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Congrats to Judy and Mark!!!

Yay for the Cliburn. Mucho competition and scary people. But super duper fun. I heard some of the contestants play from last year on youtube and I was thinking, Yikes! You haven't played in thirty years? That's Ravel Jeux D'eau.

Some of them play better than professional's. It is truly scary. Hope you do fantastically Judy and Mark.

Congratulations to both of you. I'm an advanced amateur myself, but doing something like that is a little over my head.

To others who have stated that amateurs are somehow necessarily below the level of pros and high-level teachers, of course that's true generally, but there can be exceptions. Case in point: Jon Nakamatsu, who was probably the inspiration for the amateur competition in the first place.

Theoretically, it's possible. An amateur might well have the time and resources to fanatically pursue the art of piano performance, even more so than most teachers or pros, and that combined with good instruction could still push someone over the top.

Not that I mean to sound defensive as an amateur...

I know an old friend from college who is going this year, Chris Shih. We used to play silly duets for fun in the common room at school as there were two grands sitting together that we could play on. Perhaps, I could make it there myself in 10 years or so if I practiced and studied a whole lot more.

Good luck to those going!

He probably has to be considered the 'favorite' to win the competition. Of course you never know, but.....he has already won a few other amateur competitions, including the one in Paris, and he won the first Cliburn youtube contest which got him free entry to this one (as if he needed that).

He's excellent, and a great guy too.

Congratulations Judy and Mark !!

I wish you the best at the competition.

For me (I don't have any kind of degree in music) the main handicap is the lack of performing experience (controlling nerves on stage) and also the necessary practicing time.

With a full time day job I really just don't have enough time to get my pieces to competition level. I am not even convinced with the recordings I have posted, and I have received comments such as "why post something on internet if it is not ready".

Since Cliburn is held every four years, I very much wanted to enter this year's competition, but because of the above facts and other family related reasons, I didn't apply to the Cliburn.

But, hey, I have four years now to practice. That is fair I think even for a real amateur like me.

I'll add my congrats to Judy and Mark!!! Good luck and have tons of fun.

Thanks, Peyton! And BTW.....I see that your website doesn't yet list your 'shows' for this year. Coming soon I hope, or are you taking a season 'off'?

Thank you for all of the good wishes. I just figure that as long as this is every 4 years I 'd better get cracking! I look forward to just being there and absorbing the experience. I would be ECSTATIC to make the semi's. I just hope my nerves aren't too debilitating. Always a worry! Therefore I am starting with very comfortable things (and let the chips fall where they may!).

Good luck guys! I wish I could do this too but I'm not over the age limit yet. Bon chance!

Thanks!
Congrats again for Paris! And yeah, you've got quite a few years to go before you could be in this one.
And btw.....I was surprised when you said you were in that competition because from your first posts on here, I thought you were an aspiring pro! And you really play like one.

great job guys!

i would be just over the age limit by the time the next one rolls around. maybe i should set it as a goal!

you guys should put up more of your recordings on youtube!

Congrats to Judy and Mark. I'll be watching the forums for updates.

Congratulations to both of you. I know you must be tremendously excited. But not too excited - like a great athlete, you want to peak at the right time!

Keep us updated so we can enjoy the experience with you. Good luck!

Sam

The competitor list is now up:

