They could be considered rivals: musicians with similar styles all trying to carve a niche out of the same market.

The musicians have come together to create "Piano Portraits," a CD that features music from all four.Instead, they are friends, fans who listen to each other's music and are supportive, excited about each other's successes.

Jon Schmidt, Paul Cardall, David Tolk and Michael R. Hicks are all pianists. They play new-age music and have all made a name for themselves locally, even nationally. They approach music with similar fervor, hold common beliefs and share a deep-seated love of their craft. Yet they are far from carbon copies of one another; they each bring a distinct style and flavor to their work.

And there's no better place to hear that than on their latest project, a collaborative effort that combines work from all four on one CD, "Piano Portraits." The collection includes two previously recorded songs and one original piece from each artist.

"We all voted which of the other guys' songs should be on the album," said Cardall, adding that it was interesting to see how close they all came to agreeing. There was one major criteria: "We wanted the overall feeling to be relaxing; that's why a lot of people want to listen to piano music."

Between them, the four have 17 albums, so there was a lot of choose from. But, said Cardall, "I think we got the prettiest of all our songs." However, the album does more than "simply allow people to sit back and enjoy our music. It also gives them incredible new insight as to the diverse musical talent that exists in their own back yard."

That was one reason Hicks spearheaded the project in the first place. "I wanted to create a unique album that featured various styles of music, and at the same time provided listeners with the sense of peace that accompanies piano music," Hicks said. "But this is also a great way to introduce those listeners to artists they might not know. Fans of David might not be aware of Paul; my audience might not know Jon."

Besides, said Cardall, there's always room for another pianist. "Some people might think there are too many. But I happen to think there aren't enough pianos out there."

The men all share that passion for their musical instrument.

"I love the piano," said Tolk. "Its range is unlimited. With guitar or trumpet (which he also plays), you have so many restrictions on what you can do."

You get an entire orchestra in one, adds Cardall. "You get a great set of drums, good strings, such rich diversity." And beyond that, you get emotion. "The piano's really the instrument at the heart of who we are. Whether you're watching a movie or news, whether you've suffered a loss or experienced the joy of a baby being born, whenever you want deep meaning, it seems like the piano's there."

"The piano provides the soundtrack for life," said Schmidt. Although he says the reason he turned to it wasn't quite so altruistic. "I was an ugly guy in high school. But I found that girls liked the piano. So I went with it. It was my saving grace." There was more to it than that, of course. Schmidt's father was an operatic tenor, who moved to Salt Lake City from Germany, so young Jon was raised on the music of the Masters. By age 11, he was already playing Mozart sonatas and composing his own music. But in addition to that classical training, he enjoyed diverse influences - everyone from Billy Joel to Jerry Lee Lewis to Mannheim Steamroller.

Schmidt has the distinction, he said, of putting together the first local self-produced CD. "Back when I got started, we were doing basement tapes. We thought CDs were a novelty, so doing one was a risk." Since then, Schmidt has released five CDs; his latest is "To the Summit."

Tolk, too, has a diverse background. Born in New Jersey, he studied classical piano with his mother, a graduate of The Juilliard School. At age 14, his family moved to Nashville, and he added jazz and improvisation to his musical training.

In high school he was in a rock band. But while he was on an LDS mission, Tolk discovered the music of George Winston. "I didn't know anything about the New Age genre, but I loved that mellow sound."

He went to school at Brigham Young University and went to law school at the University of Utah. That was where he hooked up with local musician Peter Breinholt; Tolk has played with Breinholt's band for eight years.

"Peter's the one who really encouraged me to go into the studio and record my own music." Tolk has released three CDs, is currently working on hymn arrangements and has a contract with a company based in Rhode Island to do arrangements of popular songs.

He still practices law, where he is involved in litigation. "There's a lot of conflict and tension in that. Music helps me relax; it gives me balance."

Hicks also found a new musical direction on his LDS mission. He grew up in Salt Lake City and took piano lessons as a kid, "but I was more into drums and percussion in high school." On his mission, however, "there were no drums but lots of pianos. I began to play for people, and then started to write some things."

What really put him on the map, he said, were Especially For Youth programs. His medley, "As Sisters In Zion/We'll Bring the World His Truth" was recorded and also released as sheet music. He has done a compilation of hymn arrangements and most recently a CD of original piano compositions, called "Creations."

It's the "peace and comfort" of music that draws him, he said. "It lends itself to meditative settings. It's thought-provoking."

That aspect of music also drew Cardall to the piano. As a boy, he took piano lessons for six months, but then his teacher gave up on him, calling him hopeless.

In high school, one of Cardall's closest friends was killed in an automobile accident. Looking for solace, he sat down at the piano and began to play. "I discovered I could transcribe the feelings of my heart through music."

He began producing his own CDs, and his music came to the attention of Richard Paul Evans, author of "The Christmas Box," who was looking for someone to do an album inspired by the book. Cardall got the job.

Since then, he has released two albums on the Narada label, "The Christmas Box" and "The Looking Glass"; both did well on the Billboard charts.

Cardall was especially touched when families of Oklahoma bombing victims asked that his music be played at the dedication of a monument there.

He has also released a number of albums under his own label, Stone Angel Music. He still can't read music, he said. But he - and the others - all understand what music can do - how it can touch lives, how it evokes feelings.

And how it can bring all kinds of people together.