The piano divisions for the Festival will be held Thursday, April 3 and Friday, April 4 at Carpenter Recreation Center located at 111th and Colorado Blvd. Both evenings will begin at 6:30 pm. As students enter the recreation center, turn left just past the registration desk. The competition rooms are on your right. Below you will find your division’s start time and competition number. Students will be introduced by their competition number. The competition is a public performance and concert attire is required. We suggest girls wear skirts below the kneecap. Boys, no ragged jeans or sweatshirts.
Check-In
Please arrive 15-20 minutes before your division’s start time. As you arrive, please check-in with the volunteer located in the hallway outside the competition area. Give your original music – with the measures numbered – to the volunteer. There should be two warm-up rooms available. Please warm up in the order of your performance.
Final Concert
Please reserve Saturday, April 12 for the Final Concert and Award Ceremony. The judges will select top award-winners from all disciplines to perform at 6:30 pm at Rosa Auditorium at Skyview located at 8990 York St. in Thornton (just north of 88th Avenue).
All award-winners and their friends and families are invited to attend this performance. Suggested donation is $2.00 per person.
Carpenter Stage Rehearsals
Students and their teachers may rehearse Monday and Tuesday, March 31 and April 1 from 4-9 pm. This stage rehearsal is designed to give you an opportunity to walk on stage and to adjust dynamics to the competition room. We allow students to go through their selections one time. An in-depth practice session is not appropriate. Sign up with the volunteer when you enter the competition room. This practice session is on a first come, first served basis.
Questions: Rosalie Keith youngartistsalliance@comcast.net 303-457-2289
Heather Schenck heatherschenck@ymail.com 720-934-3713
Piano Competition Schedule
Thursday, April 3 Carpenter Recreation Center
Junior Division
Start Time: 6:30 pm
202 Ashlesha Thorat
203 Matthew Ammon
205 Matthew Furnish
206 Justin Moehlenpah
208 Josh Moehlenpah
209 Chase Merrill
End Time: 7:10 pm
Intermediate Division
Start Time: 7:30 pm
303 Zachary Troyer
304 Zachary Dietrich
305 Sam Sherman
306 Chandra Xu
307 Natalie Meyer-Chapman
308 Tara Srinivas
End Time: 8:30 pm
Friday, April 4 Carpenter Recreation Center
Beginner A
Start Time: 6:30 pm
101 Andrew Smith
102 Madeline Moon
104 Camryn Olsten
105 Gwynneth Reeder
110 Isaac Blasi
112 Felix Nyamdorj
End Time: 7:05 pm
Beginner B
Start Time: 7:20 pm
103 Avery Merrill
107 Ellie Shyu
109 Riley Smith
111 Luka Bodeux
113 Emilie Xu
114 Axel Bodeux
End Time: 8:00 pm
Senior Division
Start Time: 8:20 pm
401 Connor Campbell
402 Zach Praetor
403 Emily Morgan
End Time: 9:00 pm
Judges Bios:
Dr. Grace Asquith, NCTM
GRACE ASQUITH, co-founder and Artistic Director of Chamber Ensemble con Grazia, freelances as a pianist and maintains an active private studio in Lafayette, Colorado. She performs frequently as a chamber musician and soloist, is the Immediate-Past President of the Colorado State Music Teachers Association and served as the accompanist for the Colorado Conductors’ Chorus. Composer of choral and instrumental works, she was commissioned to write a piece in honor of ASTER Womens’ Chamber Choir 10th anniversary concert in April, 2010. As an adjudicator, she listens to piano competitions throughout Colorado, and often travels to Canada to hear students play for the Royal Conservatory of Music Examinations. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado (1996) and has taught piano and theory at Mesa State College in Grand Junction.
Dr. Christelle E. Menth
Christelle Menth is Professor of Music at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, CO, where she has been teaching piano and music history since 1998. She received her undergraduate degree from Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska, the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Her piano studies were with Thelma Noennig, Alfred Born, Carroll Chilton, Jack Radunsky, Malcolm Bilson, William Heiles, and Kenneth Drake. Between 1988 and 1995 Ms. Menth performed as a touring artist for the Nebraska Arts Council, which supports recitals and other arts events across Nebraska. She has judged auditions sponsored by the National Guild of Piano Teachers, the Nebraska and Colorado Music Teachers Associations, and many other competitions. She performs regularly as a soloist and ensemble pianist, and is active in the Colorado musical community as a competition judge and as a lecturer for music teacher groups.
Cathy Motter
Cathy Motter earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano performance from the University of Texas-Arlington and her Masters in Piano performance from Denver University’s Lamont School of Music. She currently teaches at Colorado Christian University. In 1997 is completed a solo concert tour. At present, she serves as the on-call pianist for the Colorado Symphony, Arapahoe Philharmonic Orchestra and the accompanist for the Colorado All-State Choir.
She is in demand as a pianist for choirs under the direction of Dr. Gary Ebensberger, Dr. Vicki Burrichter, Dr. James Ramsey, Dr. Rene Clausen and Dr. Andre Thomas. Currently, she serves as president of South Suburban Music Teachers Association.
Paul Falk
Equally at home in Jazz, Music Theatre, Pop and Classical Music, Paul has been playing piano since the 1st Grade. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Piano/Vocal and General Music at the University of Northern Colorado (’01) and Master’s Degree in Jazz Piano/Voice at Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University (’04). As a pianist, he has been active in Recital Performances (Ginastera, Milhaud, Brahms, Copland and others), All State Choir/All State Jazz Choir Performances (2007-present), Jazz Ensembles, Reading Sessions, Symphony Performances (Classical to Cole Porter/Hoagy Carmichael), Recording projects and Music theatre pits from Colorado to Illinois and New York. Some Musical Theatre highlights include RENT & Next To Normal (CO premier cast), Wicked (Chicago), Making it on Broadway Workshops (NY/CO) and Broadway Intensive Workshop (CO).
Paul has served as Assistant Director of Purdue Musical Organizations (’04-06) where he played for Glee Club, arranged and directed for Purduettes, Purdue Bell Choir and Specialty Vocal Groups. Paul has had the opportunity to work with artists such as: Patricia Barber, Laurence Hobgood, Anton Armstrong, Judy Kaye, Terrence Mann, Stephanie J. Block, Kate McGarry, Judy Niemack, The New York Voices and Ben Folds. He has been one of the choir directors at Rocky Mountain High School (Grammy Signature High School) since the spring of 2007, and can be heard most recently on EP recordings by vocalist Mandy Harvey.
As a graduate of Northglenn High School in the Adams 12 Five Star School District, Paul is glad to be back home to serve as a judge for the TASHCO Young Artists’ Festival again this year.