6/3/2011 Scott's Piano Stores Annual Piano Contest, Grand Forks, ND

Every summer our good friend, Steve Thomas, owner of Scott's Music Stores, Inc., holds a piano competition in Grand Forks, ND for the students of the region.  This year I competed in level 6 of Scott’s Music Store’s 24^th Annual Piano Competition held Friday, June 3, 2011, and Saturday, June 4, 2011, at Columbia Mall, Grand Forks, North Dakota.  My competition pieces included “Estampes, No. 1, Pagodes” by C. Debussy and “Sonata in B Minor” by Franz Liszt.  In this photo, I am pictured with two of my friends, LeeAnn Szeto, who placed second in level 6, and Taylor Blaine, who placed 3rd in Level 5.

All piano teachers in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota could enter only six piano students in this select piano competition.  Each contestant memorized two piano selections with contrasting styles representing two different periods in music history.

            Twenty piano teachers entered fifty-two piano students to participate in this piano competition.  There are six categories set up according to age:  Level 1 (ages 8 and under), Level 2 (ages 9-10), Level 3 (ages 11-12), Level 4 (ages 13-14), Level 5 (ages 15-16) and Level 6 (ages 17-18).

Piano Professor Eduardo Orozco, Minnesota State University- Moorhead, Moorhead, Minnesota, was the adjudicator for this piano competition.  The top three award-winning piano students for each level were invited to perform in the Honors Recital on Saturday, June 4, at 2:00 pm, at the First Presbyterian Church, Grand Forks, North Dakota.  I am appreciative to have had the opportunity to compete and perform in the Honors Recital.