2024 International Keyboard Odyssiad® and Festival, U.S.A.
A WELCOME from Janet Landreth, Founder/Director
Welcome to the 2024 International Keyboard Odyssiad® & Festival, U.S.A., an international competition and festival for pianists headquartered and produced in Fort Collins since 2012. The word Odyssiad® (pronounced O-dys’-si-ad) comes from Odyssey and was coined to signify “A Journey to the Performance of a Lifetime.” The term is original and has been trademarked for the exclusive use of IKOF. We are excited to welcome you to the 2024 International Keyboard Odyssiad® & Festival, U.S.A. and its remarkable guest artists.
Our roster this summer includes some of the most distinguished and trailblazing keyboard virtuosos and specialists of our time, including several in the pantheon of all-time great pianists: Sergei Babayan (Armenia/USA), Inon Barnatan (Israel/USA), explosive and brilliant Kemal Gekić (Croatia/USA), Saehyun Kim, Gold Medalist, 2023 Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists (Korea/USA), Vyacheslav Gryaznov, Pianist, Arranger, & Orchestral APP Inventor (Russia/USA), and Clayton Stephenson, charismatic Gilmore Young Artist and 2022 Van Cliburn finalist (USA). The 2024 IKOF also highlights a panel discussion and evening concert of “Chamber Music with Piano,” featuring Grammy Awardwinning Cellist, Zuill Bailey, and Pianist, Bryan Wallick, Vladimir Horowitz Gold Medalist.
During this musically rich, creative, and intensive week, these outstanding artists and many others join our festival and the local Fort Collins, Colorado community to present sessions on special topics, conduct masterclasses, and perform in matinee and evening concerts. Some will also serve as judges of the Semifinal and Final Rounds of the Odyssiad® LIVE competition in both Solo and Concerto Divisions. Winners of our Concerto Division will once again have the opportunity of performing as soloists with the Boulder Symphony and the Fort Collins Health and Wellness Orchestra.
This year marks IKOF’s 13th year anniversary season. And what a truly remarkable journey it has been! During these thirteen years, Fort Collins has developed into an artistic mecca for gifted pianists, festival participants, and guest artists from around the world. The 2024 Odyssiad® is expanding and thriving locally through our “IKOF in the Community” events, internationally through our ventures into new territories and countries, and via our open online auditions. This year 55 of the most talented and gifted pianists from around the U.S. and abroad were accepted to compete in the 2024 Semifinal Round of the Odyssiad® after having “made the cut” in the Online Preliminary Round. The Semifinal and Final Rounds of the Odyssiad® are free and open to the public.
Join us along with your family and friends to enjoy the 2024 Odyssiad® – “A Journey to the Performance of a Lifetime.”
A WELCOME from Amy Parsons, Colorado State University
A WELCOME from Jeni Arndt, City of Fort Collins
MISSION STATEMENT
Headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, the International Keyboard Odyssiad® & Festival, U.S.A. is dedicated to promoting new generations of keyboard artists through an internationally linked competition and festival.
PRIZES
SOLO DIVISION: Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals: Level A: $500, $300, $200 cash awards; Level B: $1,000, $500, $250 cash awards; Level C: $5000, $2000, $1000 cash awards; The Linda Leirfallom-Brewer Award for "Best Performance of Chopin" ($500).
COMPLETE CONCERTO DIVISION: Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals: $3,000, $2000, $1000 cash awards; plus an invitation to perform a complete concerto with the Boulder Symphony during the 2024-2025 season with Devin Patrick Hughes conducting.
SINGLE-MOVEMENT CONCERTO DIVISION: “The Bobbie and Paul Mielke” Gold Medal, Silver, and Bronze medals: $1000, $500, $250 cash awards; plus an invitation to perform the single movement with the Fort Collins Health and Wellness Community Orchestra during the 2024-2025 season.
SPONSORED IN PART BY
We thank the following foundations, corporations, and organizations for their generous donations, including the Fan Foundation, the City of Fort Collins Fort Fund and more (individual donors listed on page 24). Thank you!
The Odyssiad® Semifinal and Final Rounds are FREE and open to the public to attend. Attendees may quietly enter and leave the venues between competitors.
9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINAL ROUND (RRH): Solo Level A (13 and under)
Judges: Hsin-Hsuan Lin, Hyeji Seo, and Vladimir Ostromensky
Master of Ceremonies: Brooke Elzey
1:30–5:26 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
3:00–6:15 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINAL ROUND (RRH): Solo Level B (14-18)
Judges: Hsin-Hsuan Lin, Hyeji Seo, and Vladimir Ostromensky Master of Ceremonies: Brooke Elzey
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINAL ROUND (GCH): Solo Level C (19-35)
Judges: Bryan Wallick, Silvana Santinelli, and Stephanie Cheng Master of Ceremonies: Scott Wheeler
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINAL ROUND (GCH): Single Movement Concerto (18 & under)
Judges: Joel Bacon, Silvana Santinelli, and Lei Weng Master of Ceremonies: Scott Wheeler
Gold Medalist, Cleveland International Competition for Young Artists Program listed below
GROUP PHOTO (OUTSIDE GCH)
DINNER BREAK
EVENING CONCERT: Inon Barnatan
A celebrated soloist, curator, and collaborator Program listed on p. 9
MATINEE CONCERT (GCH): SAEHYUN KIM
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55
Ondine
Le gibet
Scarbo
~ INTERMISSION ~
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) 12 Études, Op. 25
EVENING CONCERT (GCH): INON BARNATAN
PROGRAM: Symphonic Dances
Jean-Phillippe Rameau (1683-1764)
Suite in G Major, RCT 6
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Valses nobles et sentimentales
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) (arr. Guido Agosti, 1928)
The Firebird Suite
1. Infernal Dance
2. Berceuse
3. Finale
~ INTERMISSION ~
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) (arr. Inon Barnatan, 1923)
Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
8:00–9:00 a.m.
9:00–11:00 a.m.
SCHEDULE (GCH): TUESDAY,
AUGUST 6
REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN (GCH LOBBY): Pick up participant folders, tickets and passes, and sign-up for lessons, etc.
ODYSSIAD® FINAL ROUND: Solo Level B
Judges: Janet Landreth, Dongni Xie, and Kemal Gekić
Master of Ceremonies: Scott Wheeler
Free and open to the public; Livestream available
12:00–1:30 p.m.
1:30–3:30 p.m.
3:30–5:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
LUNCH BREAK
MASTERCLASS: Kemal Gekić
FESTIVAL SESSION: "WELLNESS" with Dr. Michael Posch "Common Injuries of the Upper Spine and Upper Extremity"
PRACTICE
DINNER BREAK
EVENING CONCERT: Sergei Babayan
First prize winner: Cleveland International Piano Competition, the Hamamatsu Piano Competition, and the Scottish International Piano Competition Program listed on p. 11
EVENING CONCERT (GCH): SERGEI BABAYAN
Franz Schubert
PROGRAM: Songs
Der Müller und der Bach S. 565 No. 2 (1797-1828)
Aufenthalt S. 560 No. 3
Auf dem Wasser zu singen S. 558 No. 2
Die Stadt S. 558 No. 11
Gretchen am Spinnrade S. 558 No. 8
Ständchen "Horch! Horch!“ S. 558 No. 9 Erlkönig S. 558 No. 4 (transcr. Franz Liszt)
Robert Schumann Liebeslied (Widmung) S. 566 (1810-1856) (transcr. Franz Liszt)
Franz Liszt Hymne de la nuit S. 173a/1 (1811-1886)
Franz Liszt "Romance" in E Minor S. 169 "O pourquoi donc" (1811-1886)
Sergei Rachmaninov "Where beauty dwells" (1873-1943) from Twelve Songs, Op. 21 No. 7 (transcr. Arcadi Volodos)
Sergei Rachmaninov "Melody" from Twelve Songs Op. 21 (1873-1943) (transcr. Arcadi Volodos)
Sergei Rachmaninov "Dream" from Six Songs Op. 38 (1873-1943) (transcr. Earl Wild)
Fritz Kreisler "Liebesleid" (1875-1962) (transcr. Sergei Rachmaninov)
~ INTERMISSION ~
Frederic Mompou
Canción No. 6 (1893-1987)
Canción No. 8
Canción No. 7 from “Cançons i Danses”
Jean Sibelius V Kuusi “The Spruce” (1865-1957) from Five pieces for piano, Op. 75
Harold Arlen "Over the Rainbow" (1905-1986) (transcr. Keith Jarrett)
Jesús Guridi "La carrasquilla" (1886-1961) from Danzas viejas
Isaac Albeniz Malagueña (1860-1909) Op. 71 No.8
EVENING CONCERT (GCH): SERGEI BABAYAN,
Paul Hindemith "Einleitung und Lied" (1895-1963) from Klaviermusik, Op. 37 Pt. 2 "Reihe kleiner Stücke"
Komitas
Berceuse (1869-1935) (transcr. Georgy Saradjian)
Komitas 1. Semplice (1869-1935) from Seven Songs
Stephen Reynolds "Chanson d'automne" (b. 1947) from Two Poems in Homage to Fauré
Francis Poulenc
Improvisation No. 15 in C Minor (1899-1963) "Hommage à Edith Piaf" FP 176
Gabriel Fauré "Au bord de l'eau", Op. 8 No. 1 (1845-1924) (transcr. Sergei Babayan)
Francis Poulenc "Les chemins de l'amour" (1899-1963)
Charles Trenet "En avril à Paris" (1913-2001) (transcr. Alexis Weissenberg)
George Gershwin "Oh lady, be good!" (1898-1937) (transcr. Maurice Whitney)
SURVEY FOR FESTIVAL COMPETITORS, GUESTS, AND PATRONS
Please use this QR code to access a short survey about the International Keyboard Odyssiad® & Festival, U.S.A. The survey asks how you heard about our event, and which sessions you attended. It will just take a minute of your time but will help us make the festival even better in the future. Thank you!
