5 pianists advance to Hilton Head contest's finals

Five performers advanced Thursday to the finals of the Hilton Head International Piano Competition for Young Artists.

The winners, who emerged from a field of 20 competitors, are:

The finalists will perform with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra starting at 7 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church on Hilton Head Island.

First prize brings $5,000, a music-school scholarship and a return engagement with the symphony Feb. 9 and 10, 2014, according to a symphony news release. Second prize is $3,000; third, $2,000; fourth, $1,000; and fifth, $500.

Five judges will select the winners Saturday.

The piano competition has been held annually since 1996, attracting applicants from more than 40 countries, the release said.

This year's competitors range in age from 13 to 17. Next year's competition will be for pianists ages 18 to 30.

For ticket and other information, call the symphony office at 843-842-2055 or go to www.hhipc.org.

This story was originally published March 7, 2013 at 8:19 PM with the headline "5 pianists advance to Hilton Head contest's finals."