The Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles is pleased to announce the winners of the eighth annual Youth Piano Competition held October 25 at Cass Winery in Paso Robles. Twenty young pianists from three Central Coast Counties (Santa Barbara, Monterey and San Luis Obispo) competed for cash prizes of $100-$750, the opportunity to perform at the Youth Piano Competition Winners’ Recital on November 8 during the 2014 Paderewski Festival, and the chance to participate in the Festival’s 2015 Cultural Exchange Program in Poland. Presided by Marek Żebrowski, Paderewski Festival Artistic Director and Director of the Polish Music Center at University of Southern California, the competition jury included India d’Avignon, a Cal Poly Professor and Paderewski Festival Board member, and Paul Woodring, accompanist and coach at Cal Poly.
After hearing this year’s applicants, the jury decided to award the following prizes:
First Place, Senior Division: Arroyo Grande High School Freshman Daniel Ha (15). A finalist of several Paderewski Youth Piano Competitions who also travelled to Poland on the Festival’s 2013 Cultural Exchange, Daniel has studied piano for five years with Debbie Lagomarsino, Neill Kauffman and Dr. Lynne Garrett. He will perform George Frederic Handel’s Chaconne with 21 Variations, HMV 435 and Camille Saint-Saens’ Allego appassionato, Op. 70 at the winners’ recital.
Second Place, Senior Division: San Luis Obispo High School Freshman Kannan Freyaldenhoven (15). A student of Dr. Lynne Garrett for the past two years, Kannan will perform Franz Joseph Haydn’s Sonata in G minor, Hob. WVI:44 I. Moderato and Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s Menuet, Op. 14 no. 1.
Third Place, Senior Division: Carmel High School Junior Yuan Tao (15). A student of Lyn Bronson, Yuan will play Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s Chant du Voyageur, Op. 8 no. 5 and Auguste Durand’s Valse, Op. 83 no. 1.
First Place, Junior Division: Orcutt Junior High eighth grader Kevin Park (13), who has studied piano for eight years, most recently with Dr. Lynne Garrett, John Perry and Mina Hirobe-Perry. Kevin will perform the Nocturne, Op. 27 no.2 by Frederic Chopin.
Second Place, Junior Division: Santa Barbara fourth grader Holly Hadsall (9). A student of Lana Bodnar, Holly will play Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Rondo in D major, KV 485.
Third Place, Junior Division: Mission College Preparatory High School Freshman Jack Raventos (14) of San Luis Obispo. A multiple finalist in the Festival’s Youth Competition and participant in the 2013 Cultural Exchange Program, who studies with Dr. Lynne Garrett, Jack will perform Polonaise in G-flat major, Op. posthumous (1829) by Frederic Chopin.
Honorable Mention: Pacific Grove High School Freshman Jane Yang (14) who studies with Lyn Bronson. She will play Franz Liszt’s Liebestraum No. 3, S. 541 at the winners’ recital.
The Winners’ Recital will be held at the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom, 1103 Spring Street, November 8 at 4 p.m. Cash prizes and medals from the Paderewski Festival will be awarded during a ceremony immediately following the concert. The 2014 Paderewski Youth Piano Competition Winners’ Recital is free and open to the public. To accommodate the highest possible number of concertgoers, reservations are strongly recommended and may be made by going to the Festival’s website – www.paderewskifest.com. Otherwise, seating will be on a first-come basis.
The Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles is a non-profit that celebrates the legacy of Paso Robles’ most famous resident Ignacy Jan Paderewski with four days of concerts and special events featuring internationally renowned artists, young pianists, master classes, film, dance and wine tasting. For more information about Paderewski and schedule of 2014 Paderewski Festival events, please see the Festival’s website, www.paderewskifest.com.
[Source: press release]