Oscar Paz-Suaznabar

Country – United States
Age – 14

 Oscar Paz-Suaznabar attends Saint Albans School for Boys in Washington, D.C. His musical interest became apparent at age three when he started playing songs by ear on a keyboard. Since age six he has taken lessons under the direction of Dr. Marjorie Lee.

In 2012 he received the Jack Kent Cooke $10,000 Young Artist Scholarship. This honor inspired his desire to perform, which led to performances and interviews with From the Top, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered and BBC World Service News Day. In April 2017, he was invited to return to From the Top to perform in their music production “This Land is Your Land” in New York City.

He has earned recognition and numerous awards including first prize in the 2015 Kaufman Music Center International Youth Piano Competition (New York City) and the Grand Prix in the 2016 VII Chopin International Piano Competition (Hartford, Connecticut). Oscar has also competed in regional competitions in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia. He has won first and second places, alternate, and honors in numerous events sponsored by the Washington D.C. Music Teachers Association, Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association, Maryland State Music Teachers Association and Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). In 2016 and 2018, he won first place in the Asian American Music Society Piano Junior Competition in Washington, D.C. and the Steinway Washington D.C. Piano Competition. Most recently in 2019, he received third prize in the MTNA National Junior Performance Competition, first place in the Hayes School of Music Piano Competition (Appalachian State University, Boone NC) and first place in the Marian Garcia International Piano Competition (Penn State University).

In addition to piano, Oscar enjoys hanging out with friends, reading, cycling, and playing video games.

REPERTOIRE

Round I     Monday 4:10 pm

Bach – Prelude and Fugue No. 6 in D-sharp minor, BWV 877, WTC II
Barber – Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 26

Round II     Wednesday 3:45 pm

Beethoven – Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 10
McIntyre –  Butterflies and Bobcats
Chopin – Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23

Round III

Rachmaninoff – Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 1