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3/8/20:
We are saddened to announce that the 2020 Festival for Creative Pianists is canceled due to growing concerns over the coronavirus. The health and safety of everyone involved in this important event are our top priorities. Due to the new, unique and unknown nature of this virus, the CDC cannot at this time give assurances that the rapid spread of this potentially fatal disease will dissipate with warmer weather. Because of the international reach of this festival, the risk is too high for us to move forward. All students who have registered and paid their application fee will receive a full refund before the end of March. We will also be offering additional online learning resources for students and teachers this year in preparation for our 20-year celebration in 2021. We are very excited for next year's festival; plans are already underway (tentative dates: June 8-12). We apologize for any inconvenience; please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Updates to this and other pages will be forthcoming this summer. ________________________________ Alumni Spotlights
Application Form Directors' Bios/emails: • Evelyn Billberg (Program Director - email) • Arthur Houle (Founder/Artistic Director - email) • Luke Rackers (Executive Director, Abundant Silence - email) Eligibility/Info Highlights of terms of the festival (summary - printable) Judges and Clinicians Prizes Repertory Submission Form Schedule of Events (upcoming and past) Ways to Contribute (e.g., "masthead donor" - bottom of page) Written Composition Submission Form (No additional fee; optional but highly encouraged - due 4/28/19)
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June 9-14, 2020
Denver, CO (Canceled - see message at left) |
More prizes ever than ever!
(new ones to be posted soon)!
Printable summary - most important info (2020 update coming soon)
Applications will be accepted in September, 2019.
Optional (but highly recommended) Written Composition submissions also encouraged.
See our new Schedule of Events page (2019 & previous; 2020 info coming soon).
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News of the June 5-8, 2019 festival
(full details coming soon)
Awards - all 2019 students (download)
2019 Videos on YouTube
2019 Program booklet (download)
2019 Pictures (download)
See also alumni spotlights and archive pages
(new ones to be posted soon)!
Printable summary - most important info (2020 update coming soon)
Applications will be accepted in September, 2019.
Optional (but highly recommended) Written Composition submissions also encouraged.
See our new Schedule of Events page (2019 & previous; 2020 info coming soon).
________________
News of the June 5-8, 2019 festival
(full details coming soon)
Awards - all 2019 students (download)
2019 Videos on YouTube
2019 Program booklet (download)
2019 Pictures (download)
See also alumni spotlights and archive pages
2019 Contestants
• Application page
• Terms of the festival (repertory requirements - up to 15 minutes)
• Enrollment limit: approx. 50 (as of 2020), at the discretion of the directors
• More prizes than ever!
• Educational opportunities (details to come)
• Ten ways this festival is unique
Classic Pianos stage pianos
1-page printable "Fact Sheet" Overview of Festival
Link to original festival website with additional info
Claire & Julianne McCollough earned 7 First Prizes in the 2018 festival
Special Kudos - 2018 Festival
Claire McCollough, age 18, scooped FOUR First Prizes: • Best Pianist Studying with a CMTA Member • Best Performance of a Work Written or Edited by Kevin Olson • Best Performance of Clementi Op. 36 (Houle edition) • Best Performance of a Lyrical and Predominantly Slow Work Julianne McCollough, age 13, earned THREE First Prizes - the highest dollar amount ($350 total): • Best Performance of a Composition in any Style by Marjorie Burgess • Most Versatile Pianist • Best Demonstration of Genuinely Spontaneous Improv (solo piano) See their alumni profile page ____________________________________________ Since 2015, we have proudly introduced a new Written Composition category (scroll 1/2 way down page) wherein our world-class judges perform the best student "finalist" compositions in recital (YouTube: 2016 & 2017). Young composers get to sit back and listen to their pieces being interpreted by top-notch professionals in recital. The June 6-9, 2018 judges were: John Salmon, Evan Mazunik & Wynn-Anne Rossi. Evan Mazunik will return in 2019 as a clinician. Kevin Olson will return in 2019 as a judge/clinician. ________ Workshop handouts (2018):
Workshop handouts (2017):
Workshop videos (2016):
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UNIQUE ECLECTIC PROGRAM
Eligibility: Open to any pianist age 19 or younger as of the first day of the festival. Requirements:
