Announcing SEPF 2024 Guest Artists!

We are thrilled to announce our guest artists for the 22nd Southeastern Piano Festival June 9-15, 2024! It is our pleasure to bring a distinguished group of internationally-renowned pianists to the University of South Carolina Columbia campus and surrounding venues: Inon Barnatan, Rachel Breen, Marina Lomazov, Lisa Moore, and Joseph Rackers. We eagerly look forward to seeing you at the concerts and events brought by these incredible artists!

The series begins with an opening celebration concert on Sunday, June 9 featuring the illustrious piano faculty at University of South Carolina, including Phillip Bush, Scott Price, Omar Roy, and Nicholas Susi will perform a diverse and delightful program to kick off a spectacular week-long musical event.

Described by Gramophone, UK as “truly show-stopping” and having “a beautiful piano sound and original detail,” American pianist Rachel Breen will perform in the recital hall on Monday, June 10. Despite being awarded multiple top prizes from internationally known competitions, she has a global career of performing and teaching masterclasses. She is featured in the 2021 podcast 30 Bach alongside Jeremy Denk, Angela Hewitt, Tim Page, and Simone Dinnerstein in a discussion and performance of the Goldberg Variations.

On Tuesday, June 11, New York-based Australian musician Lisa Moore will perform a wonderful program. She has performed throughout Europe, the UK, USA and Asia, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, and Musikverein. She has released twelve solo albums, and more than thirty collaborative ensemble discs. Having worked with more than two hundred living composers while in New York City, she has performed hundreds of commissioned works and world premieres.

The powerful piano duo Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers will perform an unmissable concert on Wednesday, June 12. Ukrainian-American pianist Marina Lomazov has established herself as one of the most passionate and charismatic performers in nowadays concert scenes. Joseph Rackers is an International Steinway Artist and has performed extensively around the globe. The Lomazov/Rackers Piano Duo is known for their “demon precision and complete dedication.” They both serve as the Professor of Piano at the Eastman School of Music. They are the founders of the Southeastern Piano Festival and former Artistic Directors; we are thrilled to welcome them back to Columbia!

Our guest artist for Thursday, June 13 is Inon Barnatan, who is “one of the most admired pianists of his generation” (New York Times). He is a regular performer with the world’s most prestigious orchestras. His recent performances include concerto performances with Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, etc. He also recorded two-volume set of Beethoven’s complete piano concertos with Alan Gilbert on Pentatone. His playing is described by BBC as “putting you in touch with that feeling of ongoing wonderment.”

As always, the festival culminates with the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, where festival participants compete for over $10,000 in cash prize and the opportunity to perform a complete concerto with the South Carolina Philharmonic orchestra. The complete festival schedule is available on our website. Become a patron today to make sure you have a reserved seat at the concerts. Follow the SEPF social media (Facebook, Instagram) to meet the participants and more festival updates!