PIANO 'E' COMPETITION NARROWS TO 6 FINALISTS

—Advanced Technology of Yamaha Disklavier Piano Permits Esteemed Judges to Evaluate Performances From Afar—

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (June 14, 2002)—Ancient art, modern technology and world-class piano performances are coming together with the first International Piano-e-Competition, currently underway in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN—and on the Internet.

From the 60 original contestants, six finalists have been chosen, and will vie against one another for a First Prize of $25,000 as their performances are evaluated by nine esteemed judges, seven on location and two who will listen online from abroad. Finalists are: Victoria Korchinskaya-Kogan (Canada), Mei-Ting Sun (U.S.A.), Tatiana Kolessova (Russia), Tao Lin (China), Edisher Savitski (Georgia) and Wen-Yin Chan (Taiwan).

In addition to the cash award, the First Prize winner will receive a Spring 2003 debut recital in Alice Tully Hall at New York's Lincoln Center, a CD release on The Schubert Club's Ten Thousand Lakes label, and a Yamaha DC3A 6'1" Disklavier polished ebony grand piano. Other top finishers will receive cash prizes as well, and the best performance of the Schubert Sonata will net one performer an additional $1,500.

The evolution of the Internet, along with advanced piano technology pioneered by Yamaha, makes the concept of the International Piano-e-Competition possible. It also enables organizers to attract great musicians to the jury whose busy schedules would otherwise prevent them from participating.

During the Competition Finals, competitors will perform on a traditional nine-foot Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand piano, one of the world's finest instruments. What is unique is that the piano is equipped with Disklavier Pro reproducing technology, capable of transmitting performances as MIDI computer data through the Internet to similarly-equipped Yamaha pianos in other countries. As each artist performs "live" at the Competition Finals, his or her note-for-note performance will be recreated "live" on the remote Yamaha Disklavier piano—its keys and pedals moving up and down, capturing every nuance of the original performance for the remote judges to evaluate.

The general public may "tune in" to the finalists' performances at www.piano-e-competition.com, or visit selected music centers around the globe to enjoy the performances on Yamaha Disklavier pianos (hearing the performances via a computer's MIDI player will not require the use of a Disklavier or any special equipment).

Acclaimed pianist Yefim Bronfman is serving as the competition's remote "e-judge" from Hamamatsu and Tokyo, Japan, and is joined by onsite judges Fou T'Song, Ralf Gothoni, Sergio Perticaroli, Abbey Simon, Sontraud Speidel, Dubravka Tomšic and Dmitri Bashkirov.

"The vision of the International Piano-e-Competition is to use the very latest in technology to bring music to as wide an audience as possible," says competition founder, president and executive director Alexander Braginsky.

The event, organized by Minneapolis-based Musicians in Debut International, is sponsored by Hamline University, the Grand Hotel Minneapolis, Minnesota Public Radio and Yamaha Corporation of America, with participation by Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, The Rosalyra Quartet, The Schubert Club, The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Murry Sidlin.

Schubert Sonatas and Quintets by Shostakovich, Brahms and Dvorak were performed on June 13 and 14 at Sundin Hall. Concerto performances will be held on Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16 at Orchestra Hall.

Saturday's performance order and repertoire is as follows: Victoria Korchinskaya-Kogan, Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1; Wen-Yin Chan, Chopin Concerto No. 2; and Edisher Savitski, Rachmaninov, Concerto No. 2. Sunday's schedule includes: Mei-Ting Sun, Prokofiev Concerto No. 2; Tao Lin, Brahms Concerto No. 2; and Tatiana Kolessova, Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1.