CLIBURN NEWS
THE CLIBURN AGENCY LAUNCHED
Starting this October, the boutique artist management firm represents a select group of musicians whose high artistic caliber is matched by a vision for moving the field of classical music forward.
This
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Howdy!
“ ’’
...you make a difference every day by giving us the chance to be the best at what we do.
Yes, the Cliburn took up a bit of a residency in the Fort Worth Stockyards this fall! We launched a new partnership with Chef Tim Love to present our popular Cliburn Sessions series at his Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall in Mule Alley. On October 16, we welcomed the groundbreaking Time for Three—and on November 12, the unique collaboration of Caroline Shaw and Gabriel Kahane. Then just after Thanksgiving, we made a stop at the Stockyards Station Stampede Room with the magical holiday concerts of The Polar Express. The Cliburn likes to expand our relationships with partners all over Fort Worth, and now’s the time to put on our cowboy boots! (Next up at Tannahill’s is Sir Stephen Hough on January 29… be sure to get your tickets! It may be the first time a knight has played the Stockyards!)
We received 340 applications from 45 countries and regions for the seventeenth edition of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, just five months away! We’ll return to Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU for the first two rounds and Bass Performance Hall for the Semifinal and Final Rounds. The magnificent Marin Alsop will be back to conduct the Finals, and Carlos Miguel Prieto will be the conductor for the Semifinal Mozart Concertos—each joined by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. The broadcast of the most recent edition in 2022 reached more than 60 million views. You’ll want to see it all in person—tickets and subscriptions are on sale right now.
We’ve had so much fun already this year with the brand-new Cliburn Family Concerts series! Accessible, fun, and fast-paced, they are perfect for everyone in the family, from babies to grandparents! In addition to The Polar Express, we presented The Carnival of the Animals this fall through another super partnership with the Fort Worth Zoo. The final installment of the series will be at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History’s state-of-the-art OMNI Theater that reopened this month. In February, Voyager will tell the story of the famous probes, each launched in 1977 and still going… Be a space ranger and come with us!
Finally, after many years in the making, we launched the Cliburn Agency. This new for-profit organization manages and promotes artists that expand the boundaries of classical music in many ways. They are excellent, engaging, imaginative, and creative. We are grateful to have the chance to work with them and explore new avenues for sharing classical music. More on them and on the Agency in this newsletter!
Thank you for all your support during this crucial year at the Cliburn. From golf and pickleball players, sponsors, donors, and underwriters to ticket buyers, volunteers, and gift shop buyers, you make a difference every day by giving us the chance to be the best at what we do.
Jacques Marquis President and CEO
AGENCY ROSTER
From intriguing programming and projects to alternative concerts and community engagement, these touring musicians are dedicated to connection and creativity.
CLIBURN IN THE CLASSROOM
Our signature education program went back to school this fall, fresh off its win of a D CEO Magazine Innovation Award.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
For WWG Compass, the term Cliburn Family takes on a different meaning than it does for others.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CLIBURN AGENCY LAUNCHES
The Cliburn Agency is a full-service firm that offers comprehensive general management, concert booking, project management, and publicity and branding services to a select group of rising and established instrumentalists.
2022 WINNER UPDATES
Recent highlights for Gold Medalist Yunchan Lim include lauded debuts at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, BBC Proms, and the Verbier Festival; returns to the Hollywood Bowl and the New York Philharmonic.
Supporters hit the links and the courts!
CLIBURN CALENDAR
This spring will be teeming with music! Here’s your guide on what to expect.
COMPETITION APPLICATION STATS
The submission deadline was October 16, and 340 pianists representing 45 countries and regions have applied to compete in the Seventeenth Cliburn Competition.
CLIBURN SESSIONS & FAMILY CONCERTS
This fall, the Cliburn said “Howdy, Y’all” to the Fort Worth Stockyards and also made fast friends with some animals at the Zoo!
