As the Kapell Competition’s nine semifinalists were announced on Thursday afternoon, the Clarice Smith Center was buzzing with emotions ranging from disappointment to elation. “I am not sure I can feel my heart,” said nearly-breathless 26-year old Korean pianist Grace Eun Hae Kim, one of the chosen. A graduate of Juilliard, she’s now studying for her doctorate with Boris Slutsky at Baltimore’s famed Peabody Conservatory.
Miss Kim chose to enter this year’s competition almost on impulse. “I just decided to fill out the application, but I didn’t tell my teacher,” she confessed. (Mr. Slutsky was, nonetheless, pleased with her decision.)
Chinese pianist Ti Xin, 21, who hails from Beijing, seemed happy but somewhat subdued as she looked forward to the challenges yet to come. Making things easier was the fact that far from being aggressive, all the competitors and people “seem friendly here,” she said, making the competition’s high-stakes environment a bit easier to manage.
Miss Xin generally prefers piano works from the Romantic period. “I find Schubert very dramatic,” she said, adding that she also enjoys the composer’s considerable body of vocal music. After the conclusion of the competition, she plans to visit Beijing for a few weeks before returning to her music here in the U.S., where she is continuing her studies with John Perry at the Colburn School of Performing Arts in the Los Angeles area.
Spencer Myer, a 29-year old American pianist from the small town of North Ridgeville, Ohio, seemed at once casual and relaxed but also ready to compete. A graduate of Juilliard and Ohio’s Oberlin Conservatory — which also boasts renowned mezzo-soprano and D.C. favorite Denyce Graves as an alumna — he now lives in New York after completing his studies at Stony Brook University in 2005.
Mr. Myer paid tribute to his “collegial” competitors. “They are all wonderful musicians,” he said. “I’ve made many new friends.” As for the final rounds, he doesn’t think anyone can predict the outcome. Like all competitors, he admits to some nervous energy, but his performance aim is to “just let it flow, paying attention to the beauty of the music and the focus” while trying not to worry about the judges and their notepads.
None of the young artists interviewed planned to celebrate making the initial cut on Thursday. All were heading back to the practice rooms to prepare for the next level of competition.
The other semifinalists represent a who’s who of young pianists from around the world, including Lithuania’s Vadimas Chaimovicius, Russia’s Sofya Gulyak, Alexei Gulenco of Moldova, Japanese pianist Kana Mimaki, Brazilian pianist Aleyson Scopel, and U.S. pianist Sara Daneshpour.
Both the young artists and audience members shied away from handicapping the event. But just for fun, the Smith Center has posted an informal nonbinding online poll at https://www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu/2007/c/kapell2007/tickets for fans who want to cast votes for their favorite performer.
The Clarice Smith Center is located at the corner of Route 193 (University Boulevard) and Stadium Drive on the University of Maryland-College Park Campus.
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