It would take a lot of fingers to keep 18 grand pianos going for four straight hours, but members of the Kansas City Music Teachers Association aren’t worried. They’ve got plenty.

The association’s teachers will present a multitude of student talent in today’s Multi-Piano Concert at the Lied Center, as about 490 performers make their way on and off stage to play in various “piano orchestras.”

The 13th annual event will occur in two installments, one at 3 p.m. and one at 5 p.m. Each concert will feature 18 selections that match this year’s theme, “Keys to the Classics.”

The selections, which will all be played by pairs of students, are classical and range in difficulty from late elementary to advanced, says Michelle Gehring, vice president of multi-piano for the KCMTA.

“It’s well-known tunes – things that people should know,” she says.

Gehring says the event is one of the organization’s fundraisers along with various concerts and competitions that take place throughout the Kansas City area, but she says it is probably the most public event with so many students participating.

The youngest players are 6 years old, but there is no maximum age limit. Gehring says nobody is too old to play in the concert, with numerous duets between children and parents or even grandparents.

“A lot of the parents look forward to it because it’s the parents involved with the students,” she said.

Rebecca Pennington, a Kansas University doctoral student in piano, says the students also look forward to the event. She has two students participating in this year’s concert.

“They had so much fun doing it that they wanted to do it a second time,” Pennington says. “In this particular concert, the music is really fun for the students to play.”

Camaraderie counts

In addition to learning new music, the students get an opportunity to get acquainted with other aspiring musicians.

“There’s a certain camaraderie with people who share a love of the same kind of music as you do,” Gehring says.

The purpose is to give students that experience to share their love of music while improving their abilities, Pennington says. Another component that is added to this performance is the presence of direction.

“As a pianist, we often are only playing with ourselves, so the opportunity to play with that many people at once doesn’t come along often. When it does, it’s a good chance to play in an ensemble with a conductor,” she says.

Young pianist Brian Chang, 9, plays a short warmup while musician Alita Joseph, 10, watches. The two rehearsed Thursday afternoon at the Lied Center, where 18 grand pianos were being delivered for today's Multi-Piano Concert. Performances will be at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. today.

Jeffrey Bishop, who conducts the Youth Symphony of Kansas City’s Symphonic West and the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School orchestra, will be the guest director for the event. But he won’t have had much time to work with the performers.

Instead, teachers like Pennington try to prep students for the performance.

“At the lesson, I practice conducting the students and at different tempos, so they’re used to watching a conductor,” she says. “Other than that, they put everything together at the rehearsals.”

The students are ready

Mariam Ali, 12, of Lawrence, a student of Jean Drumm, said the only way to assure success is through rehearsals.

“You practice really, really hard and just hope you get it done,” she says.

Ali, who will play two pieces with Brian Chang, 9, of Lawrence, says she’s nervous about playing at the Lied Center, a much larger venue than any other in which they have performed.

“When you look out there, you’re going to see everyone,” she says.

However, another student of Drumm, Alita Joseph, 10, of Lawrence, had some advice for the students to keep their nerves.

“Just keep your eyes away from the crowd,” she says.

Joseph, who will be playing two pieces with Larresa Kelpin, 10, of Perry, says she’s going to wish for the best in her first appearance and refrain from worrying.

“I just hope it goes really well and we don’t mess up because this is the first time for us,” she says. “It’s a really big event for all of us.”

The show

What: Multi-Piano Concert

When: 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. today

Where: Lied Center, 1600 Stewart Drive

Tickets: $5 at the door

– Features intern Patrick Lattin can be reached at 832-6317.