CLIBURN CLASSIC 23
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Can you feel it? It’s a low rumble right now, but it’s building faster than you think.
Launched October 1, 2024, the Cliburn Agency is a full-service firm that offers comprehensive general management, concert booking, project management, and publicity and branding services to a select group of rising and established instrumentalists—piano and beyond—whose high artistic caliber is matched by a vision for moving the field of classical music forward.
The core of the Cliburn mission is twofold: an enduring commitment to artistic excellence and to supporting extraordinary artists. The most visible expression of that is the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition— now one of the most-watched classical music events in the world. But it has also materialized in other arenas where the organization has developed industry-wide prowess, including the comprehensive and personalized career management packages awarded to the Competition medalists; robust international publicity efforts; and multiple leading-edge concert series.
Anderson & Roe Piano Duo
The Cliburn now puts this foundation of expertise to work for its Agency roster:
• Decades of experience providing artist management services
• Long-standing relationships with industry leaders, artists, presenters, and journalists
• Internationally known brand and reputation in the industry
• Large online reach with followers around the globe
The Cliburn Agency is a compelling expansion of the Cliburn’s brand and impact. Our core mission is to support artists and continuously advance classical music. The management and promotion of exceptional musicians—particularly those with a specific fervor and dedication for expanding audiences and breaking down barriers—is the next step in realizing that mission. Through this new program, the Cliburn develops another powerful way to meet the moment and find new ways to expand classical music’s reach as a source of commonality and shared experience in today’s world.
The initial Cliburn Agency roster comprises Anderson & Roe Piano Duo; pianists Greg Anderson, Peter Dugan, Fei-Fei, and Clayton Stephenson; and harpist Bridget Kibbey. From intriguing programming and projects to alternative concerts and community engagement, these touring musicians are dedicated to connection and creativity—and they are partnering with the Cliburn to enhance and magnify their careers, efforts, and impact.
Bridget Kibbey
Greg Anderson
Peter Dugan
Fei-Fei
Clayton Stephenson
ROSTER
ANDERSON & ROE PIANO DUO
The Anderson & Roe Piano Duo has been called “the most dynamic duo of this generation” (San Francisco Classical Voice), “rock stars of the classical music world” (Miami Herald), and “the very model of complete 21st-century musicians” (The Washington Post). These superlatives are grounded in what can only be described as ineffable connectivity: the technically masterful Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe exude an organic and seamless completeness when they perform together, working in sync to unearth the essence of each piece they play from their genre-transcending repertoire, and testing the boundaries of their instruments. That special alchemy immediately captivates their audiences: “Even the most jaded of concert goers sat forward in their seats and dropped their jaws in amazement as these two just re-wrote the book of the tedious concert recital” (Sarasota Herald-Tribune). andersonroe.com
GREG ANDERSON, piano
Pianist, composer, curator, and filmmaker Greg Anderson resolutely defined his life’s mission early in his career: to make classical music a powerful and relevant force in society. In the two decades since, he has dedicated every ounce of his restless intellect, finetuned ability, and innate connectivity to craft listening experiences that realize that vision. The worldwide response has been extraordinary. Today Greg is a renowned concert pianist with live tours reaching four continents and 24 countries, 30+ million music video views, daily radio plays, and over a thousand performances of his compositions every year. gregandersonpiano.com
PETER DUGAN, PIANO
Peter Dugan prizes versatility as the hallmark of today’s musician and advocates for a classical music culture that is inclusive and welcoming to all. That approach has manifested in a multifaceted and dynamic career as a pianist, composer, collaborator, and radio host. A musician equally at home in classical, jazz, and pop idioms, Peter Dugan has appeared as soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician across North America and around the world— his performance of the Ives Fourth Symphony with the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas was described by the Los Angeles Times as “stunning” and by the San Francisco Chronicle as “fearlessly athletic.” peterduganpiano.com
credit:
Lisa-Marie Mazzucco
FEI-FEI, piano