Competitor List at cliburn.org

2011 COMPETITORS (listed alphabetically with country of birth and profession):
* Previous competitor
Y YouTube Winner

*Brad Arington (USA): Attorney
Nazeli Atayan Rohman-Flynn (Armenia): Homemaker
Daniel Bertram (USA): Father
*Anne Blakeney (USA): Artist and Community Volunteer
*J. Michael Brounoff (USA): U.S. Administrative Law Judge
Victor Buckman (USA): Computer Systems Manager (retired)
*Mark Cannon (USA): Psychiatrist
Christine Cheng (USA): Physician
Ricker Choi (Canada): Financial Risk Consultant
Barry Coutinho (USA): Family Physician
Darlene Cusick (USA): Piano Teacher (retired)
Judy Darst (USA): Piano Teacher (retired)
*Seth Darst (USA): Professor of Molecular Biophysics
Gerard Q. de Guzman (Philippines): Pharmacist
Dr. John A. DeRuntz, Jr. (USA): Mathematician (retired), Scientist and Professor
Andrea De Tomas (Italy): Lawyer
*Dave Duebendorfer (Switzerland): Investment Manager
*Victor P. Dyni (USA): Music Librarian (retired)
Pablo Eizayaga (Argentina): Banker
*Jun Fujimoto (Canada): Piano Marketing Specialist
*Mark Fuller (USA): Attorney
*Lori Gilbert (USA): Advertising Sales
*Mark Graham (USA): Health Care Worker
*Robin Green (USA): Attorney (retired)
*Clark Griffith (USA): Database Programmer (retired)
*Marisa Naomi Haines (USA): Math Teacher
*Larry Harris (USA): Investment Manager (reitred)
Martha Chestnut Hartman (USA): Management Consultant (retired)
*David Hibbard (USA): Railroad Manager (retired)
Denise Humphrey (USA): Clinical Psychologist
*Ken Isaka (USA):
Mari Ito (Japan): Architect
YChoo Hooi (Janice) Khoo (Malaysia): Medical Practice Manager
Jane Gibson King (USA): Homemaker
Hajime Kobayashi (Japan): Management Consultant
Alexandre Leite (Germany): Investment / Project Finance Professional
Alex Leow (Tawain): Physician
Vincent Letourmy (France): Project Manager
JY Lim (Malaysia): Lawyer
Yvonne Liu (USA): Early Childhood Music Educator
Iona Luke (Australia): Lawyer
Atsutaka Manabe (Japan): Physicist
Leticia Martinez (Mexico): Criminal Prosecutor
Larry Masterson (USA): Physician Assistant
*Thomas A. Maurice (Canada): Purchasing Manager
Joseph Mercuri (USA): Hospitalist Physician
*Leslie Myrick (Canada): Hospital Administrator (retired)
Kazuyuki Ohmura (Japan): Software Engineering Manager
*Reiko Osawa (Japan): Composer and Homemaker
*Debby Pearlberg (USA): Math Tutor
*Jose Mauro Peixoto (Brazil): Portfolio Manager
*James Raphael (USA): Fine Jeweler
Tony Roberson (USA): Associate Professor of Nursing
Valentina Rodov (USA): Lawyer
*Esfir Ross (USA): Dental Assistant
Paul Rutschmann (USA): Adjunct Instructor of European History
Christopher Sarzynski (USA): Physician
*Debra Saylor (USA): Vocal Instructor
Vincent J. Schmithorst (USA): Research scientist
YChristopher Shih (USA): Physician
Mari Shiokawa (Jacobson) (Japan): of Japanese sand company, and homemaker
Dominic Piers Smith (England): Team Leader, Aerodynamics
Stephen Stouder (USA): Account Executive, Healthcare
Utako Tanigawa, Ph.D. (Japan): Senior Director, IT Portfolio Management
Yoko Taruki (Japan): Kindergarden Teacher
Madalyn Bingham Taylor (USA): Homemaker/Co-owner of family tire business
Andrea Terenzi (Italy): Dentist
*Al Thomas (USA): Real Estate Appraiser
J. Spencer Thompson, MD (USA): Radiation Oncologist
Angela Lee Tien (Korea): Homemaker
Matthew A. Tingle (Canada): Business Executive
Shi-Chin Yvonne Tsai (China): Pediatrician
*Janet Underhill (USA): Music Teacher (retired)
Takanori Yamato (Japan): Manager of Retail Sales Promotion
Mari Yoshihara (Japan): Professor of American Studies
*Eberhard Zagrosek (Germany): Physicist (retired)
Jorge Zamora (Mexico): Distribution Manager, Telecommunications

I can't believe there is not a single garbage truck driver in the lot!

Thanks -- I'd been looking out for the list!

BTW: I count about 10 "sure finalists" on there.
Too bad there are only going to be 6.

It's a great field.

One notable omission from this year's list of competitors is Henri Delbeau -- what's he up to these days, Mark?

exactly, he'll be missed, as well as slava levin. also, drew mays is not on the list, but since he won the last competition, he may not feel justified or even be allowed to try again. i'll keep an eye open for the people featured in the 2007 competition documentary 'They Came To Play', which has grown very dear to my heart, so i'm happy to see all these people on the list again, like Mark Fuller, Clark Griffith, Ken Isaka (another Alkan, please!!), Anne Blakeney, Eberhard Zagrosek, Esfir Ross (lightening up the mood and heart!) and of course our own Mark Cannon =)