianist Award," First Prize ($500) for his "Best Contemporary Work" performance, and Honorable Mentions for "Digital Piano Proficiency" and "Best Written Original Composition" (performed by a judge).

Stephanie was recognized with Dunkley Music's "Most Creative Idaho Pianist" ($500) and the Idaho Music Teachers award for "Best Idaho Pianist" in repertory excellence ($500). In addition, she received an Ultra Adjustable Piano Bench from Winther Music for her "Best Idaho Original Composition" and two Honorable Mention prizes.

Another triple prize winner was Eric McEwen from Helena, Montana, who took first place as PianoQuest's "Most Versatile Pianist. " His performances also earned him Treasure Valley Music's "Best Jazz/Pop/Rag" and Music Matters' "Best Transcription" awards ($500 each).

Kelsey Tamayo of Radcliff, Kentucky won "Best Original Written Composition" for her work called "The Prophecy," which was performed by one of the judges. Kelsey's teacher, Beverly ("B.J.") Morton, shared the "Creative Teacher" award with two other piano teachers -- Dave Tacher of Boise and Betty Beecher from Logan, Utah.

Ashley Christianson of Logan, Utah won the Soroptimists of Boise award ($500 scholarship) for "Best Female Composer" performance as well as "Best Baroque Work" ($500) for her performance of Bach.

Other First Prize winners from Utah were Brandon Lee, Jared Wright, Sherilyn Lee, Jonathan Keith, Jessica Roderer. and Armenian pianist Karén Hakobyan.

Niklaus Day of Idaho Falls and Jonathan Keith of American Fork, Utah won the two top prizes for the category of "Best Proficiency on a Digital Piano." Jonathan also won First Prize for the "J.A. Winther Award for Performance of Best Original Composition by the Contestant" for his stunning original Fantasy.

Due to the high caliber of contestants, a record number of Honorable Mention Prizes were awarded. All participants also received a Participation Certificate and several complimentary items such as sheet music, CD's, T-shirts, books, etc.

A total of forty-two students competed in this year's festival, which was combined with the Idaho Music Teachers Association's Annual Conference.

ACI's piano festival, the only one of its kind in the world, promotes repertory excellence, versatility, and creative skills in composition, improvising and embellishing. A feature article on the festival appeared in the April '03 issue of Clavier magazine.

The judges for the festival were Dr. John Salmon of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and professors Stewart Gordon and Dennis Thurmond from the University of Southern California.

Sponsors and contributors included Treasure Valley Music of Boise, PianoQuest.Com, Winther Music of Boise, Soroptimists of Boise, Music Matters of Boise, Dunkley Music of Boise, Kawai America, Idaho Music Teachers Association, Hal Leonard Corporation, Coda Music Technology, FJH Music Company, Caldwell Fine Arts, TimeWarp Technologies, Caldwell Thursday Musicale and Yamaha Corporation.

REPERTORY EXCELLENCE AWARDS

• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A PRE-BAROQUE OR BAROQUE WORK ($500 Cash)

Winner:
Ashley Dawn Christenson, age 18, from American Fork, Utah, student of Gary Amano

Honorable mentions:
Jessica Roderer, age 14, from Wellsville Utah, student of Gary Amano; formerly with Laura Zisette
Jonathan Sater, age 17, from Boise, Idaho, student of Dave Tacher

• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A CLASSICAL PERIOD WORK ($500 Cash)

Winner:
Brandon Lee, age 16, from North Logan, Utah, student of Gary Amano

Honorable mention:
Joshua Wright, age 15, from Sandy, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier

• THE KAWAI AMERICA AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A ROMANTIC PERIOD WORK ($500 Cash)

Winner:
Armenian pianist Karén Hakobyan, age 17, from Salt Lake City, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier

Honorable mentions:
Rachel Christensen, age 15, from Salt Lake City, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier (also Cleo Brimhall & Faye Borsis) Ashley Dawn Christenson, age 18, from American Fork, Utah, student of Gary Amano Emily Inderrieden, age 16, from Kaysville Utah, student of Yu-Jane Yang; formerly with Susan Duehlmeier, Jonathan Keith, age 13, from American Fork, Utah, student of Irene Peery-Fox (also Ricklen Nobis for composition)

• THE PIANOQUEST.COM AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A WORK BY FREDERIC CHOPIN
Special Prize: Kawai upright piano (refurbished, retail value approx. $4000)

Winner:
Joshua Archibald-Seiffer, age 15, from Boise, Idaho, student of Del Parkinson; formerly with Dave Tacher (composition with Wally Bratt)

Honorable mentions:
Jonathan Sater, age 17, from Boise, Idaho, student of Dave Tacher Karali Soderquist, age 17, from Kimberly, Idaho, student of Sue Miller (also Mark Neiwirth) [Joshua] Mike Stewart, age 13, from West Valley City, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier Joshua Wright, age 15, from Sandy, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier

