Big Change From Past PianoArts Competitions

Young artists competing in the 2016 PianoArts North American Competition will have more rehearsal time with collaborative musicians before performing for an audience and members of the jury. That’s a big change from past competitions. “Preparing to perform solo recitals and speaking to audiences about music can be rehearsed months before the competition,” explained Founder Sue Medford. “When young artists, selected as semifinalists, arrive in Milwaukee, they must start fresh on playing with collaborative musicians. In the past, they had little time to go beyond learning to feel comfortable while playing with a new ensemble. Now they can move beyond that stage to giving performances inspired by unique collaborations and discoveries.

Each semifinalist will have two rehearsals with MSO players before the Collaborative Semifinal Recital. Finalists will have three rehearsals before performing with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for the Finals and Awards Concert – the first is with the conductor, the second with a quintet of musicians, and the last with the full orchestra.

PianoArts will invite up to ten young artists to participate in the semifinalists, rather than twelve, as in the past, to free sufficient time to provide additional rehearsals. During the competition, each semifinalist will perform a Solo Recital and a Collaborative Recital. Finalists will perform a complete concerto with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.