By Emily Moffitt
From June 11-17, 2023, Columbia will transform once again into a cultural destination for piano and classical music enthusiasts alike as the University of South Carolina School of Music’s Southeastern Piano Festival returns for its twenty-first year. The lineup this year includes distinguished pianists John O’Conor, Roman Rabinovich, Ying Li and Anthony de Mare. The festival has always had its roots in Columbia culture: founders Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers served as professors of piano at the School of Music. This year, Phillip Bush and Caroline Earp stepped into the leadership roles of Artistic Director and Executive Administrator respectfully. Earp believes one of the reasons that makes the festival so great is that “it’s a week of many different musicians showing off their own masterful interpretations of the instrument and the repertoire.” The festival draws in guests from across the Southeastern United States and gives pre-college age pianists an experience of a lifetime. Bush states that the festival is “an opportunity for the USC School of Music and particularly the piano department to showcase the work we are doing and the artistic values to which we are committed.”
Earp herself holds the piano in high regard; she credits the instrument as her first love. “Because the piano was my first love within the world of music, it’s extra special to me to serve in this role—it feels like a real full circle moment.” Earp said. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance, but she is ecstatic about working on SEPF since it allows her to share the wonder of piano with Columbia. She also addressed the power of the festival to attract prospective college students to the university; “The SEPF team and Tayloe Harding—the Dean of the School of Music—believe this is truly a wonderful opportunity to highlight what our school has to offer. Young musicians that participate throughout the week get to study with our illustrious faculty and get a personal look into USC’s School of Music.” Of course, it is difficult to isolate one specific thing that Earp is looking forward to the most about the festival; the idea is like picking a favorite child or song.
The festival will host several concerts that easily appeal to newer fans of classical music, or any interested guests who want to experience live music. The content ranges from unique works to standard repertoire, but accessibility to new audiences does not go unnoticed. “The opening celebration concert is very accessible, and we hope it will prompt attendees to attend more concerts throughout the week,” Earp said. The opening concert features the School of Music faculty including Bush and Associate Director of SEPF Nicholas Susi in a diverse and delightful program that features a few four-hand and eight-hand pieces. Later in the week, Anthony de Mare will perform selections from his project Liaisons: Reimagining Sondheim from the Piano. This project is a culmination of the efforts of de Mare and multiple modern-day composers like Steve Reich and Jonathan Batiste. Earp said, “De Mare’s Liaisons project consists of unique takes on recognizable show tunes. It appeals to fans of contemporary music and musical theatre all at the same time.”
De Mare will also host a lecture with Bush—who also serves as a professor of piano at the School of Music—to discuss the field of piano pedagogy. The lecture series formed in 2005 and was named after Marian Stanley Tucker, a staple of the Columbia music community who taught children the joy of piano playing for almost six decades. Earp highlights the importance of her impact on Columbia’s musical landscape, as there has been an endowment created in her name that supports the lecture series. “We always want to make sure that we recognize [Tucker’s] lasting impression on the lives of everyone she came across,” Earp said. “The lecture series in turn functions as educational outreach for piano teachers and connoisseurs who want to learn more about piano pedagogy.”
The SEPF team also includes Elizabeth Churchya, a doctoral candidate at USC in Music Performance who serves as the Associate Administrator, and Graduate Assistants Zhenyu Gao and Megan Rich. Earp considers the team, as well as School of Music Marketing Director Marlena Crovatt-Bagwell, invaluable to the planning of the festival. Outside of SEPF, Earp’s other role in the university is the Director of Alumni and Donor Engagement for the School of Music. When asked about the experience of working with the team outside of the academic school year, Earp said “getting to interact with my colleagues outside in separate roles and contexts, but still in the realm of music performance, has been a wonderful experience. This is something we are all passionate about, and I am overjoyed to see it all unfold and to watch everyone’s efforts come to fruition.”
Earp notes that every year, the Southeastern Piano Festival at the USC School of Music grows in its prestige. The Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition held at the end of the festival week is now considered one of the most prestigious piano competitions in the Southeast for pre-college students. The high rate of return from out-of-state attendees motivates the leadership staff to continue transforming Columbia into a cultural landmark for musicians everywhere. “It’s inspiring to hear piano artistry at the highest level from the visiting guest artists and to witness the talent and dedication of the young aspiring pianists attending the festival,” Bush said.
Tickets are available to purchase for each performance on the Koger Center website. Each performance will be held at the School of Music’s Recital Hall, and tickets for each performance are $20. More information about the Southeastern Piano Festival at the USC School of Music can be found online as well.