competition
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Returns for its 17the Edition
[Yunchan Lim won the Van Cliburn Piano Competition 2021 Music Press Asia]
The 17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition kicks off in Fort Worth May 21 to June 7.
The Cliburn, established in Fort Worth in 1962, is held every four years and considered one of the most prestigious classical music competitions in the world. The competition was founded to celebrate Fort Worth musical legend Van Cliburn’s victory at the 1958 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
The Cliburn’s reputation has solidified over its 63-year history with the recent 2022 competition’s massive online viewership, reaching over 60 million views across 177 countries making it a juggernaut in the world of musical competitions. This year’s event is expected to boost Fort Worth’s economy by up to $20 million.
Previous winners
When South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim, 18, clinched the gold medal at the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano in 2022, the world buzzed with excitement.
Not only was Lim lauded for his viral final concerto of Rachmaninov’s “Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30” at Bass Performance Hall in downtown Fort Worth, he was celebrated for becoming the youngest pianist to win the top prize.
The competition’s emphasis on attracting top pianists from around the world through its career management, including concert bookings, artistic support and publicity, has made it a top choice for international musicians. This year’s competition features pianists from 17 countries.
Live for every Competition since 2001, the Cliburn broadcast is back with returning favorites. Its recent launch of a brand-new partnership with Apple Music Classical and Apple-owned record label Platoon means all of 2025 competition live performances will be available on Apple Music Classical in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos.
Albums for the three 2025 Cliburn medalists will be made available on Platoon later in the year.
Established in 1962, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition—“one of the most prestigious contests in classical music” (The New York Times, 2022)—remains committed to its original ideals:
- Launching the careers of emerging artists and supporting them with comprehensive, personalized career management and concert bookings;
- Sharing the transformative powers of music with a wide global audience. The last edition in 2022 amassed more than 60 million views in 177 countries, making it one of the most-watched classical music events in history.
For more information about the competition and festivals at The Cliburn, visit their official website, here. Subscribe to Van Cliburn’s YouTube channel, here.
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