Infusing “intoxicating grace” with “exceptional musicality” and “inconceivable virtuosity,” pianist Fei-Fei conjures a special and undeniable connectivity with her audiences that brings joy, passion, and deep musical understanding (Badische Neueste Nachrichten). Her engaging and endearing personality shines through in every note, word, and expression—whether performing as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician on world stages, or as an advocate for community engagement. “Sporting a naturally gracious charm and stage presence,” Fei-Fei has “shared her musical passions unstintingly” around the globe (Peninsula Review). feifeipianist.com
BRIDGET KIBBEY, harp
With the harp as her emblem, and virtuosity and expression to burn, Bridget Kibbey is in demand for innovative performances that expand the range of her instrument and take audiences on transcendent journeys through time, world cultures, musical genres, and emotional depth. She adeptly and divinely interprets the masters—Bach, Debussy, Ravel—bringing “a fresh face to the familiar music” (Seattle City Arts Magazine), while also being a bold advocate of genre-crossing storytelling and the addition of consequential new music to the canon. On a mission to introduce the concert harp to new audiences worldwide, Bridget leans into her chameleon tendencies—and love for producing her own touring projects—which has led to a busy and kaleidoscopic touring schedule, from appearance with major orchestras to hosts of curation-meets-performance appearances. bridgetkibbey.com
CLAYTON STEPHENSON, PIANO
American pianist Clayton Stephenson’s love for music is immediately apparent in his joyous charisma onstage, expressive power, and natural ease at the instrument. Hailed for “extraordinary narrative and poetic gifts” and interpretations that are “fresh, incisive and characterfully alive” (Gramophone), he is committed to making an impact on the world through his music-making. In addition to being the first Black finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, he received an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2024, won the inaugural Nina Simone Piano Competition in 2023, and is a 2025 Sphinx Medal of Excellence honoree. claytonstephenson.com
credit:
Shervin
Lainez
credit:
The Gilmore
May 21–June 7, 2025 I Fort Worth, Texas USA
The submission deadline was October 16, and 340 pianists representing 45 countries and regions have applied to compete in the Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
From this pool, up to 84 pianists will be invited to participate in live Screening Auditions, taking place March 16–22, 2025, at PepsiCo Recital Hall at TCU in Fort Worth.
AUDITIONS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC—MAKE PLANS NOW TO ATTEND!
Pianists and schedule to be announced January 28.
APPLICATION STATS
“
The applications are in, and now the carefully orchestrated process begins to select the 30 pianists who will join the ranks of Cliburn competitors next May.
We send our thanks and best wishes to each of the 340 applicants. The future of classical music is bright—and each of these artists is proof of that.
’’
—JACQUES MARQUIS, Cliburn president and CEO
YUNCHAN LIM
2022 CLIBURN GOLD MEDALIST
APPLE MUSIC
GLOBAL AMBASSADOR
“ ’’
In the spirit of the season, let’s give thanks for this 20-year-old pianist from South Korea. On Wednesday at Geffen Hall, Lim played in the spotlight as if he’d been doing it for decades, with such imperturbable calm and eloquence that it was hard to believe that two and a half years ago he was essentially unknown.
—The New York Times November 28, 2024
SPRING 2025 TOUR
JANUARY
16 Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Lucerne, Switzerland
23 ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Vienna, Austria
31 WDR Sinfonieorchester, Cologne, Germany
FEBRUARY
1 WDR Sinfonieorchester, Cologne, Germany
20 Philharmonic Society of Orange County, with the London Symphony Orchestra, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
21 La Jolla Music Society, with the London Symphony Orchestra, San Diego, CA, USA
25 Chamber Music San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
28 La Jolla Music Society, La Jolla, CA, USA
MARCH
2 Vancouver Recital Society, Vancouver, Canada
6 Carnegie Hall, with the London Symphony Orchestra, New York, NY, USA
APRIL 2025
3 Cité de la musique, Philharmonie de Paris, Paris, France
5 Wiener Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria
23 University Musical Society, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
25 Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, USA
27 Washington Performing Arts, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., USA
MAY 2025
18 Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Berlin, Germany
20 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London, United Kingdom
JUNE 2025
4–5 Orchestre de Paris, Paris, France
Our 2022 gold medalist Yunchan Lim continues to enchant and astonish the classical music world, while attracting sold-out crowds that are often—as was noted at his recent debut with The Cleveland Orchestra—“teeming with enthusiastic young people” (The Plain Dealer). His concert tours consist of only highlights, but some call-outs from the last several months include lauded debuts at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, BBC Proms, and the Verbier Festival; returns to the Hollywood Bowl and the New York Philharmonic; and performances with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmoniker in Korea.
