2024 Gina Bachauer Competition: Gabriela Lena Frank’s Two Andean Portraits to receive unique world premiere (The Utah Review)

Summer 2024

by Les Roka

For only the third time in the 48-year history of the Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition and the first time since 1982, all 12 of the pianists in the semifinals will play a new commissioned solo work. It will be Two Andean Portraits by Gabriela Lena Frank, one of America’s foremost composers who also is currently the composer-in-residence with The Philadelphia Orchestra.

It is a unique world premiere, with 12 pianists who individually will put their own interpretative mark on Frank’s work, which will help determine who eventually will move into one of the three slots for finalists. Furthermore, the competition winner will also feature Two Andean Portraits in a future Carnegie Hall recital in New York City, which is part of the prize package.

Bachauer’s first commission for the competition came in 1980 with Masks, by Robert Muczynski, followed two years later with Ittocseram, by André-François Marescotti. In an interview with The Utah Review, Frank said that this is a significant development, with Bachauer demonstrating a strong commitment to building a vibrant repertoire for future pianists while sustaining the reverence for great piano masterpieces in competitions while highlighting emerging creative voices. Read More

Article from The Utah Review