2012 Paderewski Youth Piano Competition Winners Announced
For immediate release: October 29, 2012
For further information please contact:
Cri Cri Solak-Eastin
Paderewski Festival Board Member
805-434-5303/csolakeastin@gmail.com
Paso Robles, CA - The Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles is pleased to announce the winners of the sixth annual Youth Piano Competition held October 20 at Cass Winery in Paso Robles. The competition is open to residents of California's Central Coast, including the counties of San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Barbara.
Each year, students in two categories-Juniors (ages 10-14) and Seniors (ages 15-18)-compete for a variety of cash awards, an opportunity to perform during the annual Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, and a chance to be selected for the all-expenses paid Paderewski Youth Exchange program in Poland.
The judges included India D'Avignon, Associate Professor of Music at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo; Idona Cabrinha, music faculty member at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo; and Marek Zebrowski, Artistic Director of the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles and Director of the Polish Music Center at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music.
After hearing this year's applicants, the jury decided to award the following prizes:
Junior Division
First Place ($400): Jack Raventos, a 12-year old from Orcutt, who studies with Dr. Lynne Garrett. Jack will perform Chopin's Grande Valse Brillante, Op. 18 at the Youth Competition Winners' Recital on November 10.
Second Place ($300): Daniel Ha, a 12-yar old from Nipomo, who studies with Dr. Lynne Garrett. Daniel will perform the third movement from Mozart's Sonata in F major, KV 332 at the Youth Competition Winners' Recital on November 10.
Third Place ($200): Cian Amor, an 11-year old from Los Osos, who studies with Michael Walker. Cian will perform the opening movement of Beethoven's Sonata in G major, Op. 49 no. 2 at the Youth Competition Winners' Recital on November 10.
In recognition of the excellent level of preparation exhibited by the Junior Division contestants, the Youth Piano Competition jury also awarded two Honorable Mention Prizes ($100 each) to the following participants:
Sydney Haughian, a 12-year old from San Luis Obispo, who studies with Alan Boehmer. Sydney will perform Debussy's Golliwogg's cakewalk at the Youth Competition Winners' Recital on November 10.
Kevin Park, an 11-year old from Santa Maria, who studies with Dr. Lynne Garrett. Kevin will perform Khachaturian's Toccata at the Youth Competition Winners' Recital on November 10.
Senior Division
Reflecting the number of students auditioning this year and their overall level of achievement, the jury awarded the following prizes in the Senior Division:
First Prize ($750): Gianna Zufall, a 15-year old from Arroyo Grande, who studies with Robert Koenig. Gianna will perform Paderewski's Menuet, Op. 14 no. 1 and Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op. 66 at the Youth Competition Winners' Recital on November 10.
The Paderewski Legacy Prize for the Best Contestant from San Luis Obispo County ($200): Evan Lin, a 15-year old from San Luis Obispo, who studies with Alan Boehmer. Evan will perform Bach's Gigue from Keyboard Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 and Paderewski's Nocturne, Op. 16 no. 4 at the Youth Competition Winners' Recital on November 10.
The Winners' Recital will be held at the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom, 1103 Spring Street). November 10 at 4 p.m. Cash prizes and medals from the Paderewski Festival will be awarded during a ceremony immediately following the concert.
The 2012 Paderewski Youth Piano Competition Winners' Recital is free and open to the public. To accommodate the highest possible number of concertgoers, reservations are strongly recommended and may be made by going to the Festival's website - www.paderewskifest.com - or by emailing info@paderewskifest.com. Otherwise, seating will be on a first-come basis.
