Young pianists showcase skills in Scottsdale

Desert Hills Community School of Music presents its 2024 piano competition featuring pianists aged 7-17 as they showcase their dedication to artistic and musical excellence.

The live round of the competition is 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 16, and the winners’ concert – at which attendees will be invited to vote for their favorites to win a special prize – will take place 2-4 p.m. Sunday, March 24. Both events are free and open to the public and will be held on the campus of Desert Hills Presbyterian Church, 34605 N. Tom Darlington Road.

Led by DHCSM artistic directors Vitaly Serebriakov and Svetlana Oregon Saens, the piano competition is an integral part of the school’s Advanced Music Program, an audition-based platform that brings comprehensive music instruction to children and teens who have demonstrated a dedication to artistic and musical excellence. The competition offers a unique stage for young pianists to showcase their skills, win cash prizes, network with fellow musicians and benefit from the expertise of some of the most esteemed artists and educators in Arizona and beyond.

For the preliminary round of the piano competition, Arizona residents age 18 and younger were invited to submit their performance videos online. A jury of professional musicians selected winners to advance to the live round March 16, which will include three divisions based on the students’ ASP levels. Students will compete for cash prizes ranging from $50 to $500 depending on division, with prize winners advancing to the winners’ concert March 24. An Audience Choice award of $100 will be given to one pianist from each division at the end of the winners’ concert.

Visit deserthillsmusic.org/pianocompetition for more information.