Taverna is the 2009 Grand Prize Winner of the Minnesota International Piano-e-Competition

Alessandro Taverna, pianist

Alessandro Taverna, a 26-year-old from Italy, was named First Prize winner of the fourth Minnesota International Piano-e-Competition, held summer 2009 in Minneapolis. In addition to his cash prize and shiny new Yamaha Disklavier piano, Taverna will embark on a prestigious recital tour including a Fall 2009 debut recital in New York City, sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America, a CD release on the Ten Thousand Lakes label – and a visit to Salem, Oregon!

Taverna will perform Poulenc’s Aubade, concerto choregraphique with SCO on its second Masterworks Series concert, on February 13 & 14.  Conductor Robert Ashens will be returning for his third visit with the Orchestra, and will also lead the ensemble in a performance of Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll and Dvorak’s Serenade in D Minor, op. 44.

In addition to Taverna’s orchestral appearances, he will also give a solo piano recital on Thursday, February 11.  He will also give a master class for student pianists on Saturday Feb 13 at 1pm, which will be free and open to the public.

You might wonder what the Minnesota International Piano-e-Competition is, or ask, “What the heck is a Disklavier?”  The Piano-e-Competition, sponsored by Yamaha, started in 2002 and begins with invitation-only screened auditions held in Beijing, Paris, Los Angeles, Moscow and New York City.  2009’s competition included 71 young pianists – chosen from an unprecedented number of applicants from around the world – who had entered their digitally videotaped and recorded MIDI performances on Yamaha Disklavier Pro concert pianos.  A Disklavier piano is an amazing piece of musical technology; the piano has a built-in computer with the ability to record performances – not just the audio, but the actual physical performance!

Watch this video below, from the competition’s website, describing how the competition works:

Taverna is quite the accomplished young pianist; he’s won numerous international and national piano competition awards in addition to his recent win in Minnesota. In April 2009, he was awarded 2nd Prize in the London International Piano Competition having played Chopin Concerto No.1 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall.   Also in 2009, Alessandro was awarded 3rd prize and the Bronze Medal at the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition.  He’s performed throughout Italy, Europe, Canada, South Africa, and the United States.

You can watch videos of Taverna’s performance at the competition, as well as the other contestants, at the competition’s website.

Recital tickets (Feb 11) are $15, $10 Education Employees, and $5 Students.  General Admission.

Orchestra concert tickets (Feb 13 & 14) are $10-$20, $10 Education Employees, and $5 Students, reserved seating.

Tickets for all events are available at Travel Salem (503-581-4325) or online! Click here for recital tickets, and click here for orchestra concert tickets!