8:00–9:00 a.m.
9:00–10:30 a.m.
SCHEDULE (GCH): WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7
REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN (GCH LOBBY): Pick up participant folders, tickets and passes, and sign-up for lessons, etc.
ODYSSIAD® FINAL ROUND: Single Movement Concerto Judges: Michael Posch, Thomas Lanners, and Jung-Eun Kang
Master of Ceremonies: Scott Wheeler
Free and open to the public; Livestream available
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PRACTICE
12:00–1:30 p.m. LUNCH BREAK
1:30–3:00 p.m.
3:30–5:00 p.m.
FESTIVAL SESSION: "WELLNESS" with Dr. Michael Posch "Practical Tips for Managing Performance Anxiety: Creating flow states"
MATINEE CONCERT: Vyacheslav Gryaznov
Concert pianist, arranger, and composer Program listed below
5:00 p.m. PRACTICE
6:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
DINNER BREAK
EVENING CONCERT: Kemal Gekić
Croation-born American concert pianist is one of today’s most formidable pianists. Program listed on p. 14
MATINEE CONCERT (GCH): VYACHESLAV GRYAZNOV
Concert Arrangements by Vyacheslav Gryaznov
Alexander Borodin (1833-1887)
Nocturne from String Quartet, No. 2
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
“Waltz of the Flowers” from The Nutcracker
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Adagietto from Symphony No. 5 (for the left hand)
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
Si dolce e’l tormento
Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857)
Valse-fantasie
EVENING CONCERT (GCH): KEMAL GEKI
Kemal Gekić (b. 1962)
Prologue
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Nocturne Op.9, No. 2 (with variants by the composer)
Grande Valse Brillante Op.18
Valse Op.64, No 1
Fantaisie Impromptu Op.66
Prelude Op.28, No. 15
Barcarolle Op.60
Polonaise Op.53
~ Intermission ~
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Liebestraum No. 3
Concert Etude Un Sospiro ( Siloti edition)
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Kemal Gekić (b. 1962)
Dialogues (2015)
Introduction and Concert Fugue (1981) Movement (2023)
SCHEDULE (ORH): THURSDAY, AUGUST 8
8:00–9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
12:15–1:30 p.m.
1:30–2:30 p.m.
3:00-5:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN (ORH, 2nd FLOOR): Pick up participant folders, tickets and passes, and sign-up for lessons, etc.
ODYSSIAD® FINAL ROUND: Complete Concerto
Judges: Vyacheslav Gryaznov, Bryan Wallick, and Jung-Eun Kang
Conductor: Devin Patrick Hughes
Master of Ceremonies: Allison Pietras
Free and open to the public; Livestream available
LUNCH BREAK
FESTIVAL SESSION: Mary Ann Ranney
"Tapping: A new method of relieving performance anxiety"
MASTERCLASS: Valery Kuleshov
FREE TIME: Visit Old Town Fort Collins to play on painted pianos –be sure to wear your IKOF Pass
FREE EVENING
8:00–9:00 a.m.
SCHEDULE (ORH):
FRIDAY, AUGUST 9
REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN (ORH, 2nd FLOOR): Pick up participant folders, tickets and passes, and sign-up for lessons, etc.
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ODYSSIAD® FINAL ROUND: Solo Level C (ORH) Judges: Jung-Eun Kang, Janet Landreth, and Thomas Lanners Master of Ceremonies: Allison Pietras Free and open to the public; Livestream available
12:00–1:30 p.m.
LUNCH BREAK
1:30–3:30 p.m. FESTIVAL SESSION: Zuill Bailey, cello, Bryan Wallick, piano, and Karine Garibova, violin; "Chamber Music with Piano: A choice of the five best piano trios, quartets, and quintets"
3:30-5:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
MASTERCLASS: Clayton Stephenson
DINNER BREAK
EVENING CONCERT: Zuill Bailey, Grammy Award-winning Cellist, and Bryan Wallick, Horowitz Gold Medalist (Kyiv) Program listed on p. 16
REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN (ORH, 2nd FLOOR): Pick up participant folders, tickets and passes, and sign-up for lessons, etc.
ODYSSIAD® AWARD CEREMONY: All Divisions and Levels Free and open to the public; Livestream available
LUNCH BREAK
MASTERCLASS: Valery Kuleshov, Van Cliburn Silver Medalist
ODYSSIAD® SHOWCASE CONCERT: Gold Medalists of Solo Levels A, B, and C, Single Movement Concerto and Complete Concerto Free and open to the public; Livestream available
DINNER BREAK
EVENING CONCERT: Clayton Stephenson
Gilmore Young Artist, Lang Lang Young Scholar, Van Cliburn Finalist Program listed below
Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) (arr. Guido Agosti, 1919)
Three Movements from The Firebird
Danse infernale
Berceuse
Finale
GUEST ARTISTS & PRESENTERS
The meditative focus and rare stillness of Armenian-American pianist SERGEI BABAYAN’S keyboard artistry prompted the Hamburger Abendblatt to liken him to “one of those Japanese calligraphers who contemplate the white page before them in silence until, at the exact right moment, their brush makes its instinctive, perfect sweep across the paper”. Babayan himself has observed that making music should be open to surprises and spontaneous insights, allowing unexpected emotions to emerge and subtle shadings to evolve naturally. Sergei Babayan regularly performs at many of the world’s most prestigious venues, including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Carnegie Hall, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Vienna Konzerthaus and Munich’s Prinzregententheater,
ZUILL BAILEY, widely considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, is a Grammy Award-winning, internationally renowned soloist, recitalist, artistic director, and teacher. His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry, and engaging personality has secured his place as one of the most sought-after and active cellists today. Mr. Bailey has been a featured Soloist with the following orchestras: Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit, Indianapolis, Dallas, Louisville, Honolulu, Milwaukee, Nashville, Toronto, Colorado, Minnesota, Utah, Israel, Cape Town, Philharmonia (UK), and the Bruckner Orchestra in Linz, Austria. He has collaborated with musical luminaries Leon Fleisher, Jaime Laredo, the Juilliard String Quartet, Lynn Harrell, and Janos Starker. His international
INON BARNATAN is one of the most admired pianists of his generation.” (New York Times) Inon Barnatan has received universal acclaim for his “uncommon sensitivity,” (The New Yorker) “impeccable musicality and phrasing,” (Le Figaro) and his stature as “a true poet of the keyboard: refined, searching, unfailingly communicative.” (The Evening Standard) A multifaceted musician, Barnatan is equally celebrated as soloist, curator and collaborator. As a soloist, Barnatan is a regular performer with many of the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors. He was the inaugural Artist-inAssociation of the New York Philharmonic from 2014-17 and has played with the BBC Symphony for the BBC Proms, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the
Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Maison de la Radio in Paris, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Alte Oper Frankfurt, and the Zurich Tonhalle. He has appeared at major festivals including La Roque d’Anthéron, Piano aux Jacobins in Toulouse, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, and Verbier Festival. Mr. Babayan has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lille, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Baltimore Symphony. Over the years, Babayan has performed with Valery Gergiev numerous times to great critical acclaim, including appearances at the Barbican Centre with the London Symphony Orchestra, at the Théâtre des ChampsElyseés in Paris, the Salzburg Festival, and at the Rotterdam Philharmonic-Gergiev Festival, where Babayan was artistin-residence.
appearances include notable performances with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in its 50th anniversary tour of Russia, as well as concerts in Ukraine, Korea, Australia, the Dominican Republic, France, Israel, Spain, South Africa, Hong Kong, Jordan, Mexico, South America and the United Kingdom. Festival appearances include Ravinia, the Interlochen Center for the Arts, Manchester Cello Festival (UK), Wimbledon (UK), Consonances- St. Nazaire (France), Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Deia Music FestivalMallorca (Spain), Montreal (Canada), Santa Fe, Caramoor, Chautauqua, Bravo! Vail Valley, Maverick Concert Series, Brevard, Interlochen, Cape Cod and the Music Academy of the West. Zuill Bailey has produced more than 30 charttopping titles. Mr. Bailey won a Best Solo Performance Grammy Award in 2017 for his Live Recording of “Tales of Hemingway,” by composer Michael Daugherty.
symphony orchestras of Chicago, Cleveland, Boston and most major orchestras in the U.S., as well as the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra Symphony and the London, Helsinki, Hong Kong, and Royal Stockholm Philharmonics. Equally at home as a curator and chamber musician, Barnatan is Music Director of La Jolla Music Society Summerfest in California, one of the leading music festivals in the country. He regularly collaborates with world-class partners such as Renée Fleming and Alisa Weilerstein and plays at major chamber music festivals, including Seattle, Santa Fe, and Spoleto U.S.A. Previous career highlights include return performances with the Chicago Symphony and the London Philharmonic, as well as debuts with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Montreal Symphony orchestras.
GUEST ARTISTS & PRESENTERS
Violinist KARINE GARIBOVA was born and raised in Moscow, Russia and earned a D.M.A. in String Quartet performance from the Gnesins’ Russian Academy of Music. Ms. Garibova is a founding member of the Veronika String Quartet, which took top prizes at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition and the Shostakovich International String Quartet Competition. The foursome has appeared in important halls worldwide and has collaborated with Amadeus, American and Fine Arts Quartets members, and guest artists Ruth Laredo, Richard Stolzman, and Lawrence Leighton Smith. The group has a discography of nine
Flamboyant, daring, provocative, exciting, seductive and sensitive are some of the words used to describe KEMAL GEKIĆ. His daring approach to tone and form marked him as a maverick in the musical world.
“Gekić rides the charismatic edge of genius” R. Dyer, Boston Globe. “He is something like a general who has learned all the rules in the book and is therefore free to ignore them in the time of war,” James Roos, Miami Herald. “His playing is transcendental as well as incandescent,” John Ardoin, Dallas Morning News.
recordings on Carlton Classics and Vienna Modern Masters, featuring works ranging from W.A. Mozart to Augusta Read Thomas. The Veronika String Quartet has been recording and broadcasting for Colorado Public Radio. Since 2000, Karine has performed with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and in 2004 became the Orchestra’s Associate Principal Second Violin. Mrs. Garibova teaches privately in Colorado Springs, and has held substitute positions on the faculty of Colorado College and Denver University and coaches students of Pikes Peak State College. Chamber music is Karine’s greatest passion and lifelong quest. She cherishes memories of collaborations with Lawrence Leighton Smith, and colleagues from the Moscow Virtuosi.
As a recording artist, Kemal Gekić has won accolades in Europe, America and Japan for insightful, original views of the music. His outstanding Rossini-Liszt transcriptions (Naxos) won “The Rosette” of The Penguin Guide for Music, while his recording of Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes (JVC) is generally considered to be the best recording of the set in history. Born in Split, Croatia, Gekić got his early training from Prof. Lorenza Baturina. He graduated from the Art Academy of Novi Sad, and eventually directed the piano department until 1999. Since 1999, he has been artist-in-residence at the Florida International University in Miami, Florida.
GUEST ARTISTS & PRESENTERS
VYACHESLAV “SLAVA” GRYAZNOV is a concert pianist and arranger, authoring more than 40 concert arrangements. In 2014 Gryaznov signed a publishing contract with Schott Music, the youngest Russian to do so. His 2021 recording of Western Transcriptions on the Master Performers label is joining his album of Russian Transcriptions on the Steinway & Sons label, released in 2018 as a part of his 1st prize at the New York Concert Artists Worldwide Audition (2016). Gryaznov is a prize-winner of international competitions in Italy, Ukraine, Denmark, Georgia, Japan, and Russia (including six first and Grand prizes), and a frequent guest at international
DEVIN PATRICK HUGHES serves as conductor and music director of the Boulder Symphony and Arapahoe Philharmonic. He was previously with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, Denver Young Artists Orchestra, and Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. Devin was selected for the Toscanini International Conducting Competition, and was a conducting fellow at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen. He has
SAEHYUN KIM is from Seoul, South Korea, and resides in Massachusetts. In 2023, the NEC Preparatory School student took first place in the Senior Division of the Cleveland International Piano Competition (CIPC) for Young Artists. In 2022, he won 1st prize at the Morningside Music Bridge International Concerto and NEC Prep Concerto competitions. In his first international competition, the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Online Piano Competition for Young Musicians, he won 2nd prize as the youngest finalist. He also won 1st prize at the 2021 New York International Classical Music Competition and the 2018 Ewha & Kyunghyang Music Concours, Korea's most prestigious young artist music
VALERY
KULESHOV earned his master’s at Gnessin Academy of Music, his doctoral degree from the State Jewish Academy, and studied at the International Piano Foundation in Italy. Mr. Kuleshov won second place at the 1987 Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition in Italy, followed by concert activity in Russia and abroad. At the 9th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, he was awarded Silver Medal, and his final round performance prompted the Le Monde reviewer to exclaim, “What sound! What allure! What a musician!” In 1987, Kuleshov wrote out and record-
festivals. The pianist has toured in many countries, including Europe, CIS, Africa, Japan, and the United States. He graduated with honors from the Central Music School of the Moscow State Conservatory where he studied with Professor Manana Kandelaki. He attended the Moscow Conservatory (class of Professor Yuri Slesarev), completing his degree with honors. He continued at the Moscow Conservatory as a postgraduate student and was on the teaching faculty of the Moscow Conservatory’s Piano Department. In 2018 he completed Yale University’s Artist Diploma program under the Yale School of Music’s Professor Boris Berman. He is an artist of the Moscow Philharmonic and is an Artist-in-Residence with The Drozdoff Society in the United States.
conducted the Winnipeg Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Des Moines Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, and Orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera. He has a passion for community outreach and has held benefit concerts for the Red Cross, Oxfam International, Cultures in Harmony, and the Colorado Haiti Project. He has served as an AmeriCorps tutor and mentor, and has partnered with Carnegie Hall’s LinkUp, I Have A Dream, Circle of Care, Freemasons, Boulder Muse, El Sistema, and more.
competition. During the 2021–2022 season, Saehyun performed twice at Jordan Hall as part of two renowned concert series: First Monday at Jordan Hall and NEC Composers: Piano Music by NEC Alumni and Faculty. This season, he performed at Yamaha Hall Ginza in Tokyo as a part of the Yamaha Rising Pianists Concert Vol. 7. He will have his U.S. concerto debut with the NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at Jordan Hall. Kim has appeared as a soloist with the Sendai Philharmonic, Korean Symphony, and more. He has appeared on national music channels such as JTBC Classic Today and KBS Classic FM. He is a Young Scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation and a junior at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, studying with HaeSun Paik, faculty at New England Conservatory.
ed Vladimir Horowitz’s unpublished piano transcriptions, to which Horowitz responded: “I was not only delighted by your fantastic performances, but I congratulate you on your keen ear and great patience...” Kuleshov’s playing utilizes the best Russian piano traditions, including emotional sincerity, rich colors, brilliant virtuosity, profound understanding of styles, and freshness of interpretation, and his playing style has been compared to Horowitz with vast dynamic contrasts. In 1997, by decree of Russian President Boris Yeltsin, Kuleshov was awarded the rare distinction “Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation.
GUEST ARTISTS & PRESENTERS
THOMAS LANNERS has appeared as a solo and collaborative pianist and clinician throughout the U.S. and abroad, presenting his New York solo debut in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2004. His performances have been broadcast on American Public Media’s Performance Today, BBC3 in London and RTÉ Radio 1’s Sunday Miscellany in Ireland, among others. Designated the 2014 Distinguished Music Teacher by the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association and inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame in 2021, he serves as Professor of Piano at Oklahoma State University. He has served on the faculties of the Shanghai International Piano Festival and Institute (in 2018 and 2023) and the Conero and AmiCaFest Piano Festivals in Italy. His latest recording, Ned Rorem: Piano Works, Volume 2, was released worldwide
DR. MICHAEL POSCH is a dually boardcertified physician in Family Medicine and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/ Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. He has a private medical practice, Maine Osteopathic Health, specializing in musculoskeletal medicine. Dr. Posch’s main clinical interests are optimizing physical function, health, and performance psychology, particularly among musicians and athletes. In addition to seeing patients, he has been a guest lecturer at the University of Maine School of Performing Arts. Before shifting his focus to musculoskeletal medicine,
MARY ANN RANNEY holds degrees in piano performance (Indiana University, University of Southern California) and a D.M.A. in “Piano Pedagogy: Process of Group Environments” (University of Colorado). She studied in Vienna as a Rotary Graduate Scholar. Her extensive experience teaching all levels includes traditional and Suzuki methods, and
American pianist CLAYTON STEPHENSON has been hailed for “extraordinary narrative and poetic gifts” and interpretations that are “fresh, incisive and characterfully alive.” (Gramophone) Growing up in New York City, Clayton was accepted into the Juilliard Outreach Music Advancement Program for the underprivileged and advanced to Juilliard’s elite pre-college program. Recent and upcoming highlights include appearances with the Calgary Philharmonic, Chicago Sinfonietta, and the Fort Worth, Louisville, Lansing, and North Carolina Symphony Orchestras; as well as recitals at the Phillips Collection Concert Series in Washington, D.C., Foundation Louis Vuitton Auditorium in Paris, Bad Kissinger Sommer Festival
by Centaur Records. Thomas is an active writer, with several feature articles, column contributions and reviews published in American Music Teacher, Piano Magazine, Clavier, and Canadian Music Teacher. Always in demand as a clinician, he has presented many sessions at national and international conferences, including six appearances at the Music Teachers National Association and three at the China International Piano Pedagogy Conference, hosted by the Shanghai Conservatory. Thomas received his Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the Eastman School as a student of Barry Snyder. He earned his Bachelor of Music summa cum laude as a student of Leonidas Lipovetsky at Florida State University, where he won the Brautlecht Award as the School’s Outstanding Rising Senior. He also studied under John Perry at the Aspen Music Festival and Jerome Lowenthal at the Music Academy of the West.
he practiced family medicine for nearly nine years. Dr. Posch earned his medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM). After finishing his family medicine training at the Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency, his Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine fellowship was completed at UNECOM. Dr. Posch obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance at Virginia Tech, studying with Mary Louise Hallauer, and his Master of Music in Piano Performance at The Catholic University of America, where he studied with Luiz de Moura Castro and Tom Mastroianni.
