Kevin Meng, 10, practices recently at the Liberace Museum. He is one of 11 people participating Sunday in the Liberace Piano Competition.
Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008 | 2 a.m.
Liberace
As the highest paid entertainer in 1955 making $50,000 a week at the Riviera, Liberace paved the way for a generation of marquee entertainers who would draw thousands of people to the Strip with just a mere flashing of their names in lights.
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Beyond the Sun
Here they are, Las Vegas, your finalists in the 2008 Liberace Piano Competition. It may be a stretch to call the 15-year-old contest the “American Idol” for pianists, but there’s no doubt it’s been closely watched around town — a majority of the competitors are students and entertainers from the Vegas area, and their numbers have been winnowed during the monthlong process from an initial 27 to the final 11.
The pianists, ages 6 to 68, will perform Sunday afternoon at the Community Lutheran auditorium before a paying audience and a competition jury headed by Philip Fortenberry, associate music director for the Las Vegas production of “Jersey Boys.” Judges include Min Kim, piano educator and soloist; Joey Singer, pianist for “Mamma Mia!” at Mandalay Bay; Moonlight Tran, Las Vegas Philharmonic cellist and pianist; and Hal Weller, founding music director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Competitors will be judged on a point system ranking technical skill, artistic impression (appropriateness of musical selection to age and current musical development) and audience appeal. The showmanship division competitors — who are encouraged to dress in costume — will perform two selections, one classical and one reflecting Liberace’s spirit of showmanship and entertainment ability.
At stake: Scholarships worth $500 and $1,000 and, for the showmanship winner, a $1,000 cash prize. Liberace himself studied classical music for 17 years at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and received a scholarship for his studies. The Liberace Foundation has provided more than $5 million in scholarship grants to more than 2,200 students at 110 colleges and universities.
Showmanship Division (amateur and professional performers of all ages)
Name: Melissa Alcazar
Age: 26
Hometown: Los Angeles
Fun fact: Ditched piano for three years to become a professional snowboarder
Performing: Lecuona: “Malaguena”; Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6
Name: Christopher-Joel Carter
Age: 26
Hometown: Huntsville, Ala.
Fun facts: Received his first Liberace cassette at age 9; enjoys bourbon and making himself laugh
Performing: “Alabama Jubilee”; Liszt: Un Suspiro
Name: Hector Montes de Oca Ruiz
Age: 68
Hometown: Tepic Nayarit, Mexico
Fun fact: Born in Mexico City, the senior showman of the competition is an honorary citizen of Lubbock, Texas.
Performing: Delibes: Mazurka from “Coppelia”
Classical Open Division (enrolled in accredited higher education music program)
Name: Otto Ehling
Age: 20
Hometown: Los Angeles
Fun fact: Brazilian-American UNLV music major; performed in the orchestra for “The Producers” at Paris Las Vegas
Performing: Liszt: “Mephisto Waltz”
Name: Ashlee Young
Age: 21
Hometown: Billings, Mont.
Fun fact: Earned her begged-for piano lessons at age 4 after picking out the “Free Willy” theme by ear
Performing: Liszt: Tarantella
Classical Senior Division (ages 11-17)
Name: Grace Kim
Age: 14
Hometown: Las Vegas
Fun facts: Became interested in the instrument because she thought pianists were really pretty; majors in piano at Las Vegas Academy
Performing: Chopin: Ballade Op. 23 No. 1
Name: Carmen Lai
Age: 17
Hometown: Las Vegas
Fun fact: Founded Piano Club at Clark High School, which gives annual concerts that have raised more than $1,000 for charity
Performing: Debussy: “Feux d’artifice (Fireworks)”
Name: Seth Thompson
Age: 16
Hometown: Henderson
Fun facts: Math whiz and magician; founded the Underground Ping-Pong Federation at Coronado High School
Performing: Prokofiev: Sonata No. 6, fourth movement
Classical Junior Division (12 years and under)
Name: Tiffany Koo
Age: 6
Hometown: South Pasadena, Calif.
Fun facts: Hello Kitty fan; playing since age 4; look her up on YouTube
Performing: Mozart’s Rondo in D major and Chopin’s Nocturne in C# minor
Name: Kevin Meng
Age: 10
Hometown: Las Vegas
Fun facts: Has been playing piano for half his life; took first place in the Silver State Music Competition; also plays violin and soccer
Performing: Liszt: Etude Op. 1 No. 4 in D minor
Name: Abigail Varghese
Age: 8
Hometown: Henderson
Fun facts: Declared, at age 6, that piano is “better than chocolate”; won first place at Silver State for an original composition
Performing: Rossi: “Diamonds on the Water”; Barden: Etude Toccata
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