Van Cliburn International Competition

Every Van Cliburn International Piano competition features a new work designed to challenge and display the skills of each pianist. Past composers have included classical music icons Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. This year, newly knighted Sir Stephen Hough, winner of the MacArthur “genius” grant, wrote the work.

At the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, an 18-year-old South Korean won the gold medal, the youngest person to win in the contest’s 60-year history. There was another first in this competition. As a war rages between Ukraine and Russia, pianists from both nations also competed, and both earned medals. It was reminiscent of Van Cliburn winning the Tchaikovsky competition in1958, during the height of the cold war.

Once every four years, in this case five because of the pandemic, people from all over, who hire classical music pianists, head to Fort Worth during the Cliburn International Piano competition. They’re listening to up-and-coming artists who might fit into their organization’s future concert schedules.

It looks like it'll be an international cliffhanger. The Fort Worth competition has drawn worldwide attention this year because of the Russian-Ukranian war — and the decision of the Cliburn to permit young Russians to compete.

"Listening to piano tuning can drive a lot of people nuts. The Cliburn office clears out when I'm there to tune their piano. Everyone takes a long lunch that day."

The Van Cliburn International Piano competition began at Texas Christian University in 1962. It left for Fort Worth’s Bass Hall downtown in 2001. But now the contest is back at TCU. It was lured in part by a brand-new hall promising superior acoustics.

The competition continues through the weekend. By Monday night, the 18 will be narrowed to 12.

The TCU Music Center just opened, and the university's $53 million facility will be the Cliburn's new home. The early rounds are in the center's wood-paneled and appropriately named Van Cliburn Concert Hall.

Thirty young pianists compete for cash and professional management that can establish careers.