Taubman technique. Mary Ann’s interest in neuro-linguistics and multi-sensory learning led to an investigation of EFT “Tapping,” a remarkably easy, effective, and empowering modality. Backed by 25 years of significant research, EFT ”Tapping” acknowledges and transforms the stress and anxiety so often experienced by performers at all levels of musical ability.
and BeethovenFest in Germany, Colour of Music Festival, Ravinia Festival and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. He has been featured on NPR, WUOL, and WQXR, and appeared in the “GRAMMY® Salute to Classical Music” Concert. In 2024, Clayton performed in the Cliburn’s YPCA Showcase at Carnegie Hall. He studies in the Harvard-New England Conservatory dual-degree program, pursuing a bachelor’s in economics and a master’s in piano performance under Wha Kyung Byun. In addition to being the first Black finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, he was named a 2022 Gilmore Young Artist as well as a 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts and a Young Scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation. He also received a jury discretionary award at the 2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival.
GUEST ARTISTS & PRESENTERS
BRYAN WALLICK is gaining recognition as one of the great American virtuoso pianists of his generation. Gold medalist of the 1997 Vladimir Horowitz International Piano Competition in Kiev, he has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa. He made his New York recital debut in 1998 at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall and made his Wigmore Hall recital debut in London in 2003. He has also performed at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall with the London Sinfonietta and at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church. Dr. Wallick is an avid chamber musician and has performed with violinists Nikita Boriso-Glebsky, Rachel Lee Priday, Yi-Jia Susanne Hou, Miriam Contzen, Sergei Malov, and cellists Zuill
Bailey, Alexander Buzlov, Alexander Ramm, and Wolfgang Emmanuel Schmidt. He is a member of the Mendelssohn Trio in residence at Colorado State University and most recently performed with them on a European tour in September 2022 visiting Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Dr. Wallick studied with Jerome Lowenthal in New York City where he was the first Juilliard School graduate to receive both an undergraduate Honors Diploma (2000) and an accelerated master's Degree (2001). He continued his studies with Christopher Elton in London at the Royal Academy of Music where he was the recipient of the Associated Board International Scholarship, receiving a Post-graduate Diploma with Distinction. Dr. Wallick is Associate Professor of Piano at Colorado State University where he lives with his wife and three children.
JUDGES
• Joel Bacon – Dr. Bacon is the Stewart and Sheron Golden Chair in Organ and Liturgical Studies at Colorado State University
• Stephanie Cheng – Dr. Cheng is Associate Professor of Piano and Chair of the Keyboard Department at the Lamont School of Music, University of Denver
• Kemal Gekić – See guest artist listing
• Vyacheslav Gryaznov – See guest artist listing
• Jung-Eun Kang – Dr. Kang earned a D.M.A. from The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and is Professor of Piano at Je-Ju National University in Je-Ju, South Korea
• Yakov Kasman – Silver Medalist at the 1997 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition; Artist-InResidence and Professor of Piano at the University of Alabama, Birmingham
• Devin Patrick Hughes – See guest artist listing
• Thomas Lanners – See guest artist listing
• Hsin-Hsuan Lin – A native of Taiwan, Dr. Lin earned her master's degree in performance and a D.M.A. in Collaborative Piano from the University of Texas at
Austin. She recently joined the Collaborative Piano faculty at Colorado State University.
• Vladimir Ostromensky – Mr. Ostromensky comes from a musical family and has degrees in Piano Performance and Business Information Systems
• Michael Posch – See guest artist listing
• Silvana Santinelli – Dr. Santinelli earned a D.M.A. from the University of Maryland and is a member of the Duo-Francois
• Hyeji Seo – Dr. Seo earned her M.M. and a D.M.A. in Piano Performance from Michigan State University. She is on the Collaborative Piano faculty at CSU.
• Bryan Wallick – See guest artist listing
• Lei Weng – Dr. Weng is Professor of Piano and Head of the Piano Department at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado
• Dongni Xie – A 2017 Odyssiad® Gold Medalist, Dr. Xie earned a D.M.A. from North Texas State University and serves on the Collaborative Piano Faculty at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas
STAFF ACCOMPANISTS
• Jooyeon Chang – Dr. Chang earned a D.M.A. in Collaborative Piano at the University of Texas, Austin and is a member of the Collaborative Piano Faculty at Colorado State University
• Daria Kiseleva – A 2016 Odyssiad® Gold Medalist, Daria graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Russia) and Texas Christian University School of Music (United States) and has been the winner of many international piano competitions
• Valery Kuleshov – See guest artist listing
BROOKE ELZEY has been performing and teaching piano since 1999 while attending Lake Michigan College. She attended Colorado State University and then received a Teaching Assistantship to the University of Northern Colorado while working on her Master’s in Music. Brooke is an Associate
Native Coloradan SCOTT WHEELER has taught music and drama in Fort Collins since 1997. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Colorado State University and a Master of Music from University of Northern Colorado. Scott is a National Board-Certified Music Teacher (NBCT), earning the distinction
ALLISON PIETRAS earned a B.M. and M.M. from Southern Methodist University in piano performance, pedagogy, and education, and a D.M.A. in piano pedagogy and music education from University of Texas, Austin. She has taught K-12, at Colorado State University, and currently teaches a studio of competitive and recreational pianists. Dr. Pietras performs
Professor of Music at Aims Community College, teaching Music Appreciation, Survey of World Music, Music History, and piano. She serves on the Board of Directors of the International Keyboard Odyssiad® and Festival, U.S.A. Brooke has served as an adjudicator for the Greeley Area Music Teacher Association and the Fort Collins Music Teacher Association piano competitions and festivals.
in 2018. A singer, French hornist, and actor, Mr. Wheeler has performed and worked throughout the U.S. and Europe. He played Shrek in Shrek the Musical at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center (2015), performed at Vatican City and in Rome (2018), Carnegie Hall (2019, 2021), and Kennedy Center (2023) with the national choir commemorating the 60th anniversary of the MLK March on Washington.
with Fort Collins Health and Wellness Orchestra, accompanies district Honor Choir, collaborates with chamber musicians across the state, and adjudicates state festivals and competitions. She is a Fort Collins Music Teachers Association member and has held multiple board positions. Dr. Pietras is published in American Music Teacher and has presented at Music Teachers National Association Conferences and the Colorado Music Teachers Association Conference.
A special thank you to our Board of Directors and Advisory Board Members whose countless hours of volunteer service has made this wonderful event possible.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
• Janet Landreth, IKOF, Founder and Executive Director, B.M., M.M., D.M.A., Professor Emerita and Keyboard Coordinator, Colorado State University; 2019 Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame
• Janelle Crandell*, B.M., IKOF Secretary and Treasurer
• Brooke Elzey*, B.M., M.M.
• Pam Keller, B.A.
• Cindy Lindeen-Martin*, B.M., M.M., D.M.A.
• Allison Pietras, B.M., M.M., D.M.A.
• Bryan Wallick, B.M., M.M., D.M.A.
• Iris Zhang, B.M., M.M., D.A.
*Piano alumni of Colorado State University or current/former students of Dr. Landreth.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
• Kyung-Soon Cho*, B.M., M.M., M.Ed., USA/Korea
• Leanne Baldwin Ferfolia*, B.M, M.M.
• Jennifer Clary Jacobs, B.A., M.B.A.
• Susan Spelius Gannon*, B.M., M.M.
GRANTS, FOUNDATIONS, AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS
The Board of Directors and Advisory Board wish to thank the following donors, sponsors, and foundations for their support of the 2024 International Keyboard Odyssiad® & Festival, U.S.A.
LEGACY PARTNER $20,000
Fort Fund
Fan Foundation
GOLD $5,000
Hansen CPA
Ann K. Yanagi and P. Scott Johnston
SILVER $2,500
The Elizabeth Hotel
Pierre and Helga Julien
Mary Ann and Harland Ranney
BRONZE $1,000
Dr. Janet Landreth
Rotary Club of FOCO
Pamela A. Simons
IVORY $500
Richard and Janelle Crandell
Larry Graham
Mims Harris
Peter Kahn
Pam Keller
Daryll and Shauna Southwick
EBONY $250
Marilyn Murphy and Robert Medlock
Miriam Reid
Edith Stout
KEY $125
Nancy Bryan
Nancy Clegern
Doug Ernest
Shari Massey
Carl and Ann Wilmsen
SOSTENUTO $75
Doug and Cathy Dumler
Robert and Patricia Godwin
C. Cole Janonis
Randy and Patty Johnston
Veronica Leigh-Lim
Cindy and Ken Lindeen-Martin
IKOF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.
HOST FAMILIES
Many thanks to our 2024 IKOF host families who opened up their homes and hearts to a number of our Odyssiad® semifinalists and guest artists for this year’s competition and festival.
• Susan Abbey
• Sarah Bashore
• Janet Caille
• Kristy Clark
• Anne Donoghue
• Doug and Cathy Dumler
• Lirong Feng
• Copper and Wesley Ferreira
• Ted and Dawn Gould
• Steve and Yvonne Holmes
• Pierre and Helga Julien
• Mike and Joan Koltak
• Janet Landreth
• Sean Pauzauskie
• Mary Ann Ranney
• Gary and Ellen Schmidt
A very special thank you to Gina Wallick who served as our host family manager extraordinaire in 2024. If you would like to serve as a host in the future, please contact GinaWallick@gmail.com.
PRELIMINARY ONLINE ROUND JUDGES
Thank you to the following experts who volunteered their time and talent in judging the Odyssiad® Competition Preliminary Online Round submissions.
