Hundreds of pianists to come together for 'American Grands'

What do you call one grand piano on stage? To Larry Dieffenbach of Geneva, musical director of "American Grands," a Fox Valley showcase of 450 pianists on 12 grand pianos, it's a good start.

Dieffenbach, who is directing his sixth performance of the 14th annual concert, says the show has grown from one concert with 125 pianists to three to accommodate the expanded number of musicians, ages 6 to 82, who will participate.

The preparation for the show starts the previous June, according to Dieffenbach. "I'm in charge of organizing it, getting the applications out, and putting everybody in their correct categories and numbers, selecting the music along with the committee, putting the information out and that kind of thing."

For many, including Dieffenbach, who has participated in the concert as a pianist 13 of the 14 years, the annual show is a tradition.

"We now have kids that can say they started in first grade and they were in it all the way through their senior year in high school," he said. "Some of the kids come back from colleges to play."

Jonathan Knickrehm, 19, of Elgin is one of the returning students. Currently he is studying accounting at the University of Phoenix in Schaumburg, but he will take the stage on Sunday for the sixth time.

"For me, I just like getting used to performing in public because I do a couple of other things for piano and it gives me something to work toward," he said.

Barbara Garbaccio of Batavia is mother to two repeat performers: Mia, 12 and Gabrielle, 9.

Mia is participating for the fourth time and Gabrielle for the second.

"Mia is very comfortable with the show, she loves it and she has been asked to help out with a folk song medley which is the beginners' piece," said her mother.

"Gabby gets a little nervous but she always pulls it out at the last minute and plays fantastically," Garbaccio said.

"They start at the beginner level and move all the way up to the professional (level) where the teachers play," she said. "And that's the biggest thrill for my kids to see their teachers play."

Mia and Gabrielle's teacher, Deborah Ayotte of St. Charles, will perform and has 30 students participating on Saturday.

"Fifty percent of my students are in the American Grands," said Ayotte who has taught piano students for 37 years, 17 of those in St Charles.

Ayotte, who has also performed in all of the American Grands shows, says the show is unique for piano students.

"Piano students never get to play together," she said. "This is piano orchestra really and its great for kids to have that ensemble experience.

"Band and orchestra get that ensemble experience but piano students don't have that opportunity."

Not all students need a recommendation to participate; 82-year-old Patricia Sorenson of Harvard has been playing piano for 78 years and responded to an article in the Daily Herald that was advertising for participants.

"There was an ad in the Neighbor section, in the audition section," she said. "So I called them up and they sent me papers so this is the third year for me."

"I love it. It is the most exhilarating thing," said Sorenson. "Last year when we finished I said, 'I don't want to quit, I want to play for the rest of the day.'"

A favorite of piece of Sorenson's is "Stars and Stripes Forever," which they played last year and will reprise this year. "It was the most colorful rendition you have ever heard. It makes you feel like you're flying," Sorenson said.

On Saturday, three concerts will be presented, according to Dieffenbach.

"The repertoire in each concert is the same - it's just that the personnel changes. There are 17-20 numbers. We're looking for Broadway hits to some patriotic music, some classical music and even some original compositions," he said.

Because two pianists play at each piano, a quest for four-handed pieces begins in the summer before the show. "We look at the Internet and various music stores looking for new four-handed music," Dieffenbach said. "There's a lot of new duet music being written constantly."

This year's concert will feature and original number called "The Legend of the Phoenix" by Kevin Olson, a Geneva composer who teaches at Elmhurst College. This piece was written for eight hands, according to Dieffenbach.

"So, we have four parts going on at once. It really is a piano orchestra."

Every orchestra member gets something out of the experience, even if it's just the joy of being applauded.

"They get discipline. And there's nothing like getting 600 people to clap for you. It's a chance to shine," said Garbaccio of her daughters.

"It gives them (piano students) kind of a goal to see that that's within their reach," Ayotte said."

Perhaps 17-year-old Amanda Bollero of gets a little more out of the experience than most. Amanda is a special education student at St. Charles East High School and was diagnosed as autistic at age four.

"She is pretty high functioning and she loves - with a capitol L - the piano," said her mother Jennifer. "She could probably sing before she could talk; she loved music her whole life.

"She's been studying with Deb Ayotte for the last two years. She's the best music teacher I've ever seen."

"She's had to learn a lot of new skills in addition to the music," Jennifer Bollero said. "Music has given her a focus she didn't have before. So, she's able to calm herself, regulate her moods, her maturity, her language, a lot of these have really improved."

Be that as it may, Amanda, who volunteers at Delnor Hospital by playing the piano, simply enjoys the experience. Asked if she feels like a star, she answered, "yes."

And how well will she play? "Very," she said emphatically.

If You Go:

<p class="factboxheadblack">American Grands XIV</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> 1, 4 or 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Elgin Community College Visual and Performing Arts Center's Blizzard Theater, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin</p> <p class="News"><b>Tickets:</b> $22; $15 for children </p> <p class="News"><b>Call:</b> (847) 622-0300</p>