FREE masterclass open to middle and high-school pianist from Bloomington and surrounding areas. Audience is open to the public.

Apply here to participate in the masterclass

The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is excited to welcome concert pianist Ignas Maknickas to Bloomington as part of our upcoming “Imagine: Legacy” concert where he will perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Ignas’s impressive biography boasts numerous awards and prizes, such as “The Queen’s Commendation for Excellence” (the highest-scoring graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, July 2021), First Prize at the XIX Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Youth in Szafarnia, First Prize at the XX Piano Competition “Young Virtuoso” in Zagreb, Third Prize at the Aarhus Piano Competition and, in 2021, he was the semi-finalist of the Vendome Prize. Ignas has also appeared with orchestras all over the world, playing everything from Mozart to Chopin.

During his visit to Bloomington, Ignas has generously offered his time and expertise to lead a masterclass, coaching young pianists who will receive world-class feedback on their playing. Selected applicants will get to play for Ignas and then receive his help in areas of technique, expression, and musicality. This  is a rare opportunity for young performers to learn from a highly-accomplished professional performer who will only be in Bloomington for a short time!

The BSO welcomes all interested local (Bloomington and surrounding area) middle- and high-school piano students to apply. Applicants must submit a roughly one-minute video (in any format, even cell phone video is fine!) of them playing either piano or keyboard. For the application you can play anything you would like – something from a piece you’ve mastered, a piece you are working on, or something that you aspire to play! If you are selected, you will be asked to bring any Classical or non-Classical piece on which you would like to receive Maestro Maknickas’s feedback to a public masterclass held on Friday, March 3rd, from 4:30-6:30pm at the Faith Lutheran Church Sanctuary (2200 S. High Street). Selected participants will each get 10-20 minutes of one-on-one time to work exclusively with the maestro himself. This masterclass is FREE and open to the public: parents, friends, any interested pianists, BSO superfans, or lovers of music are welcome to attend as audience members, with the request that all attendees be quiet and respectful of the students in the class.

Applications are due by February 24th, and we will send details to participants by February 27th.

Are you (or someone you know) interested in the opportunity to be part of this exciting masterclass? Click here for to submit your application., or let us know  if you have questions! bso@bloomingtonsymphony.com