Young pianist Clayton Stephenson

[Rach3]

Apparently one to watch as he is a winner of a 2022 Gilmore grant at age 22. From the Gilmore:

"Pierre van der Westhuizen, Executive and Artistic Director of The Gilmore, today announced that two pianists—Janice Carissa and Clayton Stephenson—have been named recipients of the 2022 Gilmore Young Artist Award. Ms. Carissa and Mr. Stephenson will each receive a $15,000 stipend to further their musical careers and educational development, as well as $10,000 towards the commissioning of a new piano composition for which the artist will have exclusive performance rights for one year. The pianists will also give solo recitals and orchestral performances during the 2022 Gilmore Piano Festival in Kalamazoo—April 24 through May 15, 2022.

Founded along with the Gilmore Artist Award in 1989, the Gilmore Young Artist Awards are bestowed every two years to single out the most promising of the new generation of pianists living in the United States, age 22 and younger. Candidates for the Award are nominated by music professionals from around the world. Those nominated are evaluated for their pianism and musical promise by a six-member artistic committee over an extended period of time. The process is carried out anonymously, and candidates are unaware of their own consideration. Among the now 38 pianists who have received the Gilmore Young Artist Award are Misha Galant, Kirill Gerstein, Daniel Hsu, Maxim Lando, George Li, Wei Luo, Micah McLaurin, Yuja Wang, Orion Weiss, and Elliott Wu. "


More about Stephenson : https://tinyurl.com/e9e5y6ya

Performances at apparently about ages 18 and 16 I heard, and while I would have critiques of each, impressive playing with his own ideas:

Beethoven Op.109, Ravel “ Tombeau” , Liszt Ballade No.2 : https://www.youtube.com/user/Claytonplayspiano/videos

I have not heard the young lady , yet.

[Rach3]

I have not heard the young lady , yet.

Have heard her now.

Carissa at least equally impressive :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9yJAEZrzNk (Brahms, Op.119 complete )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0kH6egbJaE (Chopin, 3rd Ballade )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmgiJM6RdzE ( Prokofieff, 3rd Sonata )

More about her : https://janicecarissa.com