• Jooyeon Chang
• Dawn Dalangin
• Susan Spelius Gannon
• Larry Graham
• Janet Landreth
• Hsin-Hsuan Lin
• Vlad Ostromensky
• Hyeji Seo
• Bryan Wallick
• Leo Walz
• Iris Zhang
ADDITIONAL THANK YOU'S
• Pam Keller – Ad Sales, Sponsorships, and Press Releases
• Cindy Lindeen-Martin – Scheduling, Registration, Co-Director of the 2024 Odyssiad® Competition
• Shuang Iris Zhang – Co-Director of the 2024 Odyssiad® Competition
• Janelle Crandell – Finances and Contracts
• Brent Collins – Piano Tuner/Technician
• Allison Hudak Pietras –Volunteer Coordinator
• Susan Brand
• Vanessa Felhauer
• Gyongyi Gratzl
• Carrie Hansen
• Kim Harris
• David Hebert – Piano Tuner/Technician
• Ted Mulcahey – Piano Tuner/Technician
• Josh Hansen – Hansen CPA
• Jennifer Clary – Website and Design
• Peter Muller – UCA Events Management and Staff
• A special thank you to the Semifinalists' teachers and parents who mentored and guided them on their "Journey to the Performance of a Lifetime."
FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS
• Bryson Hodges
• Ty Huey
• Pam Keller
• Janet Landreth
• Alexa Latzke
• Emmalise Latzke
• Haidi Lefebvre
• Veronica Lim
• Sandra Meyer
• Reynaldi Raharja
• Wendy Sarver
• Judy Sayregrim
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
Congratulations to our 2024 Semifinalists whose online submissions were judged for the Preliminary Round of the Odyssiad® Competition.
SOLO DIVISION – LEVEL A
Lucy Chen
City/Country: Englewood, Colorado, USA
Age: 13
Lucy started to play piano at age six and has received training in China and America. She studied with Ms.Yanling Lou in China and Ms. Jasmine Lee Steadman in the U.S. since August 2023. With competitive success in China, Lucy has also been in the Broomfield Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition, 2nd place in the CSMTA Concerto Competition, and 1st place in both the YAMAHA and Rising Star competitions. As a graduate of 8th grade from Campus Middle School, she loves all subjects, especially history; her other interests include painting, dancing, and photography. Lucy is a storyteller who uses the piano to tell stories and is super excited for IKOF!
Stephen Chen
City/Country: Glen Allen, Virginia, USA
Age: 11
Growing up in the greater Richmond area of Virginia, Stephen S. Chen studies with Dr. Yinfei Wang. During the past five years, Stephen won competitions at international, state, and district levels, including 1st place in the V International Chopin Competition in Vienna, XV Savshinsky International Music Competition, OPUS Music Competition, American Protégé International Competition, Stockholm Tenth International Music Competition, Carles & Sofia International Piano Competition, Vienna Virtuoso International Competition, Charleston International Competition, Elite International Music Competition, International Youth Music Competition, and American Music Talent Competition. He won 1st place in the VMTA (Virginia Music Teacher Association) State Auditions in 2022, 2nd in 2021, and 3rd in 2023, 1st place in RMTA (Richmond Music Teacher Association) Central Virginia District Auditions in consecutive years (2021-2024), and the Bach Competition, and the Sonata Competition. Stephen received the Student of the Year 2022 Achievement Award and 2023 Summer Music Camp Scholarship from RMTA. Stephen performed at the Washington International Piano Festival 2023 and the III International Gloria Artis Talents Festival in Vienna 2024. He had masterclasses with Professor Vladimir Kharin and Daniel Adam Maltz. Stephen loves reading and math and received the grand award (99%) from the John Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Testing in 2020.
Urvi Dhenge
City/Country: Longmont, Colorado, USA
Age: 13
Urvi Dhenge has been learning piano with Ms. Crystal Lee since age nine. She participated in the Schmitt Music Competition, won the position of Alternate in the CSMTA Concerto Competition two years ago, and placed 3rd in the Yamaha piano competition in the same year. In 2023, she won 1st place in the CSMTA Concerto Competition and performed with the Aurora Symphony Orchestra. She also advanced to the semifinal round of the International Keyboard Odyssiad® and Festival and won first place in the Pueblo Keyboard Arts Festival for her group. Urvi loves reading books and enjoys biking.
Luka Gekić
City/Country: Peachtree City, Georgia, USA
Age: 13
Luka Gekić demonstrated having perfect pitch at age two and began performing piano at age three. Recent awards include Overall Grand Prize Winner at the 2021 Young Talent Big Dreams contest of Miami-Dade County, 1st prize in the Kiwanis Club of Peachtree City’s 2022, 2023, and 2024 Music & Art Talent Showcase, the Excellence in Artistry Award at the 2022 GFMC Junior Club Festival, winner of the Outstanding Performer Alternate II and Alternate I Awards at the 2023 and 2024 GMTA State Auditions, the Janice Broadhurst Artistry Award by AMTA at the 2022 Atlanta Piano Festival, 2nd place in 2022 and Outstanding Performer in 2023 at the AMTA’s Romantic Impressionistic Piano Competition, 1st place Piano Solo in Musically Advanced I at the 2024 FFMC Junior State Convention, winning the Casey Lisk Memorial Endowment Award. Luka also writes music and recently won 1st place at the GFMC Junior Composers Class III.
Victoria Huang
City/Country: San Jose, California, USA Age: 13
Victoria Huang is in 8th grade at Miller Middle School in San Jose, California. She began piano lessons at age five and studies with Hans Boepple. Victoria’s honors include the 2024 MTAC Concerto II Competition North Regional Winner; 3rd place at the 2024 CAMPT State Finals Concerto and Contemporary Music competitions; 2024 Marilyn Mindell Piano Competition Junior Division Winner; 1st place at the 2023 International Grand Virtuoso Competition; 2022 Pittsburgh International Piano Competition; 2021 Chambana International Music Competition; 2nd place at the 2023 Contra Costa PAS Sturm-Page Competition; and 2021 Young Stars International Piano Competition; Honorable Mention at the 2021 San Jose International Piano Competition Rising Star category; 2021 Virtuoso International Music Competition; 2nd Alternate and Honorable Mention in the MTAC North Region Solo I Competition in 2022 and 2023. Victoria performed twice at the Junior Bach Festival and had her orchestral debut with GSYO’s Camerata Orchestra in 2022. In addition to piano, Victoria enjoys competitive math.
Maxwell Ji
City/Country: Sandy, Utah, USA
Age: 9
Maxwell Ji has been playing piano since age five and is studying with Drs. Ning Lu and Jie Lu. He won 1st prize in the University of Utah SummerArts Piano Solo Competition (2021, 2022, 2023) and Concerto Competition (2022), UMTA Piano Concerto Competition (2022, 2023, 2024), Ogden Piano Concerto Competition (2022), Salt Lake Piano Solo Competition (2023) and Concerto Competition (2024), the Helen Taylor Johannesen International Piano Festival Solo Competition (2023), and the OPUS Piano Competition State Level (2024). He received 2nd prize in the XV Chopin International Piano Competition, Hartford (2024), and the Merit Prize in the OPUS Piano Competition (2024). In 2022, he performed with the American West Symphony and the American Fork Symphony for the Salute to Youth Concert. In 2023, he performed with the Chamber Orchestra Ogden in the Ogden’s Prodigy Concert and with the American West Symphony.
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
Jayden LaBarbera
City/Country: Aurora, Colorado, USA
Age: 12
Jayden LaBarbera has studied piano for five years with Mrs. Carolyn Shaak and has focused on piano techniques and music theories with Mrs. Jamie Shaak for one year. He has earned several awards, including an honorable mention in the 2020 Schmitt Music Piano Competition. In 2022, he won 2nd place in the Schmitt and Yamaha Piano Competitions and 1st place in the 21st Century Talents Keyboard Competition in Ottawa. In 2023, he placed 2nd in the Schmitt Music Piano Competition and the CSMTA Rising Star Piano Solo Competition. He recently secured 3rd place in the Yamaha Piano Competition and the CSMTA Rising Star Piano Solo Competition. Jayden’s achievements showcase his dedication and talent.
SOLO DIVISION – LEVEL B
Alexander Brown
City/Country: Davie, Florida, USA
Age: 17
Alexander Brown was born in Miami, Florida, and began his formal music education with Daniel Venegas at Doral Piano Studio at age 11. Since then, he has studied and performed internationally for numerous festivals in the United States, Italy, Spain, and San Marino. He is also a laureate of national and international competitions. In 2022 and 2023, he was chosen amongst select participants to study in Italy for the Miami International Piano Festival Academy at the historical Villa-Medici Giulini. He studied with artists such as Francesco Libetta, Stephen Beus, Dmitry Ablogin, Kemal Gekić, Josu de Solaun, Misha Dacic, and Florian Noack. Alexander has also performed for television, collaborating with pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and composer-singer Aymée Nuviola to produce a video for the 2022 Latin Grammy Awards. Alexander also shares interests in literature, cinema, opera, and painting.
