Preparations begin for the 7th Bösendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition

Outstanding pianists between the ages of 13 and 32 from around the globe will make their way to Tempe, Ariz. in January 2015 for the 7th biennial Bösendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition. Presented by the ASU School of Music and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, in collaboration with the Phoenix Symphony, the Arizona Young Artist Committee and the Arizona Piano Gallery, this biennial competition is considered one of the best in the world. The public is invited to witness these fantastic young artists from Jan. 4–11, 2015.

Almost 200 pianists from 31 countries applied to the 2013 competition. “This year we anticipate an even larger number of applicants as the competition continues to grow in prestige, becoming one of the leading competitions in the U.S. alongside the Cliburn Competition,” said Baruch Meir, ASU associate professor of piano and the competition’s founder and artistic director.

Legendary Argentine pianist Martha Argerich will once again join the panel of judges. Argerich, one of the most prominent pianists in the world, agrees to serve on the jury of only a few select competitions, and the USASU Competition is among them. Other members of the 2015 competition jury include Zhe Tang, Shanghai Conservatory of Music (China); Vadim Monastyrski, Rubin Academy of Music (Israel); Aleksandar Serdar, Belgrade Music Academy (Serbia) and Robert Hamilton and Baruch Meir from ASU.

“We are pleased to host an international competition of the caliber of the Bösendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition at the ASU School of Music,” said Heather Landes, director of the ASU School of Music. “The competition serves as a springboard for the development of the next generation of young artists and provides us with a reminder of the transformative power of music.”

A gala recital featuring members of the jury will open the competition week on Jan. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in Katzin Concert Hall on ASU’s Tempe campus. The competition’s live solo rounds are open to the public, Jan. 5-10, 2015. These are exciting opportunities to see participants from all over the world competing for advancement to the final round. The Bösendorfer finalists (ages 19-32) compete for a grand prize of $15,000 and an opportunity to be a featured soloist with the Phoenix Symphony. The Yamaha Senior and Junior competitors, ranging in age from 13-18, will also vie for top prize money and medals. Total prize money is $50,000.

The Yamaha Competition reaches its exciting conclusion on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in Katzin Concert Hall. Results will be announced, prizes will be awarded, and the top medalists will perform in the Winners’ Recital.

The Bösendorfer Competition culminates in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the finalists. Each plays a final concerto at Symphony Hall, accompanied by The Phoenix Symphony under the baton of conductor James Feddeck. Immediately following the concert, the jury makes its final decisions and announces the winners. Presentation of awards and medals takes place onstage. This concert and awards ceremony occurs Sunday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for all live solo rounds at Katzin Concert Hall, as well as the opening gala recital and the Yamaha Junior and Senior Winners’ Recital, can be purchased at the Herberger Institute Box Office.

Tickets for the Bösendorfer final round concert and awards ceremony at Symphony Hall can be purchased through the Phoenix Symphony Box Office.

For more information about the competition, the schedule of events and how to get involved, visit herbergerinstitute.asu.edu/pianocompetition

The organizers of the competition are currently seeking host families for the competitors. If interested, email pianocompetition@asu.edu or call 480.965.8740

The School of Music in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University is ranked 19th in the country and eighth among public institutions by U.S. News & World Report. More than 100 music faculty artists and scholars work with approximately 750 music majors each year in research, performance and scholarly activities. It presents approximately 700 concerts and recitals each year. To learn more about the School of Music, visit music.asu.edu.

Public and media contact: Baruch Meir, ASU School of Music, 480.965.8740, Baruch.Meir@asu.edu

Media Contact:
Deborah Sussman Susser 
480.965.0478
deborah.susser@asu.edu