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Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation

 Organization

Administrative History

The Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation (1976-) is a foundation established in memory of the Greek concert pianist Gina Bachauer. The foundation runs the Bachauer International Piano Competition, which is held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition began as the Brigham Young University Summer Piano Festival and International Competition hosted by Brigham Young University as part of the Summer Piano Festival for a five-year period (1976-1980). It continues to the present. The name of Gina Bachauer was given to the competition in honor of the great Greek pianist who was a celebrated favorite of Utah audiences and appeared with Maurice Abravanel and the Utah Symphony in concert during eight subscription concerts. In 1980, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition relocated to Salt Lake City under the patronage of the Utah Symphony. The competition was held on a biennial schedule, every other year, during the month of June. During this period, the Gold Medalist received a Steinway Grand Piano and a New York recital debut.

In 1983, the Foundation was admitted as a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions based in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1987, the Foundation instituted international auditions in seventeen cities worldwide for the purpose of identifying qualified applicants. That same year the first Junior International Competition for pianists ages eight to eighteen was inaugurated, which was modeled after the original competition. In 1990, two junior international piano competitions were held during different weeks, addressing the talents of two different age levels. The years continued with alternating competitions, those of the junior levels and the original competition featuring candidates ranging from nineteen to thirty-two years in age. In 1995, the four-year cycle of various international competitions was set into the Foundation's schedule. They included the two Junior Competitions, the original Artists Competitions of ages nineteen to thirty-two, and the newly created Amateur Piano Competition for non-professional musicians ages thirty-three to one hundred. The four-year schedule was fully operational in 1999. 2003 marked the first Amateur Artists Piano Competition. In 2004, the Foundation sponsored the Gina Bachauer International Piano Teams and Junior Piano Competitions. Groups of five pianists performing at five pianos were held and music was written especially for this combination. In 2005, the Young Artists Piano Competition began for competitors ages fourteen to eighteen. Candidates from every continent and more than forty countries have participated as contestants in these international competitions.

In total since 1976, the Foundation has sponsored fourteen Artists International Competitions (ages nineteen to thirty-two), eight Young Artists International Competitions (ages fourteen to eighteen) (previous years ages eight to eleven), three Junior International Piano Competitions (ages eleven to thirteen), one Amateur International Piano Competition (ages thirty-three to one hundred), two International Piano Ensemble Competitions (all ages), and twenty-two International Piano Festivals.

In 2002, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation inaugurated several new procedures for the direction and management of the competitions. It was decided that all candidates for the Artists Competition would be accepted by a "live" audition at a selected worldwide site of choice. For the recital programs of the competition, a new procedure allows each competitor to perform three rounds without elimination, thereby giving each candidate an opportunity to be heard by the international jury members in a total of almost one hundred minutes of solo literature prior to any judgment being rendered. Also, each candidate became totally responsible for selection of their own repertory, as no required or specific works were suggested or required as part of the competition recitals.

Citation:
Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation website, viewed Jul. 12, 2011 (Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition; began as the Brigham Young University Summer Piano Festival and International Competition, 1976-1980; Gina Bachauer given to the competition in honor of the great Greek pianist who appeared with Maurice Abravanel and the Utah Symphony in concert during eight subscription concerts; relocated to Salt Lake City under the patronage of the Utah Symphony, 1980; held on a biennial schedule in June; Gold Medalist received a Steinway Grand Piano and a New York recital debut; Foundation admitted as a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, 1983; international auditions, 1987; Junior International Competition for pianists ages 8-18 was inaugurated, 1987; two junior international piano competitions, 1990; four-year cycle of various international competitions was set into the Foundation’s schedule, 1995; junior competitions, the original Artists Competitions of ages 19-32, and the newly created Amateur Piano Competition for non-professional musicians ages 33-100; fully operational in 1999; first Amateur Artists Piano Competition, 2003; Young Artists Piano Competition for competitors ages 14-18, 2005; since 1976, the Foundation has sponsored 14 Artists International Competitions (ages 19-32), 8 Young Artists International Competitions (ages 14-18) (previous years ages 8-11), 3 Junior International Piano Competitions (ages 11-13), 1 Amateur International Piano Competition (ages 33-100), 2 International Piano Ensemble Competitions (all ages), and 22 International Piano Festivals; Bachauer International Piano Foundation inaugurated several new procedures for the direction and management of the competitions, 2002)

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Barlow-Bachauer piano compositions

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 8776
Scope and Contents

Contains Barlow-Bachauer piano compositions from 1996.

Dates: 1996

Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation records

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 7917
Scope and Contents

Collection contains the administrative records for the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation which includes audio recordings of performances and applicants, ephemera and publicity records regarding the International Piano competition, correspondence from various people and organizations regarding the foundation, and other materials relating to the Foundation and competition, 1958-2007.

Dates: 1958-2007

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Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 1
Audiocassettes 1
Brochures 1
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 1
Compact discs 1