At the University of Maryland:

William Kapell International Piano Competition and Festival

I have tickets for the 5 semi-final rounds. I hope to make it to some of the preliminary stuff next week.

Sure isn't stirring up much interest, is it?

My wife and I plan to attend today's (Sunday, July 15) session. Anyone else?

I've been to all three semifinal solo rounds and was mighty impressed by what I heard. I've been attending the Kapell Competition since 1985, the year our own Jeffrey Biegel won, and I think this year's semifinal field is the strongest from top to bottom that I can remember. For me, the most fun is chatting with the strangers sitting around me between performances. It never ceases to amaze me how people with real depth of knowledge about the piano and passionate love for its music can listen to the same performances and come to diametrically opposed conclusions about them.

I heard none of the preliminary rounds, and I'm also going to miss the chamber rounds, so this is only a partially informed opinion. But so far, I've had the most enjoyment listening to Steven Lin (the only native-born American in the field), Yekwon Sunwoo of South Korea and Diyi Tang of China.

It's interesting to note that both Lin and Sunwoo are students of Robert McDonald at Juilliard. He must have a sharp eye for talent, be a magnificent teacher, or both.

It will be interesting to see who makes the finals. For my money, at least 5 and maybe 6 of the semifinalists are medal-worthy. Stay tuned.

I was also impressed with Yekwon Sunwoo. However, the person sitting next to me, a piano teacher, told me that she felt he was "sometimes out of control".

Not sure exactly what that meant as nothing he played struck me as other than controlled.

An older woman sitting near me said she thought Sunwoo's Schubert was "cold" and "soulless". I thought it was magnificent -- full of power (but, as you say, controlled power) and tenderness. There's no accounting for taste.