A composer and porcelain dealer from California won the Van Cliburn Foundation's Fourth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs.
Paul Anthony Romero of Sherman Oaks, Calif., was among 72 contestants in the competition in Fort Worth, Texas, for those over age 35 who don't earn their living teaching or playing the piano.
"This is important because I never have the opportunity to play in front of an audience," said Romero, whose performance pieces included Schubert-Liszt's "Soiree de Vienne No. 6."
He was awarded $2,000, custom spurs and a recital in Washington.
The event is an offshoot of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, named for the acclaimed pianist from Fort Worth who gained prominence after winning the first Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow in 1958.
Cliburn said Saturday that after hearing the amateurs play, he was inspired to practice more.
"You revitalize my spirit and it's with a debt of gratitude I owe you," he told them.