Abstract
This past summer marked a very successful launch of the Ruth Monte Memorial Bach Competition. Designed for pianists ages 12 to 18 living in North America, the competition's final round gathered six performers and their families from across the US to play at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend IN on June 9 & 10. The results far exceeded the expectations of the organizers, participants, and families. Across two days, they heard not just technically exceptional and thoughtful playing but also saw a cohort of young musicians growing in their interest and knowledge of Bach. All this certainly can be attributed, first, to the generosity of the competition's sponsor, the Ruth and Noel Monte Fund, as well as to the diligence of the competition organizers, Andrew Talle and Paul Walker. The ABS also enjoyed the support of their host, the University of Notre Dame, and especially Erin Taylor, a graduate student in the sacred music program. And finally, this year's competition owed its success to the goodwill of the contestants and their parents.