Young Artists Piano Program

Ages 14 – 18

Boaz Sharon – professor, international recording artist, and master teacher – directs the Young Artists Piano Program. Professor Sharon is Head of the Piano Area at Boston University and a visiting Professor of Piano at China Conservatory in Beijing. He is active as a master class guest as well as a judge for major piano competitions around the world. Mr. Sharon’s assistant, Clara Jung-Yang Shin teaches at Korean National University of Arts while actively performing throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.

The Young Artists Piano Program is a high-level, intensive summer program for advanced high school age pianists. Admission to the program is by audition only and is highly competitive, with a class size of 15 students per session. The program offers young pianists private lessons, master classes, and multiple chamber music opportunities. Students enhance individual development through the study of technique, style, tonal quality, and repertoire. Each year the program attracts students from around the world, most recently including representatives of Israel, Brazil, Chile, China, Korea, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and Canada.

Each summer, visiting guest artist faculty offer opportunities to work with them through master classes and private lessons. This summer will include two dynamic and world renowned piano artist/teachers: Professor Gila Goldstein, Israeli born pianist and Assistant Professor at the Schwob School of Music, Columbus State University in Georgia and Professor Zhe Tang, piano faculty member at the Shanghai Conservatory.

Students receive weekly private lessons and perform in master classes. While all master classes focus on technique and performance practice, entire sessions can be devoted to a specific composer. Guest artists such as Emanuel Ax, Claude Frank, Anthony di Bonaventura, Yuan Sheng, Frank Glazer, Sergey Schepkin, and Jonathan Bass conduct master classes with BUTI pianists and provide opportunities for question and answer sessions. Piano participants also enjoy free admission to concerts on the Tanglewood Main Grounds presented by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center.

Along with solo repertoire assignments, several students are selected each session to collaborate with members of the Young Artists Orchestra in piano chamber music for study and performance. In addition to chamber ensemble opportunities, pianists are chosen to participate in the Young Artists Orchestra and the Young Artists Wind Ensemble.

At the end of each week, students are presented in recital in various venues on the BUTI campus as well as on the Tanglewood Main Grounds. Beginning in 2010, students attending the program will perform on the stage at the Tsai Performance Center in Boston in addition to the regular performing opportunities at BUTI.