Coronavirus travel restrictions keep two teens home from Hilton Head piano competition
Travel restrictions due to the global coronavirus outbreak will keep two competitors from attending the upcoming international piano competition on Hilton Head Island.
The competitors, who live in China, will be unable to attend the 25th annual piano competition, which runs March 9 through March 14. Although the teen competitors are not sick with the virus, travel restrictions will prevent them from flying to the United States, according to Sarah Bergin, marketing director for the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.
The virus, a disease with 81,800 confirmed cases and responsible for nearly 3,000 deaths worldwide, has affected thousands across China and led health officials to impose self-quarantines and travel restrictions. Cases of the virus, abbreviated to COVID-19, have also been confirmed in South Korea, Japan, Italy, Iran, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States.
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a public health emergency on Jan. 30 but has stopped short of calling it a pandemic. The disease causes fever, coughing and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most commercial air carriers have reduced or suspended routes to and from China, according to the State Department.
The outbreak is thought to have originated in Wuhan, China, where some infected people had some link to a large seafood- and live-animal market, according to the CDC.
“Later, a growing number of patients reportedly did not have exposure to animal markets, indicating person-to-person spread. Person-to-person spread has been reported outside China,” the CDC wrote on its webpage about the disease.
There were 57 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the United States as of Wednesday, including 40 former passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. Among the states with a confirmed case: California, Washington, Arizona, Nebraska, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin and Massachusetts, according to the New York Times.
Most cases in the U.S. have been confirmed in people who have recently traveled to the Wuhan area of China.
About the piano competition
This year’s piano competition will showcase 20 pianists ranging in age from 13 to 17. They represent Russia, Canada, the United States, Japan, South Korea and Thailand, according to Bergin.
She said the staff at the event has been trained to spot symptoms of Coronavirus, been in contact with medical professionals, and director Mona Huff has been on the phone “constantly” with the remaining contestants who are coming from countries with cases of the disease.
“It broke our hearts when they were not able to fly out of China and join us,” Bergin said. “Now we’re monitoring everybody, and we’ve certainly been in touch with everybody,” prior to their travel to the island.
The pianists will compete over the first four days at Central Church, located at 975 William Hilton Parkway.
The Jury will select five finalists, and the competition will conclude on March 14 as each finalist performs a movement of a concerto with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Morris Russell.
The final round will take place at First Presbyterian Church at 540 William Hilton Parkway.
Finalists will compete to win $21,000 in cash prizes.
“We are proud to present these 20 incredibly talented pianists. The quality of the 110 applicants was amazing this year, certainly some of the most exciting emerging talents in the piano world,” Huff said in a statement about the event.
Chaeyoung Park, of South Korea, won the 2019 competition.
She is currently pursuing a degree at The Juilliard School in New York City.
Tickets for $60, $50 and $25 are available online at www.hhso.org or by calling (843) 842-2055
This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 11:07 AM.
