Noche de Bolero is an intimate two-part concert—part classical, part contemporary—created as a special benefit in support of the Palm Springs International Piano Competition. From the piano, Venezuelan-born artist Marco Antonio Godoy shares his journey of arriving in the United States with just two bags—one with clothes, the other with a keyboard—and the challenges, discipline, and hope that shaped his path.
Your ticket includes a full evening experience: a Mexican buffet dinner and drinks from Casuelas Café, one of Palm Desert’s most authentic restaurants, followed by a story-driven performance that celebrates the lifelong impact of music education—reminding us that even when young pianists don’t become professional concert artists, the foundation they build through music translates into confidence, resilience, and success in every area of life.
Featuring the medalists from the 2025 Junior International Competition and Patrick Evans, Master of Ceremonies!
Join us for a special concert, performed by legendary pianist, composer, improviser, recording artist, and Artistic Director of PSIPC, John Bayless. John’s taste, range, and showmanship will shine through classics from Bach, The Beatles, Morricone, Puccini, and more!
Bio:
Artistic Director of PSIPC, John Bayless is an accomplished pianist, composer, improviser, and recording artist. He began playing piano in West Texas at age four, became the youngest church organist in the state by age 13, and, while still a teen, studied at both the Aspen School of Music and Juilliard with the legendary Adele Marcus. John was a composer in the inaugural class of NYU’s Musical Theater Master’s Degree Program, studying with Julie Styne, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and Leonard Bernstein. His relationship with Bernstein proved fruitful, leading to his role as artist in residence for the London Symphony Orchestra’s Leonard Bernstein Festival and a performance for Queen Elizabeth II. He also served as Associate Conductor for the 1981 production of Leonard Bernstein’s MASS at the Kennedy Center.
As a solo and orchestral performer, John has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, Tanglewood, The Hollywood Bowl, and London’s Barbican Center. He’s appeared with such organizations as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Pops, San Francisco Symphony, and New York Pops. He’s also been featured on television and radio programs such as NBC’s Today Show and Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion.
As composer, John has received commissions from The Newport Music Festival, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and from PBS, where his music can be heard on many series and specials.
A prolific recording artist, John’s numerous CD’s have been at the top of the Classical and Classical Crossover Charts since the mid-80s. His bestselling collections include Bach on Abbey Road (one of the top ten bestselling albums of the 1980s), Bach Meets The Beatles, The Puccini Album (Billboard Magazine’s #1 top selling album for 19 weeks), and West Side Story Variations.
John Bayless is a YAMAHA artist.
The 2025 Junior International Competition finalist performs timeless classics in our Season of Stars kick-off on Tuesday, November 4. Join us for a pre-concert reception, followed by stirring renditions of Handel, Liszt, and Prokofiev by rising star Ryusei Kobayshi.
Bio:
Ryusei Kobayashi gave his first solo concert when he was 10 years old, and has been astonishing audiences ever since. He’s won several recent competitions, including 1st Prize at Pacific Stars Piano Competition, Krystian Tkaczewski Piano Competition, and Paderewski Piano Competition. Now a 15-year-old high school student, he’s a 9th grader at Stanford Online High School and studies with Rodolfo Leone at the Colburn School of Music. When he’s not studying, practicing, or performing, he enjoys playing with his stuffed animals and soccer with his friends.
