COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Southeastern Piano Festival (SPF) began on Sunday. It is a week-long event that brings pianists, students, and music lovers from across the globe together here at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
“Twenty pre-college aged pianists, ages 14 to 18, come from all over the United States and Canada, and even farther -- Hong Kong and Taiwan -- to learn about the piano and perform in a competition at the end of the week,” SPF program director Phillip Bush said.
Over the past twenty years, the SPF program has been the draw for young pianists to come to Columbia to learn from professionals and then apply their lessons during performances in the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, held at the end of the week.
“They’re going to get to work with the faculty intensively for a week, and here each night of the week during this week world-class guest artists will perform a concert,” he said.
The Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition -- SPF's grand finale -- offers an opportunity for festival participants to be a guest soloist with the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra and to win cash prizes and USC School of Music scholarships. To these piano students, the money is only part of the reward.
“I think music... I find it as a way to really refocus myself, especially after school. And just getting through daily life, I just like to sit at the piano and it just helps me,” student Noah Kim said.
And helps the next generation preserve the importance of the arts.
“Being able to make change in the world with what I do and what I enjoy doing, I think that’s why it’s so important to me. It’s something important and I can use it to help others,” Rachel Wei, another student said.
The arts also gives a different point of view.
“It’s important for us to have a time out and have moments of reflection and to think about and what people are creating and points of view of other people,” Bush said.
Planning to attend the SPF?
- Festival tickets are available online to evening concerts happening through Thursday. All evening concerts are in-person only and cost $20 to attend, with performances by Roman Rabinovich (Monday), Ying Li (Tuesday), Anthony de Mare (Wednesday), and John O'Conner (Thursday).
- Free lunchtime performances will be held noon on Tuesday in the Koger Center's Grand Lobby and on Wednesday at 1208 Washington Street.
- Friday's piano competition will be live-streamed free 10 a.m.-9 p.m. from the USC School of Music's Recital Hall.
- The Winners Recital will be held at USC School of Music's Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 17. Tickets to this performance are $20 and can be purchased online.