Twenty-five years ago, Christine Foster was a promising young pianist studying under Snohomish County piano teachers Judy Baker and Steven Hesla.

Though Foster was winning local, state and regional piano competitions at the time, she chose a career in law instead of a career in music.

Today, Foster is a successful attorney who has decided to continue her first love.

After contacting Baker a year ago, Foster has been practicing and has been invited to perform Sept. 19 at Benaroya Hall as part of the Seattle International Piano Competition.

To prepare to play in front of a large audience, Foster teamed up with the Everett Symphony and the Snohomish County Music Teachers Association who helped her put together a pre-Benaroya Hall concert.

That concert will be at the Everett Symphony’s newly opened Community Performing Arts Theater at the Everett Mall, a place designed so that performers would have a venue to express their art, symphony Executive Director Roger Pawley said.

The Snohomish County Music Teachers Association will provide additional pianists for the event, adult and child prodigies. Works by Chopin, Liszt, Ginastera, Beethoven and Debussy are on the program.

“Keys to an Artistic Dream: A Preparation Concert for Benaroya Hall” will be at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Community Performing Arts Theater at 1402 Everett Mall Way, Everett.

Tickets are $8 for adults and free to youth 18 and under. For reservations call 425-258-1605, ext. 801, or send an email to cpath@everettsymphony.org.

Herald staff