THE MOST THRILLING PIANISTIC DEBUT OF THE LAST DECADE
In April, Decca released his debut studio album, Chopin: Études, Opp. 10 & 25, to a glowing reception. The New York Times called it a “triumph,” noting that the cover art “evoke[d] classical music’s glamorous mid-20th century.” He went on to say: “The aim seems to be to position him as an heir to that era’s keyboard titans. It’s hardly a difficult task.”
Europe’s top music accolades followed. This fall, the recording won France’s prestigious Diapason d’Or de l’Année. The London-based Gramophone Awards also honored the breakout artist in a major way: he was named Young Artist of the Year and also won the Piano Award for his Chopin album—though his live Cliburn recording of the Liszt Transcendental Etudes was a very close second:
“It is unprecedented for a pianist to have two albums shortlisted in the same year of the Gramophone Awards, but Yunchan Lim’s Liszt and Chopin, issued at either end of the qualifying period, not only made the shortlist but were separated by a single vote at the top of a dauntingly competitive category.”
—Gramophone
AND IT HAS ALREADY BEEN RECOGNIZED AS THE TOP ALBUM OF 2024 ON APPLE CLASSICAL & BILLBOARD.
NPR’S TINY DESK
And Yunchan also made his debut at NPR’s fabled Tiny Desk this November.
“Simply put, Lim became an overnight sensation. And it’s easy to see why in these deeply considered performances... [he made] our trusty upright sound like a 9-foot grand piano.” NPR’s Tom Huizenga
Debut at Verbier Festival in Switzerland
BBC Proms debut with Paavo Järvi & BBC Symphony Orchestra
Hollywood Bowl with Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic
—The Guardian
ANNA GENIUSHENE
2022 CLIBURN SILVER MEDALIST
Anna Geniushene has literally traversed the globe in recent months: a 6-concert tour of South Korea and an appearance with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra; a debut recital in Dubai; a crisscrossing of Europe, including a tour of duo concerts with husband Lukas Geniušas; the start of her Bowers Program residency with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York; and debuts in Peru and Colombia.
She also completed two wonderfully innovative recording projects—one solo, one duo with Lukas— that are set for release in 2025. And, in October, Anna joined the roster of London-based Keynote Artist Management.
