Select few perform in Bach recital at KC

Armed only with a grand piano, Alexandra Brooks, 12, prepares to take on all comers for a spot in the Bach competition held at KC on Saturday. After a day of grueling auditions before judges with a very strict agenda, Brooks was selected to perform in the recital held that same evening.

The 2008 Bach Festival Winners Recital was held Saturday night in the Van Cliburn Auditorium on the campus of Kilgore College.

Sandra Siler, piano teacher at KC, said 100 piano students from East Texas and beyond auditioned for an opportunity to perform.

Alexandra Brooks, 12, from Tyler has been auditioning to peform in the Bach Festival for five years. "I didn't get selected my first year, but I was selected for the last four years," said Alexandra.

Alexandra is a piano student of Cynthia Reno in Tyler and attends lessons once a week. "I also practice five to six hours a week on my own," said Alexandra.

Alexandra is a student at Hubbard Middle School and the daughter of Susan and Michael Brooks. "This is a family affair," said Susan. "We attend all of her concerts as a family, including her brother Christopher, who attends high school in Tyler," said Susan.

Alexandra performed Invention No. 13 in minor by Bach during her audition and performed the same piece during the concert. "This is a very complex piece of music to play," said Susan. "The dynamics requries a type of conversation between both hands, each having its own specific part."

Bach Festival performers are selected in two divisions, Division I and Division II; Alexandra performed in Division I.