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Freedonia, NY - Now in its seventh year and held at the Freedonia campus of the State University of New York, The Claudette Sorel Piano Competition has doubled its monetary awards. Open to young pianists of all nationalities ages 15 - 18, and named for pianist and SUNY Distinguished Professor Claudette Sorel, the competition was created specifically for young pianists who are passionate about piano performance and repertoire to encourage their growth in a healthy, supportive environment, and designed to allow them to demonstrate their own artistic vision.
The open application process closes September 15, 2022.
"I'm happy to announce that we are more than doubling our total prize money for this year's competition, thanks to the generous support of the Sorel Foundation and the hard work of the SUNY Fredonia Foundation office," stated Eliran Avni, the Competition's director. "Our First Prize winner will receive $4,000, and we have an additional $4,000 to give in smaller, individual awards.
"Also new this year, we are offering travel scholarships for qualifying students attending the Piano Fellows Day. Held in conjunction with the competition, our Fellows attend piano masterclasses and workshops on stage fright, piano technique, career pathways, and more. In-person Fellows have a lesson with our faculty, perform in Rosch Recital Hall, and get behind the scenes access to the competition. It's a fantastic opportunity and, now with the added travel scholarships, the event will be more accessible to more students. We couldn't be more proud to offer this support for these talented young musicians.
"We invite everyone to join us on Sunday, November 6, for the LIVE Final Round featuring our 12 Finalists competing for the top prize. The piano playing is fabulous, the excitement is palpable, and the event is free of charge. Join us!"
Featuring two rounds, a Preliminary Round of video submissions, and a live streamed, in-person Final Round, 12 musicians will be selected form the applicant pool and invited by the judges to compete in the finals. (Applicants will be notified by October 1 if they have been selected to move on to the Final Round.) In addition to the prize money, the competition also provides to each finalist a copy of the judges' written comments and a video recording of their live performance.
Judges for the 2021 Competition include: guest judges pianists and educators Dr. Alison D'Amato, Jiyong Mai, Dr. Nick Weiser, Dr. Xiting Yang, Steven Bianchi, Director of the Amherst School of Music, and internationally renowned pianist, Fredonia piano faculty member and Competition Director Eliran Avni.
SOREL PIANO FELLOWS PROGRAM
November 5 and 6, 2022
The Sorel Piano Fellows Program is held in conjunction with the piano competition and is designed for talented pianists (ages 15-18) who are serious about their craft and are looking for an intensive musical experience, but who may not yet be ready for the competition circuit. 8 musicians will participate in-person for lessons, workshops, masterclasses, and an evening performance, and will be joined by 10 - 20 fellows online. The program has established its national appeal, with participants from Texas, California and Washington state last season.The program also is an excellent way to prepare for college/conservatory auditions.
ABOUT Claudette Sorel
Born in Paris of French-Hungarian parentage, Claudette Sorel was trained in the United States under famous teachers as Olga Samaroff Stokowski, Rudolf Serkin and Mieczyslaw Horszowski. A child piano prodigy, she is the youngest graduate of The Juilliard School completing her degree at age nine. At the age of 10, she made her New York Town Hall debut and the following year performed with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.
Her scholastic honors include graduating high school in three years as valedictorian, and simultaneously attending The Juilliard School with complete fellowship. She graduated from there with highest honors and as its youngest graduate. Upon the death of Mme. Samaroff, the Curtis Institute of Music granted her a five year fellowship and she received its Artist Diploma with highest honors. This was accomplished while Miss Sorel was also a student at Columbia University from which she received a Mathematics Degree-Cum Laude. At Columbia she studied musicology with Mitchell, Ussachevsky and Beeson.
Miss Sorel made more than 2,000 concert, recital, and festival appearances and has played with 200 major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, NBC Symphony, and London Philharmonic. One hundred of those performances were as soloist in the MacDowell Concerto No. 2 which is featured on a CD. She recorded for RCA Victor, Monitor and Musical Heritage. Miss Sorel gave the premiere performances of works by Lukas Foss, Harold Morris, Paul Creston, Peter Mennin and others.
Her numerous awards and citations from the time she was 12 include the Ford Foundation Concert Artist Grant and the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Award (as its youngest winner). She judged for countless international and national music competitions.
Chairman of the the State University of New York's piano department for 13 years, Sorel was designated by the Trustees of SUNY the youngest and only woman "Distinguished University Professor," among a faculty of 30,000. She also held professorships at the University of Kansas, and Ohio State University.
Claudette Sorel passed away in 1999.
ABOUT The Sorel Organization
The Elizabeth & Michel Sorel Charitable Organization Inc., a 501©(3) private foundation, was established in 1996 by pianist Claudette Sorel and named for her parents. The Sorel Organization is committed to expanding opportunities for women in music, amplifying the voices of underrepresented composers, advancing gender and racial equity, and broadening the classical music canon for future generations.
Generous support for these events are made possible through a charitable gift by the Sorel Organization. A special thank you to the Fredonia College Foundation.
Press Contact:
Laura Grant, Grant Communications
917.359.7319; Laura@grant-communications.com
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