• BEST PERFORMANCE OF AN IMPRESSIONISTIC OR CONTEMPORARY WORK IN ANY STYLE ($500 Cash)

Winner:
Joshua Archibald-Seiffer, age 15, from Boise, Idaho, student of Del Parkinson; formerly with Dave Tacher (composition with Wally Bratt)

Honorable mentions:
Karén Hakobyan, age 17, from Salt Lake City, Utah (Armenian born), student of Susan Duehlmeier Jonathan Keith, age 13, from American Fork, Utah, student of Irene Peery-Fox (also Ricklen Nobis for composition) Brandon Lee, age 16, from North Logan, Utah, student of Gary Amano Sara Lloyd, age 18, from Smithfield, Utah, student of Dennis Hirst; formerly with Betty Beecher & Kathleen Lloyd Bethany Grace Sigurdson, age 12, from Nyssa, Oregon, student of Mary Lou Koto Karali Soderquist, age 17, from Kimberly, Idaho, student of Sue Miller (also Mark Neiwirth) Bronwyn Elizabeth Tarboton, age 13, from Logan, Utah, student of Dennis Hirst Jared Wright, age 12, from Sandy, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier

• THE SOROPTIMIST AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A COMPOSITION IN ANY STYLE BY A FEMALE COMPOSER
$500 Scholarship towards any music study (private lessons, music camp, college, etc.)

Winner:
Ashley Dawn Christenson, age 18, from American Fork, Utah, student of Gary Amano

Honorable mentions:
Lauren Belliston, age 14, from Hyde Park, Utah, student of Kathleen Lloyd Stephanie Sherwood, age 11, from Boise, Idaho, student of Gay Pool; also Del Parkinson (formerly with Vicki Greenfield) [Joshua] Mike Stewart, age 13, from West Valley City, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier

• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A LYRICAL AND PREDOMINANTLY SLOW WORK
Grab bag prize of music items

Winner:
Jared Wright, age 12, from Sandy, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier.

• THE IDAHO MUSIC TEACHERS AWARD FOR BEST IDAHO PIANIST IN REPERTORY EXCELLENCE ($500 Cash)

Winner:
Stephanie Sherwood, age 11, from Boise, Idaho, student of Gay Pool; also Del Parkinson (formerly with Vicki Greenfield)

CREATIVE PIANIST AWARDS

• THE PIANOQUEST.COM AWARD FOR MOST VERSATILE PIANIST
Adjustable 22" x 17" Artist Bench with Cushion

Winner:
Eric McEwen, age 15, from Helena, Montana, student of Michael Angell from Alberta, CANADA (other studies with Sister Natalie Pepin, Jean-Paul Sevilla, Bang Lang Do, Janina Fialkowska, and Andre Laplante)

Honorable mention:
Christopher Doudy, age 13, from Boise, Idaho, student of Melanie Stewart (also Del Parkinson; formerly with Amber Robinson)

•THE SYLVIA HUNT AWARD FOR BEST DEMONSTRATION OF EMBELLISHING AND/OR IMPROVISING IN A CLASSICAL WORK (an appropriate Baroque, Classic or Romantic period work, or Neo-Classical contemporary work)
$500 Cash

Winner:
Sherilyn Kristen Lee, age 14, from North Logan, Utah, student of Dennis Hirst

Honorable mentions:
Eric Sater, age 13, from Boise, Idaho, student of Dave Tacher
Jonathan Sater, age 17, from Boise, Idaho, student of Dave Tacher
Ted Yamamoto, age 18, from Caldwell, Idaho, student of Arthur Houle

• THE TREASURE VALLEY MUSIC AWARD FOR BEST DEMONSTRATION OF SPONTANEITY AND/OR IMPROVISATION IN A JAZZ, POP OR RAG STYLE WORK
$500 Cash

Winner:
Eric McEwen, age 15, from Helena, Montana, student of Michael Angell from Alberta, CANADA (other studies with Sister Natalie Pepin, Jean-Paul Sevilla, Bang Lang Do, Janina Fialkowska, and Andre Laplante)

• THE J. A. WINTHER MUSIC AWARD FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE BEST ORIGINAL COMPOSITION BY THE CONTESTANT
$500 cash

Winner:
Jonathan Keith, age 13, from American Fork, Utah, student of Irene Peery-Fox (also Ricklen Nobis for composition)

Honorable mentions:
Emily Black, age 17, from Nampa, Idaho, student of Robyn Wells
Kelsey Tamayo, age 14, from Radcliff, Kentucky, student of Beverly ("B. J.") Morton

• BEST PERFORMANCE OF A CONCERTO MOVEMENT FEATURING THE PERFORMER'S OWN ORIGINAL CADENZA(S) AND/OR LEAD-IN(S) AWARD
$500 Cash

