Return of the Bachauer

For nearly three decades, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition has been the pre-eminent cultural event in Salt Lake City during the month of June. So much so that June and Bachauer have become synonymous here in Utah.

It's a fact that hasn't gone unnoticed by the state's top political leaders. For years, June has been officially designated "Piano Month" by gubernatorial proclamation.

That Utahns have taken the Bachauer competition to heart makes Gina Bachauer Foundation founder and artistic director Paul Pollei happy. But not surprised.

For him, it's just the natural result of a trend that sets the state apart from the rest of the nation. "Utah is the number one piano state in the country in terms of the per capita number of pianists and number of homes with pianos," Pollei said.

Coming off a successful amateur competition last year — the first of its kind for the Bachauer — this year's solo competition, featuring pianists ages 11-13, is set to get under way. However, before the youngsters take center stage, there will be another competition in which groups of five pianists will perform.

Piano teams haven't been part of the Bachauer competition since 1997. In that year, the five Brown siblings from Alpine (Desirae, Deondra, Gregory, Melody and Ryan) took second prize.

This year, 11 teams will compete for prize money totaling $9,000. Eight of the teams are from Utah. Two are from Arizona. And one boasts members from Michigan, Illinois and Washington, D.C.

The teams will perform Thursday and Friday from 2-6 p.m. in Libby Gardner Concert Hall. After Friday's competition, six finalists will be selected. They'll play Saturday from 2-7 p.m. After Saturday's performance, an awards ceremony will be held in which the top three teams will be honored with cash prizes.

An eight-member jury will judge the competition. Longtime Bachauer judge Douglas Humpherys will once again chair the panel. He'll be joined by Seymour Bernstein, Susan Duehlmeier, Gennady Dzubenko, Massimiliano Frani, Thomas Hecht, Yang Ming and Logan Skelton. The same jury, minus Duehlmeier who has a prior commitment in New York City, will also judge the solo competition.