The judges at this year's Grand Rapids Youth Symphony Concerto Competition couldn't choose between two finalists for first prize.
In an unprecedented move, Ian Tobasco and Shaun MacDonald were both given the award during the January 6 competition held at Aquinas College. The two have another thing in common -- they are both students of Avi Reichert, the bronze medal winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1997.
Reichert has been a member of the artist-faculty at Grand Valley State University since 2001. Tobasco, a senior at Forest Hills Central High School, is dual-enrolled at Grand Valley and has studied with Reichert for two years. MacDonald, who graduated from Catholic Central High School in 2005, is in his second year at Grand Valley as a piano performance major.
Both students will perform in a special concert on Sunday, February 25, at 3 p.m. in DeVos Hall with the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, directed by Grand Rapids Symphony Associate Conductor John Varineau. They will reprise their competition performances: MacDonald played the 1st movement of Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto; Tobasco played the first movement of Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto.
"In some ways this performance will be less stressful, since we won't be in a competition," said MacDonald. "In another way, performing with a full orchestra will be more stressful than playing with an accompanist for the competition."
MacDonald started playing piano when he was 10 years old, after his mother won piano lessons at his elementary school's auction. As his skills increased each teacher referred him to another instructor who could help him reach the next level of performance.
Preparation for the competition included trying to get in four hours of rehearsal everyday for the past six months and memorizing 47 pages of complicated sheet music. In searching for the right piece to perform, Reichert helps his students show off their strengths, but also makes them stretch to new levels by challenging their weaknesses.
"The upcoming concert is a very unique opportunity for these students to perform on a Steinway Concert Grand piano in a prestigious performance hall with a 60-piece orchestra under the direction of John Varineau," said Reichert.
