Internationally acclaimed pianists Ann Schein and Stefan Karlsson will be special guests for the West Virginia University Keyboard Festival and Competition. The annual event will be be held at the Creative Arts Center June 28 to July 1.

Titled “The Intersection of Jazz and Classical Music: a Piano Festival for Students and Teachers,” the event will celebrate the piano and explore the many ways jazz and classical music intersect and influence each other.

The festival will feature piano competitions for both high school and college students in the areas of jazz and classical music. The students are selected on the basis of performances and letters of recommendation. Prizes include substantial cash awards of $1500 for high school winners and $1800 for collegiate winners, as well as performing opportunities.

In addition, there will be workshops and concerts featuring WVU piano faculty James Miltenberger, Peter Amstutz and Lucy Mauro, as well as their students and several guest artists.

Stefan Karlsson was born and raised in Vastervik, Sweden, and came to the United States on a scholarship to study at the University of North Texas, where he began touring nationally and internationally with the band “One O’clock Lab Band” before signing recording contract with Justice Records in Houston, Texas. His recordings have found great success on the national jazz radio charts, GAVIN and R&R, with a first place, on both charts, for his second release “The Road Not Taken.” His music has been featured in several feature films, as well as on television in “Melrose Place,” “Party of Five,” “Wings” and “Homicide.” Karlsson is currently a faculty member in the University of North Texas’ jazz studies division. He travels the globe performing in concert halls, at festivals, clubs, and giving clinics at conferences and universities.

Ann Schein’s amazing career has earned her high praise in major American and European cities and in more than 50 countries around the world. She has performed with major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Baltimore Symphony, the Washington National Symphony, the London Philharmonic, the London Symphony and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She also performed at the White House during the Kennedy administration. She has received many distinguished honors for her Chopin performances and recordings. She also toured with the great soprano Jessye Norman and they recorded songs of Alban Berg on Sony Classical. Her recent recordings also include an album of solo Schumann works on Ivory Classics.

For more information on the WVU Keyboard Festival and Competition, see the website at http://music.wvu.edu/keyboardfestival or contact Peter Amstutz at Peter.Amstutz@mail.wvu.edu.

Teachers may receive course credit for attending the festival. The application/registration form for Professional Development credit is located at: http://online.wvu.edu/Registration/forms/ProfDev.pdf

-WVU-

cl/05/21/15

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

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