Lawrence University Musicians Shine in State Piano Competition

Lawrence University sophomore Thomas Lee earned first-place honors at the recent 2012 Wisconsin Music Teachers Association’s annual Badger Collegiate Piano Competition conducted at UW-Marathon County in Wausau. A double-degree candidate from Chicago, Ill., majoring in piano performance with an emphasis in pedagogy, Lee received $200 for his winning performance, which included five works: J.S. Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue 18 in G-sharp Minor”; Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata op. 31 no. 3”; Liszt’s “Sposalizio”; and Nikolai Medtner’s “Fairy Tale op. 8 no. 1”; and “Primavera op. 39 no. 3.” Lawrence accounted for six of the eight students entered in the WMTA competition, with junior Julian Delfino, a double degree candidate from Irvine, Calif., with majors in piano performance and English, earning honorable mention honors. Also representing Lawrence were freshman Seth King-Gengler, Waukesha, sophomores Daniel Kuzuhara, Madison, and Catherine Smith, Greenville, N.C., and junior Alex Hurlburt, Wausau. All six students study in the piano studio of Associate Professor of Music Anthony Padilla. The WMTA Badger Collegiate Piano Competition is open to college students under the age of 28. Participants must perform from memory a solo recital program of 20-30 minutes in length with works representing contrasting styles from three of five historical periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, Contemporary