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It was just a few months ago that pianist Van Cliburn passed away, but his piano competition continues without him. This year’s edition began in Ft. Worth this past Friday and will continue until June 9.
Earlier this year a 5-member jury travelled the world listening to no fewer than 133 possible competitors and narrowed the field down to 30. In the First Round currently under way in Ft. Worth each of the 30 pianists will present two 45-minute recitals, and then the field will be reduced to 12 semi-finalists for the next round. Each of the pianists will play a 60-minute recital, including a performance of a piece by Christopher Theofanides written especially for this competition, as well as a piece of chamber music with the Brentano String Quartet. In the finals there will be six finalists who will each play two concertos with the Ft. Worth Symphony conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
Past winners of the Cliburn include Radu Lupu, Barry Douglas, Olga Kern and Cristina Ortiz. This year prize money totally $175,000 will be handed out to the winners.
Music-lovers unable to travel to Ft. Worth for the competition will nonetheless be able to follow along from their computers. The Cliburn Competition is presenting a live webcast directed by Christopher Wilkinson every day during the festival. On the website www.cliburn.org there is a schedule giving times for all performances in every round of the competition.
Paul E. Robinson
