COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (June 26, 2008) — High school pianists can let their classical repertoire lead them to recognition in Tennessee Tech University’s first-ever Young Artist Piano Competition.

Organizers at the university will be accepting entries through Sept. 18. Contestants will be notified of their acceptance by Sept. 26, and the competition will be held Oct. 18 in the Wattenbarger Auditorium of TTU’s Bryan Fine Arts Building.

“We wanted to initiate such an award at TTU to encourage the children of this region to develop some interest in classical music,” said S.K. Ballal, a biology professor at TTU and an organizer of the piano competition.

“I hope such activities enhance their artistic talents,” he continued. “We want them, after graduating from high school, to go to college at TTU and develop their musical intellect even more. The academic program in music at TTU has a rich tradition, and we want to do what we can to showcase it.”

Students participating in the competition must perform a complete movement from a sonata by composers Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven and any other piece from the standard piano repertoire in a style contrasting with that of their first performance. Memorization is required.

A grand prize of $500 will be presented to the winner of the competition’s Ballal Award. The runner-up will win the $300 Herman Godes Award, named in memory of internationally acclaimed pianist and husband of TTU piano instructor Catherine Godes, another competition organizer.

Graduating seniors participating in the competition may also be considered for TTU piano scholarships.

It’s open to students in grades 9-12 from Anderson, Bledsoe, Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Franklin, Grundy, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Moore, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Rutherford, Sequatchie, Smith, Van Buren, Warren and White Counties in Tennessee and Clinton, Monroe and Wayne Counties in Kentucky.

TTU’s music and art department has been a fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1967. Its bachelor of music degree is offered in either music performance or music education.

For more information about the Young Artist Piano Competition, call or e-mail Godes at 931/372-3715 or cgodes@tntech.edu.

--Tracey Hackett
This information posted 26 June 2008