Metropolitano
with 2022
UPCOMING TOUR
DECEMBER 2024
15 Bergson Kunstkraftwerk, Steinway Prizewinner Concert, Munich, Germany
29 Vilnius Town Hall, Vilnius, Lithuania
31 Organum Concert Hall, Duo recital, Vilnius, Lithuania
JANUARY 2025
15, 19 The Society of the Four Arts, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Palm Beach, FL, USA
FEBRUARY 2025
8–9 Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg, Canada
13 Grand Piano Series, Naples, FL, USA
16 Corvallis-OSU Piano International, Corvallis, OR, USA
23 Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
27 Istanbul, Turkey
MARCH 2025
1 Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany
APRIL 2025
10, 12 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta, GA, USA
13 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Athens, GA, USA
26 Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New York, NY, USA
MAY 2025
2 Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Springfield, IL, USA
3 Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Normal, IL, USA
11 The Frederic Chopin Society, St. Paul, MN, USA
22 Bechstein Hall, Duo recital, London, United Kingdom
30 Filharmonia Łódzka, Steinway Prizewinner Concert, Łódź, Poland
JUNE 2025
12 Filharmonia Łódzka, Steinway Prizewinner Concert, Chemnitz, Germany
Teatro
José Gutiérrez Gómez in Medellín, Colombia
Performing with husband Lukas at Auditorium San Gaetano in Padova, Italy
Family photo in Lithuanian magazine Stilius
Scenery in Bolzano, Italy
Reuniting
Cliburn jurors Wu Han and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
UPCOMING TOUR
DECEMBER 2024
7 Seetal Classics, with Frank Peter Zimmermann, Seon, Switzerland
9 TivoliVredenburg, with Frank Peter Zimmermann, Utrecht, Netherlands
10 Flagey, with Frank Peter Zimmermann, Brussels, Belgium
14 Teatro Petruzzelli, with Frank Peter Zimmermann, Bari, Italy
FEBRUARY 2025
12 Concertgebouw De Vereeniging, with Frank Peter Zimmermann, Nijmegen, Netherlands
14 Auditorium Giovanni Arvedi, with Frank Peter Zimmermann, Cremona, Italy
15 Teatro Della Pergola, with Frank Peter Zimmermann, Florence, Italy
25 Austrian Cultural Forum New York, with Polina Sasko, New York, NY, USA
DMYTRO CHONI
2022 CLIBURN BRONZE MEDALIST
Dmytro Choni’s recent tours have taken him to Asia (a Korean tour that included a return to the DMZ OPEN International Music Festival); across the United States and to Mexico for an appearance with the Orquesta Filarmónica del Estado de Querétaro; and on a couple of European tours in recital (including an Elbphilharmonie Hamburg sellout) and with acclaimed violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann.
He also recorded a new album in Vienna—where he’s recently moved—for Paris-based Naïve Records.
Performs sold-out concert at Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
APRIL 2025
3 Bechstein Hall, London, United Kingdom
26 Utah Tech University College of the Arts, St. George, UT, USA
30 Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, Chicago, IL, USA
MAY 2025
8–19 China Tour
JUNE 2025
14–15 Lille Piano Festival, Lille, France
During his tour of South Korea
St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria
In Vienna to record his upcoming album
Signs with GPM Music for German representation
NEW PARTNERSHIP!
This season, Cliburn is proud to launch a new partnership with Chef Tim Love to present its 10-year-old popular club series, Cliburn Sessions, at Tannahill’s Music Hall, located in an historic Mule Barn in the heart of the Fort Worth Stockyards! We began in October with groundbreaking, Grammy® Award-winning string trio Time For Three and were back a month later with an all-new collaboration from brilliant composer-musicians Caroline Shaw and Gabriel Kahane.
This kind of partnership is exactly what Fort Worth is about. We are very happy to be collaborating with Tim Love and his excellent team, and we believe that Tannahill’s is the perfect new home for our Cliburn Sessions series. This also is the first time the Cliburn has produced a ticketed concert in the famed Fort Worth Stockyards. Cowboys and culture at its finest.
JACQUES MARQUIS, Cliburn president and CEO
NEXT UP FOR CLIBURN SESSIONS AT TANNAHILL’S:
SIR STEPHEN HOUGH, piano January 29, 2025 I 8:00 p.m.
SIMONE PORTER, violin + BLAKE POULIOT, violin + HSIN-I HUANG, piano March 26, 2025 I 8:00 p.m.
credit: Brooks Burris
Also new this season: Cliburn Family Concerts, a series of family-friendly musical experiences designed to emphasize themes of wonder, discovery, and exploration. These concerts bring playful programs to some of Fort Worth’s most engaging venues through three more wonderful parternships. Already this year, we’ve experienced The Carnival of the Animals at the award-winning Fort Worth Zoo, whose Animal Ambassadors made special appearances throughout, and kicked off the holiday season with The Polar Express at the Fort Worth Stockyards Station.
