Kevin Grigsby, 41
Marketing executive
Trussville, Alabama
United States

Born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1975, Kevin Grigsby studied piano from a young age. He received a master’s degree in music from the University of Oklahoma in 1998, and then went on to become a member of the adjunct faculty as a keyboard harmony/theory professor at Birmingham Southern College for four years, as well as serve as an orchestral pianist for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. A career in marketing followed—Mr. Grigsby is currently a market specialist at Alabama Power Co.—but he still makes plenty of time to practice the piano and to serve as a role model to his musically inclined son (10) and daughter (9). “Ultimately,” he says, “I hope that whatever the outcome for me [in this Competition], my children can appreciate the preparation, the experience, and the fact that one is always, always practicing the piano to improve.”

COMPETITION REPERTOIRE

Preliminary Round
MOZART   Sonata No. 12 in F Major, K. 332: I. Allegro
BARBER   Sonata for Piano, op. 26: IV. Fuga: Allegro con spirito

Quarterfinal Round
MOZART   Sonata No. 12 in F Major, K. 332: III. Allegro assai
LISZT   Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11 in A Minor
PROKOFIEV   Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, op. 14: IV. Vivace

Semifinal Round
BEETHOVEN   Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, op. 57 (“Appassionata”): I. Allegro assai
BRAHMS   Intermezzo in A Major, op. 118, no. 2
CHOPIN   Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, op. 39
RACHMANINOV   Etude-Tableau in D Major, op. 39, no. 9

Final Round
BEETHOVEN   Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, op. 15: III. Rondo (allegro scherzando)