2023 HARMONIA INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR PIANO COMPETITION

2023 HIAPC AWARD WINNERS

IST PRIZE - UTAKO TANIGAWA (USA/JAPAN)

Information Systems Advisor

After ten years of owning a school and a restaurant, she decided to have a one-year break from work to study new fields in the United States. She eventually earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Information Systems, and a post doctorate degree in Management Science and Engineering in Stanford University. Since then, Utako worked in global corporations for more than three decades.

About twelve years ago, she had a life-threatening illness. Although it severely damaged her body, her love of music returned and provided a tangible lifeline. Today music continues to play a key soothing and healing role. As a part of therapy, she started applying to amateur competitions. She is honored to be selected as a finalist and to receive best performer awards at several competitions.

She founded a non-profit music-lover organization, Georgia Musicale Group in 2016 to share the joy of music with others.

2ND PRIZE - IAN ROY (UK)

Engineer

Ian Roy was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and attended Wick High School. He began playing the piano at age eight and studied initially with Emma Bruce in Wick. After leaving Wick High School he studied for two degrees in maths and physics at the University of Aberdeen. He then worked on two research contracts at the universities of Plymouth and Newcastle upon Tyne. Thereafter he worked for the ship safety department of QinetiQ at Rosyth, and then for Petroleum Experts in Edinburgh. He now works as an engineering analyst for the Coventry based firm of OLEO International.

3RD PRIZE - ALAIN MARI (FRANCE)

Software Engineer

I started playing the piano at the age of 6.

I then entered the conservatory of Nice (France) where I won the first prize in 1988.

Afterwards, I put the piano aside to devote myself to my studies, but briefly resumed it in order to take part in a student concert.

I seriously played the piano again in 2014 on my own, without a teacher. I won the first prize in the "La Note Celeste" competition in 2020 and I was a finalist in the "Pianolink" 2020 competition.

I performed in public for the first time in many years at the final of this competition.

In 2021, I won the 2nd prize in Piano Bridges competition.

Currently a computer engineer, I am passionate about music and computer science, and these two seemingly very different worlds have this in common that they allow you to create, to create something new.

My favorite repertoire ranges from baroque music with Bach or Scarlatti to the music of the 20th century, through the romantic music of Chopin.

4TH PRIZE - ARDITH EI-KAREH (USA)

Chemical Engineering BS University of Colorado, PhD California Institute of Technology

I'm an Associate Research Professor at the Bio5 Institute of the University of Arizona,
where I do mathematical modeling of cancer treatment, the immune system, and the cell cycle. My degrees from the University of Colorado (BS) and Caltech (PhD) are in chemical engineering. I started playing piano when I was 18, and it has been my beloved hobby ever since, although work and having children caused major hiatuses. For several years I’ve run a small classical music group on Meetup; our virtual meetings now get attendance from several states and other countries. Other hobbies include languages, chess, and web development. My lifelong project has been to play all the Chopin Etudes at tempo, inspired by my teacher Thad Wolfe who did this. My friend Michael Manning currently gives me invaluable piano coaching. I live in Tucson with my husband Hugh, our two children, and our dog.

JUDGES

DR. SLAWOMIR DOBRZANSKI

Kansas State University

DR. HYUNKI YOON

Rockhurst University

KYU BUTLER

Midland University - Screening judge