From Deseret News archives:
Distractions nothing new for pianist
Pressures of Utah competition similar to childhood study
Stephen Beus, a competitor in this year's Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, and one of eight children, got his start on the family piano with his siblings nearby. "There was a plastic basketball hoop placed unfortunately near the piano. When my brothers would try for a tough shot you know, off the floor, off the wall, nothing but net the ball invariably hit either myself or the keyboard.
"Although I'm certainly not immune to distractions during performances, I think I'm better off than had I not had this kind of training."
The son of a Brigham Young University-trained pianist, Beus said that he used to listen as his mother gave piano lessons to other kids, then later imitate what he had heard. "It wasn't anything particularly prodigious I wasn't playing the Tchaikovsky Concerto after a single hearing or anything like that. I was just interested in what I heard and interested in what sounds I could find on the instrument."
He eventually got lessons of his own. The rest of his seven siblings took lessons as well, but Beus said he was the only one who loved it and stuck with it.
"Growing up in a rural environment, my exposure to great piano-playing was very limited," Beus said. "I never heard people my age play the things I was playing. I remember particularly sitting and listening to the older division of competitors playing. There was an Asian man, whose name I don't remember, who played Liszt's 'La Campanella.' I had never heard this piece before, and I had never heard such commanding playing before. I was riveted.
"After the competition I told my teacher back at home that I had to learn the 'Campanella.' And as an 11-year-old I learned it after a fashion. This piece, if you don't know it, is terribly difficult with lots of treacherous leaps, repeated notes and trills. But I struggled through it and played it badly more often than not.
"After three years of practice I played 'Campanella' at the 1996 Bachauer finals. The jury liked it well enough to give me first prize, but I still wonder if I'm getting it right. It remains one of my favorite pieces, and I play it often as an encore."
Beus added that he felt it is unfortunate that he won't be able to include "La Campanella" in his program for this year's Bachauer competition.
Comments
- Will state consider gay rights law? 7:11 a.m.
- Tiger opens with a 66 in Australia 1:18 a.m.
- Crash kills Utah County man 1:12 a.m.
- UCAT cheaper education option 1:12 a.m.
- Post office to be named for Rex Lee 1:11 a.m.
- Police probe synagogue vandalism 1:09 a.m.
- New charges added in fraud case 1:09 a.m.
- Mom takes plea deal in girl's beating 1:08 a.m.
- Drug trafficking operation busted 1:07 a.m.
- News yule writing contest starting up 12:59 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Crash kills Utah County man
- Long days for BYU interns
- Will state consider gay rights law?
- House passes health care bill
287 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
247 - TCU showdown has big implications
194 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
101 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
92
f you don't have an Xbox 360 and always wanted one, Saturday is your day.
Dashboard Confessional has scheduled a new show at In the …
What a great night. THe knicks and Jazz both lost. Keep collecting the ping...
Talk about discrimination, segregating and writing laws to protect gays is...
Wow, You are SO right on "Recovering". God IS waiting for US to make the...
I think you're thinking of a previous "president".
Living room converted to a climbing gym? Well, she clearly is no slave to...
One might also call it blackmail because he knows that it would be...
Your heartfelt letter will bring a tear to Mr. Gale's eye, your concern for...
If the state government was serious about cutting costs they would be cutting...
Did you write about your disappointment with Bushco CEO Cheney?
Re: ". . . and as long as they don't force it on others I find it appauling...




You can be the first to comment on this story.