This summer Justine Lai is stuffing her backpack and going camping for two weeks at Pigeon Lake. But unlike most other 16-year-olds who hike, swim and play beach volleyball, Lai is part of the third annual Alberta Pianofest.
This specialized camp provides daily private instruction to students advancing their skills on an acoustic piano. There are also theory lessons, music history, master classes and the opportunity to prepare solo recitals.
Campers also attend evening concerts featuring professional players and some of the young pianists will be invited to perform at a performance for parents and friends.
“I just want to improve my piano playing so I can play songs that are harder and I can enjoy them more,” Lai said.
An up and comer on the scene, Lai has won the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival Patricia Burgess Scholarship, opened for Patricia Tao and Yue Deng during the St. Albert Chamber Music Recital Series, and earned a gold medal for outstanding music achievement from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Humble about her achievements, the St. Albert resident sees her participation at Alberta Pianofest as simply another rung to climb towards achieving her career goals.
“I’m going to do my Grade 10 in music and this will help me prepare for the examination,” said Lai.
She is particularly excited about studying under Jerome Lowenthal, a top-tier concert pianist and a 23-year teacher at Julliard School.
“He’s had a lot of experience and I’m very excited to study with him,” said Lai who is partial to the classical composers such as Mozart and Beethoven.
Returning faculty member Ursula Oppens is recognized as a leading champion of contemporary American piano and a nominee for four Grammy Awards. She is also slated to perform at several concerts during Pianofest.
And instructor Dr. Corey Hamm has recorded numerous compositions from across the world from Ravel to Gershwin to Rachmaninoff.
Internationally renowned pianist Jason Cutmore first launched Alberta Pianofest in 2013. The Edmonton-raised pianist, now a resident of New York, had at 13 attended the Banff Centre’s Young Musician Program and found it to be an “amazing transformative experience.”
Cutmore was enthralled with the experience for receiving the opportunity to play a vast array of repertoire. He also explained that studying piano is a lonely experience – meeting many young musicians his age was similar to discovering another family. And many have remained life-long friends.
A concert pianist and chamber musician, Cutmore has had a fabulous career travelling across the world from Germany to India and back.
In his travels, he discovered numerous retreats for college level musicians. However, there were few offered to high-school students, an age group he believed needed development.
With a great deal of success at his fingertips and warm memories of his youth, the 40-year-old musician decided to offer a two-week artistic retreat for like-minded passionate pianists aged 12 to 18.
About a dozen young pianists are accepted for specialized training. Audiences can familiarize themselves with Pianofest by attending any number of concerts offered in the next two weeks. Certain concerts are free. Check the website for free and ticketed events at albertapianofest.com.
List of Alberta Pianofest concerts:<br />• Jason Cutmore on Piano<br />Sat., July 4 at 8 p.m.<br />Rundle’s Mission Main Lodge<br />Mission Beach, Pigeon Lake<br />• The Toy Box<br />With Jason Cutmore and Rick Phillips<br />Sun., July 5 at 4 p.m.<br />Rundle’s Mission Main Lodge<br />Mon., July 6 at 12:01 p.m.<br />Edmonton City Hall<br />• Ursula Oppens on Piano<br />Sat., July 11 at 7 pm.<br />Rundle’s Mission Main Lodge<br />• Ursual Oppens, Corey Hamm, Jason Cutmore and Friends<br />Sat., July 11 at 11 p.m.<br />Britany’s Lounge<br />• Jerome Lowenthal on Piano<br />Fri., July 17 at 8 p.m.<br />Holy Trinity Anglican Church<br />• Jerome Lowenthal on Piano<br />Sat., July 18 at 8 p.m.<br />Rundle’s Mission Main Lodge<br />Tickets: Call 780-420-1757 or online tixonthesquare.ca
