Fall Arts: Gina Bachauer

The Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation presents its 2024–25 concert series with four laureate pianists.

ANNA HAN in concert, September 27

The Bachauer laureate offers touchpoints of the vast piano literature, extending from toccatas by Bach and Prokofiev to Rachmaninoff’s monumental 2nd Sonata.

Hailed by the Washington Post as “prodigiously gifted… a display of imagination, taste and pianistic firepower far beyond her years,” Han strives to deliver heartfelt performances through a variety of classical piano repertoire.

Born in Mesa, Arizona, Han began her musical journey at four at the East Valley Yamaha Music School. She started private piano lessons at age five with Fei Xu, who guided her through 13 years of rigorous training. At eleven, Anna won first place in the 2007 MTNA Competition and debuted with the Chandler Symphony Orchestra, performing Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1. In the following years, she triumphed in numerous international competitions, including the New York International Piano Competition, and was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts in 2014, earning recognition for her performances of Chopin.

CARTER JOHNSON in concert, November 15

The 2024 Bachauer Artists Competition Silver Medalist triumphantly returns to Utah with a program full of passionate expression and virtuosity, including music by Schumann, Liszt, Mozart, and Prokofiev.

Praised for his interpretive sensitivity, imaginative programming, and ability to make classical music speak to all kinds of audiences, Johnson is quickly establishing a reputation as one of his generation’s most gifted and multi-faceted pianists. The silver medalist in the 2024 Gina Bachauer Competition, his most recent competition victories include first prizes in international competitions such as

the 2023 Concours Hauts-de-France, the 2021 International Competition of Polish Music, the 2020 Valsesia International Competition and the 2023 Weatherford College International Competition.

Born in 1996 on Vancouver Island, Canada, Johnson began piano study at age 5 with Shelley Roberts, with whom he studied performance and pedagogy for over 12 years. After continuing his studies with Michelle Mares, he completed a Bachelor of Music with Mark Anderson at the University of British Columbia. He then received a Master of Music from the Juilliard School under the direction of Joseph Kalichstein and Matti Raekallio. He continued to the Yale School of Music, where he completed a Master of Musical Arts with Wei-Yi Yang and is currently there completing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree.

STEPHEN BEUS in Concert, February 28, 2025

Widely acclaimed as a performer and teacher, the Bachauer Gold Medalist takes the Bachauer stage in a concert focused on music of the night, with music of Amy Beach and Franz Liszt, and Nikolai Medtner’s haunting “Night Wind” Sonata.

PASQUALE IANNONE in concert, April 11, 2025 4/11/25

The famed Italian pianist and Bachauer laureate presents a colorful and passionate program featuring Beethoven’s Appassionata, Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantaisie, and the complete set of Rachmaninoff’s Moments Musicaux. Since 1976, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation has been instrumental in the arts. Each year, its educational outreach programs introduce thousands of children to the magic of music. Its prestigious competitions, festivals, and concerts help undiscovered talents find new audiences and reach international acclaim. A non-profit foundation based in Salt Lake City, the Bachauer aims to enrich society by continuing to provide opportunities for classical music to be performed everywhere and enjoyed by all. Q

Tickets and more information at bachauer.com