Chen-Shen Fan
Pianist Chen-Shen Fan聽received聽2nd Prize and the Best Liszt Interpretation Award at the 2017 Franz Liszt International Festival and Piano Competition, formerly the Liszt-Garrison聽(2005鈥�15), presented by the Ohio and Baltimore-Washington Chapters of The American Liszt Society. Chen-Shen’s Best Liszt Interpretation Award stemmed from his performance of the composer’s “Aux cypr猫s de la Villa d’Este, thr茅nodie II,”聽from Ann茅es de p猫lerinage, Troisi猫me ann茅e. Fan’s success came after the initial 240 applicants had been culled to the 16 performers invited to the live round. The winners receive a cash prize, performance opportunities, and affiliation with the American Liszt Society.
As it turns out, October was quite a busy month for Fan who, apart from the Liszt prize, was a聽semi-finalist聽in the Seattle International Piano Competition and聽prize winner聽in the聽New York State MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition,聽and received聽Honorable Mention聽at the Marian Garcia International Piano Competition. Fan is currently studying with Ursula Oppens at the Conservatory, where he is聽in the聽Artist Diploma program and serves as her teaching assistant.
Grant Bouvier
Our first-year Sonic Arts student Grant Bouvier was flown to San Francisco for a weekend in November by Red Bull to compete in their 鈥淗ack the Hits鈥� competition.聽 He was teamed with two other students, Clare Maason of Seattle University and Anirudh Mani of Carnegie Mellon. Their team won first prize for the instrument they built.
