2007 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Finalist Dr. Drew Mays

April 5, 2008, 8 p.m.
Laguna Beach Artists' Theatre

Single tickets are available by phone, online, The Laguna Playhouse box office, or at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre ticket window after 6:30pm on April 5th.

Laguna Beach Live! presents the first place winner of the 2007 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, Dr. Drew Mays, in concert on Saturday April 5, 2008, 8:00 pm., at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre, 625 Park Avenue. In addition to winning the First Prize Award, Dr. Mays also won the Audience Award and the Best Performance of a work from the Romantic Era.

Mays’ program in Laguna will include Mephisto Waltz by Liszt, part of his winning performance in the Van Cliburn Final Round as well as works by Rachmaninoff, Beethoven and Chopin.

The Cliburn-sponsored competition defines an amateur pianist as someone who doesn’t make a living as either a performing pianist or piano teacher. Many of the 75 contestants who started out in the 2007 competition, including Dr. Mays, had advanced training in piano but had pursued other fields of work, ranging from railroad manager to psychotherapist. The contestants came from Italy, Japan, Germany, France, Canada, Brazil, Venezuela and Australia as well as the United States. Most of the prizes were awarded by a jury dominated by pianists (including four past gold medalists of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition).

Drew Mays was granted a full scholarship to the University of Alabama, School of Music where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in 1982 with summa cum laude honors. He continued his studies at the Conservatory for Music in Hanover, Germany then moved to New York City and began a Master of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music. His formal debut was in Grand Rapids, Michigan as the first prize winner of the Young Keyboard Artists’ Competition.

TICKETS

Single tickets are available by phone, online, The Laguna Playhouse box office, or at the Laguna Beach Artists' Theatre ticket window.

		April 5, 2008, 8 p.m.
Full Price		$25 VIP $20 Regular
Full-time Student		$10 Student (under 21 years old) – any section
*students are seated in the regular seats unless a VIP ticket is purchased at the same time and they wish to sit together
All tickets will be at will call!  No exceptions! Tickets will be held at the Will Call window at the Artists' Theatre. Tickets can be picked up at the Artists' Theatre after 6:30pm on April 5th. There will be a $4 per ticket fee charged to all online and phone orders. If you wish to purchase tickets using a credit card you must due so prior to 8pm on April 4th. Credit card purchases can be made at the Artists' Theatre (American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover).

THE ARTISTS' THEATRE

Laguna Beach Artists' Theatre is an intimate 450-seat theater with outstanding acoustics. Built in 1932 on the campus of the high school, it has recently undergone extensive renovation, which now provides comfortable seating, excellent sightlines, and state-of-the-art technology.

Located just a few blocks from the downtown village of Laguna Beach, it is close to the excellent restaurants in Laguna and has ample complementary parking on the street or in the lot across from the theater.

Driving Directions: From the 405, take Laguna Canyon Road (Highway 133) to the light at Forest (two blocks from Main Beach). Turn left and stay on Third street, up the steep hill to Park Avenue at the top. Turn left and the Theatre is on your right in two blocks. Traveling on Pacific Coast Highway, turn inland on Legion Street (one block south of the Hotel Laguna), that dead ends into Park Avenue in two blocks. Turn right and the Theatre is on the right, in two blocks.

To view a map to The Artists' Theatre, please click here.