Prizes: Many prizes for both repertory excellence and creative skills. To qualify for all prizes, students must:
This festival is the only competition of its kind in the world, encompassing classical, jazz and other musical idioms in a constructive educational setting. Students compete for standard baroque through contemporary repertory prizes, and/or for novel prizes that promote neglected but important abilities and repertory - e.g., improvisations (any style), original concerto cadenzas & classical embellishing (skills demonstrated by nearly all great composers yet seldom seen today), versatility (needed to thrive in today's competitive market), lyricism (usually overshadowed by "loud and fast" playing), original compositions (too few venues exist for young serious composers), works by female composers (underrepresented elsewhere), tasteful arrangements & transcriptions (often disallowed in other venues), etc. Interested in participating in the 2019 Festival for Creative Pianists? • Check out student eligibility & information. • See application page. • Contact our Program Director: Evelyn Billberg ev.billberg@gmail.com 303-629-9209 |
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• Learn more about our 2019 Festival Artist Adjudicators & Other Presenters:
Dr. John Salmon
Dr. Kevin Olson
Wynn-Anne Rossi
Evan Mazunik
Dr. Karali Hunter ('01 & '03)
Maria Ali ('14, '15, '16, '17)
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Praise for the Festival
- The late great DAVE BRUBECK wrote (letter, dated 6/12/02, to Arthur Houle, artistic director & festival founder): "What you are attempting to do in your festival is most laudable, especially in eliminating as much as possible the 'winner take all' dynamic, and encouraging improvisation in both jazz and classical music."
- The festival has been cited on NPR's Performance Today, various newspapers, and in music periodicals such as American Music Teacher, Clavier Companion, Piano & Keyboard, Piano Today, and the London-based Piano magazine. It was also profiled in a feature article in the April 2003 issue of Clavier magazine. Articles also appeared in the Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University) Fall 2010 Newsletter and the March 2009 issue of Grand Valley Magazine. Last but not least, the festival was endorsed by the International Piano Teachers Guild "for providing an excellent competition for the piano community."
We seek to foster diverse and well-rounded musicianship that goes beyond the "autonomic wizardry" that is often overemphasized in other competitions. Above all, pianists and composers are urged to develop and showcase their unique talents and perform with individuality, personality, exuberance, originality and spontaneity.
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Application Form
See eligibility requirements before applying. |
Written Composition (optional)
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Donate today to support the Festival for Creative Pianists.
Your gift helps transform the creativity of young learners. Donations of any size help - from small donations to corporate sponsorships. We would especially welcome a "masthead" donor (see bottom of this page). Many thanks to Classic Pianos of Denver, MakeMusic, & Public Service Credit Union, and all of our other generous sponsors! |
- 2018 Houle & Rossi duo performance - mp3 (Suite by Richard Rodney Bennett - 6/18/18 program)
- See our many YouTube videos
- 2017 festival videos (courtesy of Luke Rackers)
- 2016 (courtesy of Luke Rackers)
- 2015 Testimonial by Leila Viss, noted piano teacher
- 2014 Testimonial by Aura Strohschein, festival clinician
- Dueling pianos (2011 festival)
- Festival alum success story: Jonathan Keith - '03, '04, & '08 prizewinner [see also here].
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Selections from the 2016 Thursday & Friday evening recitals (June 9 & 10, 2016):
- Variations sérieuses, Op. 54 in D Minor by Felix Mendelssohn - John Salmon, piano
- Chopin Improvisations by Luke Gillespie
- Impressions on Color by Kevin Olson
- Spontaneous Improvisation on a Random Theme from the Audience by John Salmon
- Fughetta on 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime' by John Salmon, piano (Arthur Houle, 2nd piano)
- Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma - Luke Gillespie and John Salmon, pianists
- Side Saddle Sonatina by Greta Thoreson (Written Composition Finalist) - John Salmon, piano
- What They Say in Space (Dissassociative) by Maria Ali (Written Composition Finalist) - Kevin Olson, piano
From the festival archives - 2011: Buckaroo Blues* by Arthur Houle
*Selected by the National Federation of Music Clubs (2016-2020 Bulletin: one of 14 "Moderately Difficult Class 2" pieces)
*Selected by the National Federation of Music Clubs (2016-2020 Bulletin: one of 14 "Moderately Difficult Class 2" pieces)
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