MASNO proudly announces its engagement of pianist Awadagin Pratt as featured artist of Nocturne XI on Sunday evening November 24, 2013. This annual gala fundraiser will again be held at the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. This elegant and highly anticipated evening will include a champagne reception, a recital by Awadagan Pratt, and a sit-down dinner.
2013 New Orleans Piano Institute & Keyboard Festival: New Format a Resounding Success
MASNO’s annual celebration of the piano and its music took place July 21–28. The 32nd New Orleans Keyboard Festival (NOKF) and the 14th New Orleans Piano Institute (NOPI) successfully introduced its new format, one that will be returning every other year. Now that the New Orleans International Piano Competition (NOIPC) is a biennial event taking place in the even-number years, a new structure was devised that allowed MASNO to maintain its annual tradition of presenting NOPI/KF during the odd-numbered years in which NOIPC is not taking place.
Under the capable hands of NOPI Director Shearon Horton, NOPI Local Coordinator Joni Jensen, and NOPI’s distinguished faculty (Constance Carroll, Kevin Chance, Alan Chow, Raymond Gitz, Frank Heneghan, and Shearon Horton) the 2013 edition of MASNO’s summer festival introduced a competition for solo piano repertoire. Competitors in this competition were limited to those NOPI students interested in participating.
The top three prizes for Division I pianists (16 years old and younger) went to John Wang, Selena Yue, and Quinlan Facey. Jonathan Adler, Akina Yura, and Angelina May were awarded the top prizes in Division II (17 years old and older).
Congratulations to the Solo Competition Winners
Division I (16 and younger)
Division II (17 and older)
1 John Wang
2 Selena Yue
3 Quinlan Facey
1 Jonathan Adler
2 Akina Yura
3 Angelina May
In addition to the traditional series of master classes and lectures during the week, NOPI students received private lessons and were eligible to participate in the closing Showcase Recital and the Concerto Competition. Akina Yura won the NOPI Concerto Competition sponsored by the Steinway Society of New Orleans. Akina will return to New Orleans this fall to perform with the New Orleans Civic Symphony. Kunrui Peng was declared Alternate; he will perform in Akina’s place should she be unable to perform in the fall.
The 2014 NOIPC is scheduled to take place July 19–27. The NOPI/KF will return to its original format without the NOPI Competition for Solo Piano Repertoire.
Congratulations to the Concerto Competition finalists:
Akina Yura - Winner
Kunrui Peng - Alternate
Concerto Audition Competitors:
1. John David Thompson MacDowell Concerto No.2 in D Minor, Op.23 I. Larghetto calmato
2. Quinlan Facey Mendelssohn Concerto No.1 in G Minor, Op.25 III. Presto – Molto allegro e vivace
3. Elizabeth Rubin Haydn Concerto in D Major, Hob. XVIII/11 I. Vivace
4. Antonio Durant Beethoven Concerto No.1 in C Major, Op.15 I. Allegro con brio
5. Kunrui Peng Schumann Concerto in A Minor, Op.54 I. Allegro affettuoso
6. Akina Yura Tchaikovsky Concerto No.1 in B-flat Minor, Op.23 I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso
7. John Tootle Schumann Concerto in A Minor, Op.54 I. Allegro affettuoso
Steinway is the official piano of the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans and the New Orleans International Piano Competition & Keyboard Festival/Piano Institute.
MASNO is grateful to Hall Piano Company for providing the Steinway Model “D” used for recitals, competition rounds, and master classes during the week.
Congratulations to the Recital Prize Scholarship Winners:
