Liszt-Garrison Festival and International Piano Competition

Emulating Liszt’s generous spirit, chapter members share their artistic talent by promoting music and the musical experience within the community. Chapter contributions include sponsorship and participation in the 2002 International Piano Festival at Music at Penn Alps for the Alta Schrock Memorial piano fund, and the 2004 William Garrison Memorial Benefit “I Love A Piano” which provided seed funding for the creation of the William Garrison Festival and Piano Competition.

The Festival was founded in 2004 by Nancy Roldán with the cooperation of Ernest Ragogini in memory of William Garrison. Inaugurated in 2005, the extended international format of the Festival, held at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland since 2006, includes duo collaborative artists and two solo piano competitions. Lectures, master classes, and performances featuring the expertise and artistry of world renowned musicians enhance this celebration of music. The extraordinary growth of this event over the past seasons determined a more practical shift in schedule. After 2007, the Festival will be held biannually. In 2009 we introduce a four-day festival and competition.

The Board of Directors gratefully acknowledges the George Shields Foundation, the American Liszt Society (ALS), the Baltimore-Washington chapter membership, Music at CND, Piano Craft, individual and business donations, college and music organizations, and friends and members of the audience for contributing to the 2005, 2006 and 2007 festivals. Heartfelt thanks are extended to the president of College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Dr. Mary Pat Seurkamp, for providing a “home” to the ALS/BW Chapter, thus enabling it to bring our festival presentations to the community. The Liszt-Garrison Festival and International Piano Competition, under the aegis of the Baltimore Washington Chapter of the American Liszt Society, depends upon the financial support and presence of music lovers to continue its mission of reinforcing good will among musicians, bringing music to the community at large, and assisting artists in furthering their career goals.