NEW SERIES + THREE NEW PARTNERSHIPS!
For several years, we have been thinking about how to give kids and their parents a way to enjoy classical music all together— in a presentation that would be completely magical and unforgettable for all ages, and could become an annual family tradition. We are so pleased with how this has worked out: we have mesmerizing stories and, of course, the best music, matched with the perfect Fort Worth partners who each bring their own special savoir-faire.
—JACQUES MARQUIS, Cliburn president and CEO
CLIBURN IN THE CLASSROOM
Winner of 2024 Innovation in Education Award – D CEO Magazine
Development Operations Manager Madison Jones at the D CEO Awards.
The Cliburn’s signature education program, Cliburn in the Classroom, went back to school this fall, fresh off its win of D CEO Magazine’s 2024 Innovation in Education Award—designed to recognize the organizations and leaders driving innovation in North Texas. Presenting interactive concert experiences designed specifically for elementary school students, Cliburn in the Classroom takes a holistic approach to music, catering to multiple learning styles, utilizing movement and peer-building activities, and addressing social-emotional learning objectives, while utilizing adaptive strategies so that every child can fully participate.
The Cliburn brings its own Steinway grand piano into every school, along with a virtuoso pianist to perform impressive music. A teaching-artist leads students through activities and bridges connections between the music and ideas of the program. Our interdisciplinary themes explore the intersection of music and multiple subjects, and include comprehensive study guides, which together address state and national standards for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education for elementary students.
Title 1 schools comprise more than 82% of our partnered schools; more than 34% of program artists, hosts, and composers are people of color; and 38% of presentations featured full bilingual (Spanish/English) integration. Highlights include:
• Each school year, Cliburn in the Classroom reaches approximately 60,000 students through 300 presentations in 250 North Texas elementary schools—from school districts around North Texas, including Fort Worth, Arlington, Birdville, Castleberry, Crowley, Dallas, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw, Everman, HEB, Midlothian, and Northwest ISDs.
• The Cliburn’s education piano—a 5’11” Steinway grand piano—travels over 5,000 miles annually, visiting North Texas schools.
• Cliburn in the Classroom is entirely free for schools and students.
Host Adriana Morales at Cesar Chavez Elementary.
credit: Leo Wesson
...AND IN THE COMMUNITY
Cliburn in the Community provides the experience of live classical music performance for free to a broad audience through partnerships with vibrant venues and organizations throughout North Texas. This October and November, we embraced the spirit of the Halloween season, presenting spooky public concerts at Downtown Dallas’ Trick or Treat on Downtown Streets and Artes de la Rosa’s Día de los Muertos Festival, as well as private concerts for Meals on Wheels and Presbyterian Night Shelter. Next up, we’ll be taking Cliburn Kids on the road for Spring Break 2025! Through partnerships with the Dallas and Fort Worth Public Library systems, as well as Klyde Warren Park and Weatherford’s Chandor Gardens, hundreds of kids and families across the Metroplex will see our “What makes a hero?” program in March.
NEW 2024–2025 CLASSROOM PROGRAMS
What makes a hero?
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a pianist?! It’s all about heroes, from caped marvels to heroes we meet in everyday life; told through the story of how Van Cliburn used the superpower of music to connect people around the world.
Nature Walk
Let’s take a stroll through America’s National Parks! Learn about the great eco-diversity of our country and see why these natural wonders spark so much imagination and creativity in music.
PianoBlox
Have you ever wondered who wrote the epic music to your favorite video game or movie? In this program, we learn about some of the most celebrated composers of this unique genre and how much music adds to the thrill of play.
Pictures at an Exhibition
Imagine yourself in the grand hall of an art museum. There are many rooms to explore, each representing a different culture, style, and time. What sorts of things will you see...and hear?