Winner:
Jessica Roderer, age 14, from Wellsville Utah, student of Gary Amano; formerly with Laura Zisette

Honorable mentions:
Jessica Frandsen, age 15, from Richmond, Utah, student of Betty Beecher
Jared Wright, age 12, from Sandy, Utah, student of Susan Duehlmeier

• THE MUSIC MATTERS AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE OF A TASTEFUL TRANSCRIPTION OR ARRANGEMENT (IN ANY STYLE) FOR PIANO SOLO AWARD
$500 Cash

Winner:
Eric McEwen, age 15, from Helena, Montana, student of Michael Angell from Alberta, CANADA (other studies with Sister Natalie Pepin, Jean-Paul Sevilla, Bang Lang Do, Janina Fialkowska, and Andre Laplante)

• BEST DEMONSTRATIONS OF PROFICIENCY ON A DIGITAL PIANO AWARDS

Winners:
Niklaus Christian Day, age 15, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, student of Elaine Mills
• Prize:
Finale 2003 Music Notation Software (for Windows or Mac), retail value $600 from Coda Technology

Jonathan Keith, age 13, from American Fork, Utah, student of Irene Peery-Fox (also Ricklen Nobis for composition)
• Prize:
Home Concert 2000 Music Software (for Windows or Mac), retail value $99 from TimeWarp Technologies

Honorable mentions:
Joshua Archibald-Seiffer, age 15, from Boise, Idaho, student of Del Parkinson; formerly with Dave Tacher (composition with Wally Bratt)
Renaud Boucher-Browning, age 10, from Boise, Idaho, student of Jeanna Burrup; formerly with Nancy Galvin
Scott Allan Cohen, age 13, from Deltona, Florida, student of Elizabeth Fullington
Jessica Frandsen, age 15, from Richmond, Utah, student of Betty Beecher
Carissa Nicholson
Stephanie Sherwood, age 11, from Boise, Idaho, student of Gay Pool; also Del Parkinson (formerly with Vicki Greenfield)
Kelsey Tamayo, age 14, from Radcliff, Kentucky, student of Beverly ("B. J.") Morton

Sponsors for this category:
Coda Technology, TimeWarp Technologies, Dunkley Music, & Treasure Valley Music

• THE DUNKLEY MUSIC AWARD FOR MOST CREATIVE IDAHO PIANIST
$500 Cash

Winner:
Stephanie Sherwood, age 11, from Boise, Idaho, student of Gay Pool; also Del Parkinson (formerly with Vicki Greenfield)

BONUS AWARDS

• THE CALDWELL FINE ARTS AWARD FOR BEST PIANIST FROM THE IDAHO TREASURE VALLEY $420 Total Prize Value - $200 Cash plus Season Tickets for 2003-2004 (8 Events, $220 value)

Winner:
Joshua Archibald-Seiffer, age 15, from Boise, Idaho, student of Del Parkinson; formerly with Dave Tacher (composition with Wally Bratt)

• THE J.A. WINTHER MUSIC AWARD FOR BEST WRITTEN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION SUBMITTED FOR PERFORMANCE BY THE JUDGES AND DIRECTORS
Ultra Adjustable Plush Piano Bench (retail value $300)

Winner:
["The Prophecy," performed by Dennis Thurmond]:
Kelsey Tamayo, age 14, from Radcliff, Kentucky, student of Beverly ("B. J.") Morton

Honorable mentions:
["Winter Journal," performed by Stewart Gordon]:
Joshua Archibald-Seiffer, age 15, from Boise, Idaho, student of Del Parkinson; formerly with Dave Tacher (composition with Wally Bratt)
["Northern Lights," performed by Darryl Schoenborn]:
Niklaus Christian Day, age 15, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, student of Elaine Mills
["Preludio & Fuga," performed by John Salmon]:
Karén Hakobyan, age 17, from Salt Lake City, Utah (Armenian born), student of Susan Duehlmeier
["First Love," performed by Arthur Houle]:
Kara Staley, age 15, from Ammon, Idaho, student of Elaine Mills

• THE J.A. WINTHER MUSIC AWARD FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE BEST ORIGINAL COMPOSITION BY AN IDAHO CONTESTANT
Ultra Adjustable Plush Piano Bench (retail value $300)

Winner:
Stephanie Sherwood, age 11, from Boise, Idaho, student of Gay Pool; also Del Parkinson (formerly with Vicki Greenfield)

• THE CREATIVE TEACHING INCENTIVE AWARD:
$250 Cash

This year this award was shared by three outstanding teachers:

Betty Beecher of Logan, Utah
Beverly ("B. J.") Morton of Radcliff, Kentucky
Dave Tacher of Boise, Idaho


Various raffle prizes of music and CD's were awarded throughout the festival/conference for teachers, students and the general public.