Joanne Choi
City/Country: Jupiter, Florida, USA
Age: 14
Joanne Choi started playing piano at age six. She is a 9th-grade piano major at A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. Before that, she attended Bak MSOA for three years as a piano major. She won 3rd place in the Tampa Young Artist competition in 2022 and 2023 and 1st place in 2024. She won 3rd place in the Florida division of the MTNA Junior Piano Competition in 2022 and 2023. In Jan. 2024, she won 3rd place in the Great Miami Concerto Competition. She also was part of the Bak MSOA Advanced Orchestra as a cellist and performed in Carnegie Hall, Anaheim, and various performances as part of the orchestra. On cello, she participated in the Florida All-State Middle School Orchestra in 2023 and 2024 and in Palm Beach’s All-County Orchestra in 2023 as principal cellist. She enjoys playing the music of various classical composers and performs them in recitals, competitions, and nursing homes as a volunteer. She studies with Ruo Quing Huang and Michael Ruiz.
Marianne Rose Villar-Córdova Scott
City/Country: Johnston, Iowa, USA
Age: 11
Marianne Rose Villar-Córdova Scott has been studying piano since age four. Ms. Scott won her first international piano competition at age six and made her solo debut with orchestra at age seven, performing a Haydn Concerto in C Major. She has received top prizes at the Great Masters International Piano Competition, 6th Propiano International Competition, Princeton International Piano Festival, Radda Rise International Piano Competition, Clara Schumann International Music Competition, and the Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition. Marianne Rose studies with Dr. Marion and Rosa Scott and performs regularly at community concerts and recitals as part of the University of Miami Frost Preparatory Program. She recently participated in the Royal Winter Festival at The Juilliard School where she performed at masterclasses with professors Hung-Kuan Chen and Mika Sasaki. She is the youngest recipient of the prestigious Coral Gables Music Club Scholarship in Miami, Florida.
Enni Harlan
City/Country: Los Angeles, California, USA
Age: 17
Enni Harlan studies with Bernadene Blaha of the USC Thornton School of Music. Enni has performed in various music festivals, including the Amalfi Coast Music Festival, Paris International Music Academy, and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Summer Piano Academy. She has performed in the Salle Cortot in Paris and in Maiori and Minori, Italy. Enni was recently inducted into the Young Artists Guild of the Music Teachers Association of California and was awarded a scholarship by the Chopin Foundation Scholarship Program for Young Pianists. She has received top prizes in piano competitions, including the Kathryn Gawartin Chopin Competition, SoCal International Piano Competition, CAPMT Honors Competition, MTNA State Competition, and OPUS National Music Competition. Enni is passionate about writing and author of Remember the Flowers, published through the Children’s Art Foundation in 2022.
Kevin Ho
City/Country: Dallas, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Kevin Ho developed a keen interest in piano from a young age, embarking on his music journey at age seven under the guidance of Professor Yifan Liu. Recognizing the intricate and challenging nature of piano music as a performance art, Kevin dedicated himself to daily practice and drew inspiration from observing other pianists during live concerts. Kevin has earned the following performance achievements and awards: International Keyboard Odyssiad® & Festival Piano Solo (Honorable Mention, 2022); 1st place in 2024 Collin County Young Artist Competition (Senior Division), Baylor/Waco Piano Competition Concerto (2nd place, 2023), TMTA (Texas Music Teacher Association) Music Festival Performance Contest Piano Solo (2nd place, 2022), Dallas Symphonic Competition Piano Solo (1st place, 2022), and the Dallas Piano Solo Competition (2nd place, 2021).
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
Eric Kim
City/Country: Englewood, Colorado, USA
Age: 16
Eric Kim is a junior at Cherry Creek High School. He started taking piano lessons at age five and is studying under Ms. Jasmine Steadman and Larry Graham, former Professor of Piano at the University of Colorado. Eric’s musical achievements span from 2020, when he placed 6th at the Krystian Tkaczewski International Piano Competition in Poland, to the present. Among awards, a distinct stepping stone was in 2022, when Eric won the Broomfield Concerto Competition and performed the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23, K.488. Additionally, in 2023, Eric won the Schmitt Music Competition and performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Trio No.1 with members of the National Repertory Orchestra. Most recently, in 2024, he won the CSMTA Rising Stars. Eric has participated in charity concerts and education for the community as a board member of ‘Musicians United for Change’ for four years. Eric believes in the amazing influence of music.
Wei-Ning Isabella Ko
City/Country: Irvine, California, USA
Age: 15
Wei-Ning Isabella Ko is a junior at the Orange County School of Arts. She started her musical journey at Yamaha Music School at age six and was chosen to perform her composition at the Yamaha Junior Original Concert. Isabella started her formal piano training at age ten and is currently studying with YuHui Jen. Isabella has received many prizes in competitions, such as Los Angeles Music Center's Spotlight Award, CAPMT South Region and State Final Competition, MTAC State Solo Competition, MTNA National Competition, and the OPUS National Music Competition. She was named a 2023-2024 NPR’s From the Top Fellow and was featured on Show 444. Isabella has worked with worldrenowned piano pedagogues, including Olga Kern, Viennese Piano Duo, Kevin Fitzgerald, and Antoinette Perry in various master classes, and was a selected participant for the Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Pianist Program in 2023.
Eric Qian
City/Country: Plano, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Eric Qian is a junior at Plano West Senior High School in Plano, Texas. He began piano lessons with Ms. Yang Jiang at age five and is currently studying with her husband, Mr. Yifan Liu. Eric has been active in the competition scene, achieving notable placements including 3rd at the 2024 North Texas Young Artists Piano Competition (Division 4, 8-10th grade), 3rd at the 2024 Collin County Young Artists Competition (Senior Piano), 1st at the 2022 Dallas Symphonic Festival (Intermediate Concerto), 3rd at the 2022 Collin County Young Artists Competition (Junior Piano), finals at the 2021 Spotlight International Piano Competition (Junior Piano), and 2nd at the 2021 Texas Music Teachers Association Performance Contest (7th grade piano Solo). Eric also enjoys debating and singing pop and classical music; he is a member of Plano West’s Syncopation Show Choir and the 2024 Texas All-State Mixed Choir.
Jack Roueche
City/Country: Dallas, Texas, USA
Age: 17
Jack Roueche began piano lessons at age five and is currently studying with Dr. Alex McDonald and Mrs. Marcy McDonald. He has excelled at the Dallas Piano Solo Competition and Dallas Symphonic Festival, including 1st place in the 2024 Senior Piano Concerto category. Jack has won numerous state competitions, including 1st place at the 2023 Baylor/Waco Competition, 1st place at the 2023 and 2024 TMTA State Level Competition, and first alternate at the 2023 Texas MTNA Senior Piano Competition. His most significant achievement was winning the grand prize at the 2023 Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition, leading to his debut with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Jack is a rising senior at Townview’s School for the Talented and Gifted. When not studying or practicing, he enjoys spending time with friends, family, and his three rescue dogs. He also likes to volunteer and travel.
Kento Sugiyama
City/Country: Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Age: 15
Kento Sugiyama began playing piano at age five and is currently studying with Dr. Jack Winerock and Feilin Lin Murray. He is a recipient of the Chopin Scholarship from the Chopin Foundation of the United States in 2023/2024. He was a 1st place winner of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) State Piano Competition in the Senior (2024) and Junior (2023) divisions. He performed as a soloist with Orchestra Omaha in 2023 as a winner of the Young Artist Competition. This year, he won 1st place at the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Young Artist Concerto Competition and will appear as a soloist. He was the prizewinner of the Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition (2023), the Bruce P. Carlson Student Scholarship Competition by Schubert Club (2022), and the Krystian Tkaczewski International Piano Competition (2021).
Kellen Trice
City/Country: Frisco, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Kellen Trice is a junior who is passionate about music. She has played piano for almost ten years and plays flute in her school band. Kellen also enjoys science and mathematics. With a strong interest in arts and academics, Kellen is ready for new challenges and opportunities in the upcoming school year.
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
Eric Wang
City/Country: Plano, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Eric Z. Wang has played piano and viola from a young age. In 2024, Eric won 1st prize at the Texoma Piano Competition and International Music Competition “Vienna” Grand Prize Virtuoso, earning a performance at Gläserner Saal, Musikverein. He won 1st place at the 2023 Elite International Music Competition, making his debut at Weill Recital Hall. Eric won 2nd place in the Collin County Young Artist Competition twice, and has been a frequent top finisher at the annual Dallas Symphonic Festival Competition. He was 5th chair viola in the All-State Symphony Orchestra for two years; he earned 1st place in the strings concerto category at the 2024 Dallas Symphonic Festival Competition and was selected for the 2024-2025 Greater Dallas Young Orchestra. Academic achievements include induction into the National Honor Society and AP Scholar from CollegeBoard, and his interest in science and mathematics was recognized with a 2nd place at University of Texas STEM Camp. He is committed to community service, volunteering at food banks and libraries, and organizing performances at senior living facilities.
Eddie Zhou
City/Country: Schaumburg, Illinois, USA
Age: 16
Eddie Zhou started studying piano at age four. Under the insightful instruction of Jon Ensminger, a graduate of piano pedagogy at the University of South Carolina, Eddie showcased his musical abilities in numerous competitions and performances, such as performing as a soloist with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra and placing second in the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition. Upon moving to Illinois, under the new and rigorous instruction of Brenda Huang, Eddie has continued to refine his piano playing and won 1st place in his Solo and Concerto divisions of the 2023 Carmel Klavier Piano Competition and performed with the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra. Eddie enjoys competitive math and spending time in nature.
