Seven of the semifinalists are women, a record for the competition, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Five of the semifinalists have chosen to perform Sebastian Currier's Scarlatti Cadences and Brainstorm as part of their recital programs, making Currier the winner of the second American Composers Invitational, a competition-within-a-competition for contemporary composers. Others chose works by Daniel Kellogg, Jennifer Higdon, and Ruth Schonthal. Currier wins $5,000; Kellogg, Higdon, and Schonthal each recieve $2,500.
The semifinal round runs May 26-29; each competitor will give a 60-minute recital and perform a chamber work with the Takšcs Quartet. The six finalists will be announced on May 29.
The jury is chaired by John Giordano, former music director of the Fort Worth Symphony, and includes pianists Claude Frank, Joseph Kalichstein, and Menahem Pressler as well as educators and critics.