Drama at piano competition isn't confined to the stage

There are some events that you go to — such as football games and tennis matches — where the audience affords an entertainment of its own. Believe it or not, the Gina Bachauer competition is also one of those.

OK, there are no drunken frat boys with their chests painted, and the art of piano playing is considerably more subtle than the art of tackling the quarterback — and the audience is more subtle. But there's a recognizable cast of characters who are easily spied from the back of the Assembly Hall's lower floor.

The piano teachers are usually pretty easy to identify. They're the ones with the pleasant smiles, but also with an "I-mean-business" look in their eyes. They'll sit absorbed for hours on end, occasionally taking notes or nodding along with the familiar twists and turns of the music as the kids play.

Parents are a little more tricky. Some will sit through multiple competitors with a poker face, only giving themselves away when their child — with similar features —approaches them. Some parents sit on the edge of their seats, vicariously playing every note that comes out of the piano. Some can be spotted racing out from the door leading backstage — just in time to hear their child play. All look pleased and happy outside of the concert hall, as any parent should who has a child that can play well enough to compete.

The competitors themselves, of course, are the easiest to spot — they're the kids on the stage, ages 11 to 13, playing the piano. They're not too hard to pick out of the audience, either, although most don't seem interested in sitting through the first two rounds. (I can't say I blame them. If I were in their shoes, I would certainly be practicing for my next performance or taking a break away from the piano — anything but psyching myself out by listening to my competition.)

During the preliminary rounds, they're a little more prevalent just outside of the Assembly Hall, where small groups can be spotted smiling and chatting together. They pore over the programs like other kids would a sticker collection, asking each other, "What's your favorite piece on your program? Mine's the Chopin."

Although they look so serious onstage, in this context they look like any other 11-year-olds; they might just as easily have finished a neighborhood jump-rope or bike-riding contest. The kids are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, with vibrant, shining eyes and clear faces.

As for the host families, they're about as easy to spot as tourists at a theme park, and for similar reasons. Often they come with their own kids in tow, sporting a camcorder to capture the proceedings.

They've got big grins and are the first to jump to their feet (usually the only ones) when their competitor finishes playing. They're bubbling over with enthusiasm and, as surrogate parents, are often outwardly the loudest cheerleaders.

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