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
SOLO DIVISION – LEVEL C
Celine Chen
City/Country: Valencia, California, USA
Age: 20
Celine Chen is in her second year at the University of Southern California, studying piano with Bernadene Blaha. Celine has been awarded prizes from the MTNA National Competitions, The Music Center’s Spotlight, the Celia Mendez Young Pianists Beethoven Competition, the Young Musicians Inspiring Change International Competition, and the Kaufman Music Center International Piano Competition. Other honors include the Colburn School Herbert Zipper Scholar Award, the William Grant Still Arts Center Scholarship, and the National Young Arts Merit Award. Outside of performing, Celine shares her love for music through her work in the Back to Bach Project, which aims to provide a music and arts education to inspire the next generation. At USC, Celine works as a research assistant at the Brain and Creativity Institute, exploring the relationship between music and the brain. She hopes her work has future applications to musicians and non-musicians alike.
Jiarui Cheng
City/Country: Nanjing, China
Age: 25
Jiarui Cheng has performed as concerto soloist and recitalist in China, the U.S., and Europe. He was featured with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra's 70th Anniversary Celebration, and Italy's Grossetto Symphony Orchestra. Jiarui was a prizewinner in the Scriabin International Piano Competition and the National Piano Competition in Shanghai. In 2019, he performed with The Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra as the CIM Concerto Competition winner. As recipient of the Niu Ende Piano Scholarship, Jiarui studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with Professor Jin Tang, and studied at The Cleveland Institute of Music as an Artist Certificate candidate with Kathryn Brown. He was a semifinalist in the Cleveland International Piano Competition and Santander International Piano Competition. In 2023, he performed with the 2023 Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra as the Aspen Concerto Competition winner and with the Tongyeong Music Festival Orchestra as winner of the ISANGYUN International Piano Competition.
Daria Ionkina
City/Country: Moskva, Russia
Age: 32
Daria Ionkina, a graduate of the Moscow State Conservatory and Conservatorium van Amsterdam, has performed as a soloist with The Saint-Petersburg Music House, including the "River of Talents" project with the State Symphony Orchestra and the Piano Marathon at Mariinsky Concert Hall. Her 2018 performance at the XXXII International Festival of Classical Music in Brest was highly praised. In 2023, she debuted at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. Daria has attended masterclasses with renowned professors and has won numerous international piano competitions, including the "Viva-Music USA" International Competition of Classical Music (2023, New York, 1st prize), XIX International Competition "Music Without Limits" (2019, Lithuania, Grand Prix), and the International Competition of Young Pianists named after M. Yudina (2018, Saint-Petersburg, 1st prize).
Seolyeong Jeong
City/Country: South Korea
Age: 32
Pianist Seolyeong Jeong has won numerous competitions, including 2023 American Virtuoso International Music Competition (1st prize), 2022 International Keyboard Odyssiad® & Festival (Bronze Medal in Complete Concerto and Solo Division), 2022 Young Texas Artists Music Competition (1st prize and Audience Choice Prize), and 2022 Shepherd School Concerto Competition (1st place). Following her solo debut at age thirteen, Seolyeong has performed internationally in various concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Morse Recital Hall, Stude Concert Hall, and Seoul Arts Center. Seolyeong graduated summa cum laude from Seoul National University and received an M.M. and M.M.A. from Yale University. In May 2024, she earned a D.M.A. from Rice University, where she studied with Jon Kimura Parker. Composer Pierre Jalbert advised her doctoral thesis on Chopin’s Études, Op. 10. Seolyeong is an Affiliated Artist at MIT’s Music and Theater Arts and will start working at Boston Conservatory at Berklee this fall.
Seonghun Jeong
City/Country: South Korea
Age: 27
Seonghun Jeong started playing the piano at age 15 and was accepted to Gyeonggi Art High School, where he studied tone and musical atmosphere, his strengths! Jeong has won many prizes, including the Korean Liszt Association Competition, the Weatherford College Piano Competition, Music Journal National Competition, Music Chunchoo Competition, Nanpa Piano Competition, Music Education News Competition, Buam Music Competition, Korea Universal Competition, and more. As a soloist and collaborative pianist, he has performed at Lotte Concert Hall, Kumho Art Hall, Youngsan Art Hall, Mozart Hall, Lium Studio, Buam Art Hall, Concert Hall at Yonsei University, Korea National University of Arts, Ewha Womans University, and Seoul National University. Jeong’s interest in chamber music has led to frequent collaborations and performances in the Meadows Chamber Music Honors concerts. As a 2023-2024 winner of the SMU Concerto Competition, he recently played with the Meadows Symphony Orchestra. Jeong holds a Bachelor of Music from Yonsei University in Seoul on full scholarship. He completed the Performer's Diploma Program at SMU Meadows and is continuing at SMU in the Artist Diploma Program in the studio of Dr. Carol Leone.
Simon Karakulidi
City/Country: Siberia
Age: 26
Siberian-born pianist Simon Karakulidi studied in the U.S. in 2016-2022. In 2022, he moved to Germany to immerse himself in European musical tradition with Professor Oliver Kern. An accomplished polymath with interests ranging from poetry to philosophy, he received his Master’s in Piano Performance from the Yale School of Music in 2021. Simon is enthusiastic about American classical music and is engaged in learning the complete piano works of David Lang and Nico Muhly. He is passionate about exploring and commissioning new musical directions. Simon has been a prize winner in more than 20 International Piano Competitions. In 2023, Simon won 1st prize at the Piano Campus Competition in Cergy-Pontoise, France, as well as five Special Awards. Simon is a 2024 fellow at LAMP Academy (Lunenburg, Nova Scotia). Simon is a U.S. “green card” holder and enjoys reading and long walks in his spare time. His teachers have included Stanislav Loudenitch, Wei-Yi Yang, Diego Prigollini, and Oliver Kern.
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
Artem Kuznetsov
City/Country: Novopokrovskoye, Russia
Age: 33
Russian pianist Artem Kuznetsov, has been hailed for his artistry, virtuosity, lyricism, and electrifying energy as an award-winning concert pianist and enthusiastic chamber musician. He has won 1st prize in more than fifteen international competitions, including the Santa Cecilia International Competition, San Remo International Piano Competition, Valsesia Musica International Competition, Heida Hermanns Music Competition, the Seattle International Piano Competition, and his upcoming concert engagements include more than ten countries across Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Mr. Kuznetsov has been featured on prominent radio and TV stations in the U.S. and globally, including “Texas Public Radio” in San Antonio, “King FM” in Seattle, Medici TV, and Euronews in Dubai. Mr. Kuznetsov has been involved in musical outreach for underserved communities and educational events for young musicians. He has participated in organizations and concert series that have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities, including the “Multiple Sclerosis Society” and “Direct Relief Covid-19 Response”.
Soohyun Lee
City/Country: South Korea
Age: 21
Soohyun Lee is a Master’s student at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music (JSoM) and studies under Evelyne Brancart and Jean-Louis Haguenauer. At JSoM, Ms. Lee has been awarded a full scholarship and is an Associate Instructor of Piano. She came to the U.S. at age 16 to pursue her Bachelor’s under the direction of Dr. Luis Sanchez at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Soohyun’s numerous competition awards include 2nd prize at the American Virtuoso International Music Competition, Music in the Classical Period, 1st prize at the Texas Music Teachers’ Association competition, Grand Prize Winner of the TAMU-C Concerto Competition, and honorable mentions at the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition and the Texas MTNA Competition. In addition, she has performed in masterclasses with Arnaldo Cohen, Anne Epperson, Olga Kern, Petronel Malan, Kariné Poghosyan, Andrey Ponochevny, and Nancy Weems.
Gregory Martin
City/Country: Rock Springs, Wyoming, USA
Age: 26
American pianist Gregory Martin has graced global stages with his musical prowess, performing ten piano concertos with renowned orchestras like the Fort Worth Symphony, New Mexico Symphony, and Russian State Academic Orchestra “Evgeny Svetlanov.” A laureate of prestigious competitions, including the 8th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians and the Jackie McGehee competition, Gregory is celebrated for his “disciplined, controlled approach to music making, and yet at the same time, a fiery musical temperament.” He is also an active chamber musician, performing more than five major piano quintets, among many other chamber works.
Yiying Niu
City/Country: Anyang, China Age: 26
Pianist Yiying Niu has appeared internationally in venues in China, the U.S., and Europe, including Austria, Holland, and Spain. In the 2022-2023 season, she performed multiple recitals in China and the U.S. Yiying won the Thousand Islands International Piano Competition in 2022. Yiying became the “Best Performance on Commissioned Work” prize winner at the Ninth New York International Piano Competition 2018 and the 2nd prize winner of the Munz Scholarship Competition. She also won the Helen Cohn Chamber Music Award in 2020 and the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition in 2023. Yiying is a D.M.A. candidate at the Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Marc Silverman. She finished her Master’s at The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Julian Martin.
Chong Zheng
City/Country: China
Age: 27
Chong Zheng has participated in many national competitions, performances, and masterclasses since an early age. He won 1st prize in the 2010 Xinghai Cup National Junior Competition and subsequently performed at the National Center for Performing Arts and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall. He participated in the masterclasses of Barry Snyder, Nelita True, Boris Berman, and Kevin Fitz-Gerald. In high school, Chong shifted his studies to academics and graduated from Peking University with a B.S. in Biological Science. He finished a Master’s in Performance at USC Thornton School of Music with Bernadene Blaha, where he is continuing in the D.M.A. program. In 2023, he participated in European music festivals and performed extensively in Italy, France, and Poland.
