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After more than 40 years, the Heida Hermanns International Music Competition, showcasing musicians from around the world, has moved its annual event from Westport to the acoustically rich sanctuary of First Church Fairfield.
Hosted by the Connecticut Alliance for Music and founded by pianist, teacher and philanthropist Heida Hermanns, this year’s competition will feature piano and will be held Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 21 and 22, at First Church Fairfield, 148 Beach Road.
Many musicians gained recognition early in their careers as winners of this competition. The competition is open to pianists of all nationalities between the ages of 19-30, and 48 applications were received this year. The preliminary judges selected 18 semifinalists.
The contestants are traveling from all regions of the United States and represent diverse nationalities. In the semifinals round on Saturday, the 18 semifinalists will perform three contrasting styles of music, by memory, before a live audience.
In the finals round on Sunday, six finalists will perform selections from the previous day’s repertoire, again before a live audience.
The semifinals are open and free to the public. The finals round is a paid, ticketed event. Tickets are $35, which includes a reception while the judges deliberate, and can be purchased online at www.CAMusic.org/tickets.
The judges for this year’s competition are pianists André-Michel Schub, former grand prize winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition; Professor Luiz de Moura Castro, president of the Frédéric Chopin Society of Connecticut; and pianist Wei-Yi Ya, who performs worldwide as a soloist, recording artist and chamber musician.
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