Nightscape, do you plan to do Crescendo again? Since I did not win first prize, I am still eligible to compete next year if I want, but I'm not too enthusiastic about the judging procedure they use. Did you know they have point scales in ten different categories like appearance, phrasing, dynamics, note accuracy --- just like an athletic competition! (So my advice to you would be to do what this year's first place winner did and play a piece nobody's heard before so they, at least, won't take off half a point for every note you miss...they don't have the scores in the finals). Plus, more than half the judges in the final round are not pianists and wouldn't know an argerich from a helfgott if their life depended on it, needless to mention that they have no idea which pieces are difficult and which are easy.
The people that run the competition are very friendly, and I like the atmosphere of the event. Plus there's just so-much too-much money to be had! hmmmm.......
Topic: Ligeti Etude from Book I -- "Arc-en-ciel"