Parillo Piano Competition
Louise DeFeo Parillo Piano Competition 2024
The Board of the Schenectady Saratoga Symphony Orchestra Association is pleased to announce that the 2024 Louise DeFeo Parillo Piano Competition will be held at Schenectady County Community College 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, May 11.
Competition Details:
- Total Performance Time: 15 minutes or less
- 1 Piano Solo by Beethoven
- e.g. Polonaise in C, Diabelli Variation, fast movement of a sonata such as Tempest, Waldstein, Les Adieux, Appassionata, etc. or similar level of difficulty
- Plus 1 Elective by Any Composer
1st prize $500
2nd prize $200
Open to the finest middle school and high school pianists in the Capital District by nomination of their piano teachers.
The application deadline is April 30, 2024
More on the competition:
This competition was created in 1995 for young pianists in the Capital District to honor the memory of Louise DeFeo Parillo. Mrs. Parillo was a locally prominent pianist who had her own radio show on WGY in the 1930s and ‘40s and was very active in area music groups. Reflecting the spirit of Louise DeFeo Parillo, the aim of the Parillo competition is to encourage a life-long enjoyment of music in young pianists, either as accomplished professionals or as dedicated amateurs.
The winners of the 2023 competition were Sean Cooney of Wynantskill (1st prize) and Isabel Luzzi of Tivoli (2nd prize). Sean attends Doane Stuart and studies with Akina Yura. Isabel attends Red Hook High School and studies with Susanne Son.
The Parillo competition is open to Capital District piano students aged 12 years or older, by nomination of their piano instructors. Winners are recognized at Proctor’s Theater with cash awards. Especially promising students will be considered for further performance opportunities. Past competition winners Ryan Reilly, Christopher Reynolds, Rachel Sohn and Kyra Lombard have recently been invited to perform with the Orchestra at historic Proctor’s Theater, to the great delight of our audiences.
Former winners have been selected to perform for NPR/From the Top and WMHT/Classical Student of the month. Many have continued their music studies at prestigious conservatories and universities such as Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, Eastman, Yale School of Music, Oberlin, Indiana, Harvard, Dartmouth and Columbia. Exceptional winners may be invited to perform with the Schenectady Symphony.
Contact:
The Louise DeFeo Parillo Piano Competition
Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra
Proctor’s Arcade, 432 State St.
Schenectady, NY 12305
Chair, Masako Yamada: myamada@alum.wellesley.edu