The Southeastern Piano Festival will be sweeping into town this month and transforming the University of South Carolina School of Music into a major cultural destination for audiences across the United States.
The Festival brings together 20 of the best young pianists from around the country to take part in the Arthur Fraser International Concerto Competition. Winners of the competition receive a cash award and the opportunity to perform with the South Carolina Philharmonic at the festival.
The festival will launch on Sunday, June 10 at the Koger Center with a grand fireworks gala concert featuring the South Carolina Philharmonic, USC faculty performers and five Steinway Grand pianos. As the festival continues during the week, concerts will be given in the USC School of Music recital hall by performers such as Leo Svirsky, Sean Yeh, Natalya Antonova, Alessio Bax and 15-year-old George Li.
2012 Southeastern Piano Festival Concert Lineup
Sunday, June 10
• “Piano Extravaganza” concert featuring the S.C. Philharmonic, past Arthur Fraser International Concerto Competition winners, USC piano faculty Charles Fugo, Marina Lomazov, Joseph Rackers and guest artist Phillip Bush with five grand pianos on stage at once
4 p.m., Koger Center for the Arts
Monday, June 11
• Alumni Celebration Concert with Leo Svirsky and Sean Yeh
7:30 p.m., USC School of Music Recital Hall
Tuesday, June 12
• Piano Festival on the Road
1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Columbia Museum of Art
• Rising Star Showcase concert by George Li
7:30 p.m., USC School of Music Recital Hall
Wednesday, June 13
• Boris Slutsky
7:30 p.m., USC School of Music Recital Hall
Thursday, June 14
• Alessio Bax
7:30 p.m., USC School of Music Recital Hall
Friday, June 15
• Arthur Fraser International Concerto Competition with festival students
10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
10 p.m. announcement of winners following the competition
USC School of Music Recital Hall
Saturday, June 16
• Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition Winners’ Concert and
Closing Ceremony
7 p.m., USC School of Music Recital Hall
For more information about the concerts, organizers and participants, visit the Piano Festival website at http://sepf.music.sc.edu/.