For a rich lineup of world-class guest pianists and rising stars along with a behind-the-scenes look at great musicians in the making come to the Southeastern Piano Festival in Columbia, SC, June 15 -22, 2014.
The only piano-focused festival in the region, the Southeastern Piano Festival offers nightly concerts by outstanding faculty including Marina Lomazov and Phillip Bush and guest artists along with lectures and a piano competition. The festival offers a rare opportunity to get an intimate view of the music-making process with all classes and the competition free and open to the public. This year the festival kicks off with the “Piano Extravaganza” featuring half a dozen pianists performing on multiple pianos with the South Carolina Philharmonic Sunday, June 14 at the Koger Center for the Arts. The week continues with concerts around the city and culminates in an international piano competition and concert by competition winners.
The festival is extremely pleased to be able to bring legendary pianist Leon Fleisher to South Carolina. He made his debut at 16 with the New York Philharmonic, was the first American to win the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition of Belgium and his recordings with the Cleveland Orchestra are considered among the best of the 20th century. In July 2013 Sony Classical released a 23-CD box set spanning the pianist’s recording for Columbia/Epic and Sony Classical from 1954-2009. Other guest artists include: Andrew Tyson, winner of first prize in the 2011 Young Concert Artists International Auditions and a 2013 Avery Fisher Career Grant; Ingrid Jacoby, winner of the Steinway Hall Artists Prize and the Concert Artists Guild Award; and Alexander Korsantia won the gold medal in the Arthur Rubinstein Piano Master Competition and first prize at the Sydney International Piano Competition.
Along with concerts the festival includes a high-level training program for 20 young pianists from throughout the nation – many are budding concert pianists who have been accepted to top conservatories – who take part in the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition.
Concerts will take place at the USC School of Music, Trinity Cathedral and the Columbia Museum of Art.