Plowman Chamber Music Competition & Festival begins thisThursday, March 19! Generously sponsored by the MU Chancellor's Distinguished Visitor's Program and MMAMTA, Russian trained Armenian pianist Sergei Babayan performs a solo recital here in Mid-Missouri. An electric experience of this incredible performer will leave you wishing for more! (...Except to keep the applause going for encores...!) 

On Friday, March 20, Plowman judges give Master Classes: 12pm Sergei Babayan Piano Master Class (Whitmore Hall), 2:30pm Paul Biss Violin Master Class (Whitmore Hall) and 3pm Frank Morelli Bassoon Master Class (First Baptist Church). These classes are open to the public, free admission. Hear what the greatest masters have to say about music!

The 7th Plowman Competition begins on Saturday, March 21 with an all-day Semi-Finals auditions. Enjoy a variety of chamber music performed by 15 Semi-Finalists, at 9:30am-12:30pm, and 2:30-5pm, for only $10. The complete competition schedule is available at www.PlowmanCompetition.org. 

Plowman's Finals & Award Ceremony on Sunday, March 22 will be one of the most exciting event yet: Audience Prize is now a monetary award for the first time in our competition history! It will be hard to pick your favorite, because every ensemble at the Finals Concert is always AMAZING. The Finals begin at 1:30pm, followed by a reception during judges' deliberation and Award Ceremony, all at the Missouri Theatre, where you can purchase the tickets for $25 General Admission / $10 with Student I.D.

Finally, we end this fantastic weekend in a fabulous company of the Plowman judges, contestants, and YOU! Odyssey's fundraiser, "Celebration of Chamber Music" will be held Sunday 6-8pm on March 22 at Orr Street Studio Gallery, where silent auction for Naomi Sugino Lear's original painting "Movements" will be held. Heavy hors-d'oeuvre will be served with wine and vibrant conversations, an appropriate evening to close the Festival. Tickets are $40 for two, $25 for one, sold at the door.

Want to beat the line? For Thursday and Saturday events at First Baptist Church: Any online purchase completed before Wednesday 11:59pm CST will be honored at Will Call, Broadway entrance. Tickets are also sold at the door 30-min before the events at the First Baptist Church of Columbia at 1112 E Broadway. Tickets for Sunday's Finals is ONLY sold at the Missouri Theatre.

*Please note* More than 250 tickets to Babayan Piano recital have sold, and a substantial more audience is expected. Please allow yourself enough time to find parking.

Looking forward to seeing all of you!!

Ayako Tsuruta
Artistic Director