The Adjudicators of the Liberace Piano Competition have announced the 27 musicians who have been selected to compete in the 2008 Liberace International Piano Competition with semi-finals set on Sept. 13-14 and finals on Sept. 21. The competitors, representing four states and two countries, range in age from 6 to 59.


The contestants are:


Classical Junior Division (12 years and under):


Sara Gong, Henderson, NV


Tiffany Koo, South Pasadena, CA


Tiffany Leard, Henderson, NV


Kevin Meng, Las Vegas


Natalie Rule, Las Vegas (Summerlin)


Abigail Varghese, Henderson, NV


Victoria Young, Las Vegas


Classical Senior Division (ages 11-17):


Naye Choi, Henderson, NV


Claudia Close, Las Vegas


Spencer Grimes, Las Vegas (Centennial Hills/NW)


Soumyadee Khatua, Las Vegas (Summerlin)


Grace Kim, Las Vegas (Summerlin)


Carmen Lai, Las Vegas


Audrey Meng, Las Vegas


Caolinn Mejza, Las Vegas


Amanda Ryu, Las Vegas (Summerlin)


Amanda Stewart, Las Vegas (Summerlin)


Seth Thompson, Henderson, NV


Serriah Toste, Las Vegas


Classical Open Division (must be enrolled in accredited higher education


music program):


Otto Ehling, Los Angeles, CA


Kyle Shafiee, Lake Forest, CA


Ashlee Young, Billings, MT


Showmanship Division (amateur and professional performers of all ages): Melissa Alcazar, Los Angeles, CA Darin Bradford, Las Vegas Christopher Carter, Huntsville, AL Alexander Montes, Las Vegas Hector Montes de Oca Ruiz, Tepic Nayarit, Mexico


2008 Liberace International Piano Competition Announces 27 Competitors/…2 The Liberace Piano Competition has evolved since it was created in 1993 as the Liberace Play-A-Like Competition presented by the Liberace Foundation and Museum. The competition in 2006 was expanded to focus on Liberace's significant classical performance training and expertise as well as his extraordinary gift of showmanship. Liberace studied classical music for 17 years at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and received a scholarship for his studies.


The 2008 Competition's jury is being chaired by Philip Fortenberry. He currently is the associate music director for the Las Vegas production of "Jersey Boys." He holds a Master of Music degree in classical piano performance from New Jersey City University. Fortenberry has studied piano privately at Juilliard and previously competed in many competitions.


Semi-finals' adjudicators are Patricia Diaz, David Kanscar and Dee Guase-Snelsen. The Finals will be judged by: Philip Fortenberry, Dr. Min Kim, Joey Singer, Moonlight Tran and Hal Weller.


All competitors will be judged on a point system and discretionary adjudicator ranking. Technical skill, artistic impression (appropriateness of musical selection to age and current musical development) and audience appeal are the areas that will be judged. Showmanship division competitors are encouraged to dress in costume and will perform two selections, one classical and one arrangement that reflect Liberace's joyful spirit of showmanship and entertainment ability. The Semi-Finals of the Competition will be held beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 13-14, and competitors will perform in front of the Adjudicator Panel and audience. These events will take place at the Liberace Museum's Cabaret Showroom, 1775 E. Tropicana Ave. (at Spencer), and admission is free with very limited seating on a first come, first serve basis.


The Finals will feature the top three finalists competing from each Division and will be held on Sunday, Sept. 21, 1:30 p.m., at the auditorium at Community Lutheran, 3720 E. Tropicana Ave., in Las Vegas. This is a ticketed event, priced at $15 per person or $50 for a family four pack of tickets. Competition winners will receive cash scholarships and prizes and will be invited to perform at The Liberace Museum and in other venues as guest artists.


Tickets can be purchased in advance by phone with a major credit card at the Liberace Museum store, call 702-798-5595, or buy in person with cash or credit card. Proceeds from the Competition admission will benefit two non-profit organizations, The Liberace Foundation and Family Promise. Competition sponsors are: Jason Firth and the firm of Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber and Schreck, Jack Rappaport of R & R Commercial Real Estate Services, UnitedHeathcare, Cirque Du Soleil, The Biafore Group at Merrill Lynch, Southern Nevada Music, BLVDS Magazine, and Imagination Costumes.


For more information about the 2008 Liberace Piano Competition, call the Liberace Museum at 702- 798-5595 or log onto the website at www.Liberace.org.


ABOUT THE LIBERACE FOUNDATION & MUSEUM:


Liberace transported audiences to a dazzling world of color, jovial music, glittering costumes and humor. His legend lives on in the Liberace Museum, considered to be Mr. Showmanship's greatest encore performance. Liberace opened his Museum on April 15, 1979 to share his collections with the world, to support his love of being an active patron of the arts, and most importantly to support his mission of helping talented students pursue careers in the performing and creative arts through scholarship assistance. To date, the Liberace Foundation has awarded in excess of $5.2 million in scholarships to more than 2,500 students at over 120 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. The Liberace Museum, located at 1775 E. Tropicana Ave. in Las Vegas, serves as a significant funding source for the Liberace Foundation. It features Liberace's collections of rare pianos, classic cars, famous sequined and bejeweled costumes, glittering stage jewelry, antiques, private papers and memorabilia. April 15, 2009 will mark the 30th anniversary celebration of the Liberace Museum. For more information and to become a member of the Liberace Foundation, call 702-798-5595 or visit the website at www.Liberace.org.


Liberace Museum Information