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
CONCERTO DIVISION – SINGLE MOVEMENT
Oliver Chen
City/Country: Plano, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Performing: Franz Liszt, Totentanz
Oliver Chen started lessons at age four. He loves that the piano is a one-man orchestra. “While other instruments can only focus on one line of music, the piano has the freedom to focus on the melody, the accompaniments, and the many colors and nuances of classical music. It's all possible with the piano.” Additionally, according to Oliver, there are so many fun techniques unique to the piano, such as glissandos, and the pedals allow for wider ranges of expression unseen in other instruments. "The piano is the greatest instrument!"
William Glasnapp
City/Country: Ames, Iowa, USA
Age: 11
Performing: Joseph Haydn, Piano Concerto No. 11 in D Major, Hob. XVIII/11, first movement
William Glasnapp began playing piano at age six. He tied in winning the Iowa State Level E pre-college category in 2024, and he received a superior rating from the National Federation of Music Clubs for his concerto and solo performances that same year. He won 1st prize in Category B (Piano Concerto) at the Florida Young Artists International Piano Competition and 2nd prize in Category C (Solo Division). He has earned Honor Roll in Music Theory each year for taking the Iowa Music Teachers Association’s test. He also enjoys playing chess and designing and building custom Lego creations.
Kevin Ho
City/Country: Dallas, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Performing: Schumann, Concerto A-minor, Op.54, first movement
Semifinalist in Solo (Level B) and Single Movement Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level B).
Victoria Huang
City/Country: San Jose, California, USA
Age: 13
Performing: Ludwig van Beethoven, Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58, first movement
Semifinalist in Solo (Level A) and Single Movement Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level A).
Maxwell Ji
City/Country: Sandy, Utah, USA
Age: 9
Performing: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Concerto No. 20 in D-minor, K. 466, first movement
Semifinalist in Solo (Level A) and Single Movement Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level A).
Andrew Liu
City/Country: McKinney, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Performing: Frédéric Chopin, Concerto No. 1 in Eminor, Op. 11, first movement
Andrew Liu, a 10th grader at St. Mark’s School of Texas, studies under Dr. Grace Long. He is an eight-time TMTA Theory Gold Medalist, a 2024 TMTA Concerto Competition finalist, and won the Grand Prix from the Texas Chopin Society (2022, 2024). Andrew secured 1st place in the 2023 TMTA Piano Solo Competition, RMTA Jazz Competition, and Dallas Symphonic Competition. He participated in the PianoTexas International Festival & Academy (2021, 2022), winning the 2021 PianoTexas Concerto Competition. Andrew debuted with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and was a finalist in the TMTA Piano Solo Performance (2021, 2022). He achieved 2nd place at the 2021 Dallas Symphonic Festival, 1st place at the 2020 AFAF Concerto Competition, and performed at Weill Recital Hall and in Russia with the Kostroma Symphony Orchestra. Andrew made his recital debut at Carnegie Hall in 2020.
Eric Qian
City/Country: Plano, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Performing: Frédéric Chopin, Concerto No. 1 in E-minor, Op. 11, first movement
Semifinalist in Solo (Level B) and Single Movement Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level B).
Faith Eugenia
Villar-Córdova Scott
City/Country: West Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Age: 8
Performing: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Concerto No. 8 in C Major, K. 246, first movement
Faith Eugenia Villar-Córdova Scott has been studying piano since age four, and at the age five, she won her first International Piano Competition. Since then, she has received 1st prize at the Florida Young Artists International Piano Competition, the Clara Schumann International Music Competition, the Fanny Mendelssohn International Music Competition, the Franz Liszt Center International Piano Competition, The Royal International Piano Competition, and Carmel Klavier International Piano Competition. She has received scholarships to attend the Palmetto Piano Festival and the Sewanee Music Festival as the youngest participant. In 2023, she made her orchestra debut, playing a complete Haydn Concerto in C Major under the baton of Maestro Alberto Bade. In the same year, she made her debut in Carnegie Hall. Faith continues her piano studies with Dr. Marion and Rosa Scott and performs regularly at student recitals and community concerts.
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
Eric Wang
City/Country: Plano, Texas, USA
Age: 16
Performing: Sergei Rachmaninov, Concerto No. 2 in C-minor, Op. 18, first movement
Semifinalist in Solo (Level B) and Single Movement Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level B).
Eddie Zhou
City/Country: Schaumburg, Illinois, USA
Age: 16
Performing: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23, first movement
Semifinalist in Solo (Level B) and Single Movement Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level B).
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ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
CONCERTO DIVISION – COMPLETE CONCERTO
Jiarui Cheng
City/Country: Nanjing, China
Age: 25
Performing: Sergei Rachmaninoff, Concerto No. 3 in D-minor, Op. 30
Semifinalist in Solo (Level C) and Complete Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level C).
Seolyeong Jeong
City/Country: South Korea
Age: 27
Performing: Sergei Prokofiev, Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
Semifinalist in Solo (Level C) and Complete Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level C).
Seonghun Jeong
City/Country: South Korea
Age: 27
Performing: Robert Schumann, Concerto in A-minor, Op. 54
Semifinalist in Solo (Level C) and Complete Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level C).
Simon Karakulidi
City/Country: Siberia / USA
Age: 26
Performing: Sergei Prokofiev, Concerto No. 2 in G-minor, Op. 16
Semifinalist in Solo (Level C) and Complete Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level C).
Gahyun Kim
City/Country: South Korea
Age: 29
Performing: Sergei Rachmaninov, Concerto No. 2 in C-minor, Op. 18
Born in South Korea, Gahyun Kim began playing the piano at age six. She studied with HeeSung Joo and earned her Bachelor’s at Seoul National University. Gahyun moved to the United States to earn her Master’s at the Peabody Institute while studying with Benjamin Pasternack. She is working on her D.M.A. at the Frost School of Music with Santiago Rodriguez. Gahyun has performed solo and with orchestras at renowned venues, including Carnegie Hall, Bösendorfer Hall, Seongnam Arts Center, and Mozart Hall. She won top prizes in the American Protégé International Piano Competition, the Germany-Korea Brahms Association Competition, and The 1st Korea-Asia Piano Open Competition. She has improved her skills in masterclasses with pianists such as Jerome Lowenthal, Gabriela Montero, and Claire Huangci. Gahyun has also been part of prestigious festivals, including the Eastern Music Festival, International Scriabin 150 Festival, Music Fest Perugia, International Summer Academy, and the Busan Music Festival.
Semifinalist in Solo (Level C) and Complete Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level C).
Yiying Niu
City/Country: Anyang, China
Age: 26
Performing: Frédéric Chopin, Concerto No. 2 in Fminor, Op. 21
Semifinalist in Solo (Level C) and Complete Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level C).
Madison Yan
City/Country: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA
Age: 20
Performing: Frédéric Chopin, Concerto No. 2 in Fminor, Op. 21
Madison Yan studies with Kevin Kenner in the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. She began her musical studies at age five under the tutelage of Dr. Irena Kofman. Madison is a three-year National Chopin Foundation Scholarship recipient and has received many accolades in national and international competitions, including 1st prize in the William Knabe International Piano Competition, 3rd prize at the International Chopin Competition in Hartford, Connecticut, and bronze medalist at the 2023 International Keyboard Odyssiad® and Festival. She has performed in masterclasses with renowned musicians, such as Maria João Pires, Robert McDonald, Dang Thai Son, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Ewa Pobłocka, and others. Madison also enjoys writing, dance, and martial arts.
Chong Zheng
City/Country: China
Age: 27
Performing: Maurice Ravel, Concerto in G Major
Semifinalist in Solo (Level C) and Complete Concerto Divisions. Biography previously listed under Solo (Level C).
ODYSSIAD® SEMIFINALISTS
Etienne Haitian Zhou
City/Country: Hyattsville, Maryland, USA
Age: 27
Performing: Franz Liszt, Concerto No. 2 in A Major, S. 125
Etienne Haitian Zhou is a dynamic classical pianist passionate about captivating audiences through his performances across Asia, Europe, and North America. Zhou’s versatile repertoire has graced the stages of prestigious venues, such as The Forbes Center of the Performing Arts, Bradshaw Hall in England, Hong Kong Cultural Center, Shenzhen Concert Hall, and many others. Recently, Zhou received 3rd prize at the 2024 New York International Artists Piano Competition and won the Luciana Montanari a Mendola Award from the Italian Cultural Society, further recognizing his musical artistry. He now serves as the Minister of Music at the Episcopal Church of Ascension in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He is currently a doctorate candidate in piano performance at The Catholic University of America.
Yuan Zhuang
City/Country: Covington, Kentucky, USA
Age: 32
Performing: Maurice Ravel, Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, M. 82
Yuan Zhuang is a concert pianist with a vibrant presence in the musical sphere. Praised as “a pianist of well-rounded virtuosity and uncompromising expressions,'' (Alexander Gavrylyuk) with her “graceful musical interpretation and commanding mastery of the keyboard,” (Anton Nel) Yuan’s musical career spans prestigious venues across the Tri-state area and the East Coast, including renowned concert halls such as Werner Hall in Cincinnati, Trinity Episcopal Church in Covington, Kentucky, Weill Recital Hall in New York, and Jordan Hall in Boston. Renowned for her dynamic collaborations, Yuan has performed chamber music alongside esteemed musicians from Shanghai, Boston, Cincinnati, and New York. Yuan's artistic passion extends to exploring and disseminating contemporary repertoire, where she captivates audiences with the works of modern composers. She gave the U.S. premiere of Mark Anthony Turnage’s piano quintet “Slide Stride'' featured in the Prelude Series by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
