Meet Andrews Sill, Pianist and Acclaimed Conductor
Ten pianists, selected as semifinalists, perform concertos with musicians from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra under the baton of PianoArts Music Director Andrews Sill. Well-known for his seminars on communicating with conductors, Maestro Sill brings insight as both a concert pianist and conductor of many orchestras. Currently, he is Associate Music Director of the New York City Ballet Orchestra, Music Director of the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, and guest conductor of symphony orchestras around the world.
Semifinalists also partner with a Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra violinist or cellist for the competition’s collaborative recital
Our 2020 theme, “Step into the Professional World of Symphony Musicians,” reflects the collaboration of PianoArts with professionals of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. “I really enjoy the fresh energy PianoArts semifinalists bring to the pieces I have been playing for so many years,” said cellist Scott Tisdel, MSO Associate Principal Emeritus, “I’d like to think that my long experience with these works is of benefit to them, too.”
ALL CONTESTANTS RECEIVE ONE OR MORE PRIZES
Over $30,000 in prizes will be shared among the ten semifinalists. Each will be awarded a minimum of one prize and may win more awards, as determined by the jury. Performance awards include numerous concert engagements, a scholarship to New York’s International Keyboard Institute and Festival, and PianoArts fellowships that include Milwaukee residencies.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COMPETITION AND FESTIVAL SHARED LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY
To broaden their professional experiences, all competitors perform movements of their concertos with MSO chamber music groups, speak about their music, and perform community concerts. All competitive recitals and the final concerto final round will be open to the public. International audiences will be able to watch the recitals via videos posted on the PianoArts website and receive daily updates on the competition and festival via the PanoArts blog.
The concurrent festival will include concerts performed by former PianoArts competition winners and members of the jury. Classes in collaborating with orchestras, understanding acoustics, staging, and speaking about music will also be offered. Many of the classes are open to the public and will be shared via PianoArts blogs.
THE JURY
The distinguished international jury for the live Milwaukee competition are Alan Chow, Pavlina Dokovska, and Boris Slutsky. The preliminary jury will be chaired by the esteemed adjudicator and concert pianist Lydia Artymiw.
COMPETITION INFORMATION
Details and applications are available on the Web site: www.PianoArts.org. For more information, contact info@ppianoarts.org
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FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF PIANOARTS
Now in its 20th season, PianoArts was created as a competition experience to bring together pianists and symphony musicians as collaborative performers. During the competition week and concert engagements following the competition, pianists experience the classical lives of symphony musicians through their performance partnerships and community arts programs. They give formal solo piano recitals, plan touring programs, and present community concerts– speaking about music, and performing as soloists and chamber musicians in diverse settings for diverse audiences.
“PianoArts provides extremely valuable and life-changing opportunities for its competitors and winners,” said Jacob Ertl, a 2002 PianoArts winner. “The professionals on the PianoArts team work with you extensively on communicating with diverse audiences, programming, and presentation planning. You come out a more well-rounded and knowledgeable musician ready to take on the demands of a career in music and able to communicate your passion to others.”