Pianos in Space
Cliburn in the Classroom launches into space! We visit each of the planets, learning about the music and mythology behind their names, while photos from NASA bring the planets right into your school.
credit: Leo Wesson
The Cliburn Classic Golf Tournament returned this year with a new pickleball addition! It was a beautiful day hosting these tournaments at River Crest Country Club in September.
We are grateful for our donors, players, spectators, and especially for our honorary chairmen, Elisabeth and Brent Hyder, and our tournament chairmen, Cameron and Huck Newberry and Megan and Perry Porterfield. Thank you for making the 2024 Cliburn Classic a Monday to remember!
A perfect piano duo!
Pickleballers at play
Winners announcements
cocktail conversation
credit: Ralph Lauer
Someone had too much fun on the course
The spoils of the sport
Texas prizes for a Texas Tournament
Celebrating the perfect putt
Beautiful day at River Crest Country Club
The winning golf team
Gifts for the golfers
GET READY FOR 2025 WITH THE CLIBURN
This coming year is going to be a big one! Be sure you’re tuned in and signed up for all things Cliburn, so you don’t miss a beat (or a note)!
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SUPPORT THE CLIBURN
The future of classical piano is bright. And there is no better place to witness it than every four years in Fort Worth, Texas.
Thank you for considering the Cliburn in your giving as we head into this phenomenal Competition year!
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT:
For WWG Compass, the term Cliburn Family
takes on a different meaning than it does for others.
John Giordano literally grew up with the Cliburn Competition: his dad served as jury chairman for 40 years and ten editions, from 1973—when John was a toddler—through 2013. He and his partners Rick Wegman and Eric Walsh have recently become regular sponsors of the Cliburn Concerts series, including supporting appearances by past winners whose careers his dad played a pivotal role in launching (2001 Gold Medalist Stanislav Ioudenitch and 2005 Silver Medalist Joyce Yang). John, Rick, and Eric now have their eyes set on a role in supporting tomorrow’s star pianists, as they plan their sponsorship commitment to the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. We recently caught up with John.
CLIBURN: When or how did you first hear of the Cliburn, and/or the competition?
JOHN: The Cliburn was founded less than decade before I was born, and my father started as jury chair shortly after. Consequently, the Cliburn was very much a part of my childhood, I met many of the winners and participants, went to countless concerts. It was a part of my life as long as I can remember. My partners, Rick Wegman and Eric Walsh, are also longtime fans of the competition, and they jumped at the opportunity to support the Cliburn.
CLIBURN: Tell us about WWG Compass’ history in Fort Worth. What are the plans for the future?
JOHN: The WWG Team has been transacting real estate in Fort Worth for more than 20 years. Over that period, the real estate brokerage experienced tremendous growth. Eventually, Eric Walsh, Rick Wegman, and I expanded to Dallas and opened offices in Uptown Dallas, Burleson, and Fort Worth. The group eventually found the perfect partnership with Compass Real Estate and moved their entire team under the Compass umbrella. Now with their move to Compass, the WWG Team is one of the top producing real estate teams in Fort Worth/Dallas and the state of Texas. We focus on residential, commercial, ranch, and land transactions, with agents covering the entire North Texas market and specializing in Fort Worth and Dallas.
CLIBURN: Do you feel the Cliburn has had an impact on the national/ international perception of Fort Worth?
JOHN: The Cliburn Competition has been a fabric of our cultural environment in Fort Worth since the 60s. The competition has been instrumental to the growth of our city. The artistic and cultural impacts are immeasurable, and its reach to the national and international stages are invaluable.
CLIBURN: How do you see the relationship between the Cliburn and WWG Compass in the last year? Has it been beneficial to your brand?
JOHN: We love our connection and relationship with the Cliburn. They are tremendous to work with, and the organization is top notch. We are so impressed by how the organization is managed. It is a pleasure to work with the Cliburn.
CLIBURN: Why might the Cliburn be an important partner for you, in the future?
JOHN: The Cliburn has enriched our lives and our community through the beautiful music and incredible talent it brings to our city. It is a wellorganized, well-managed organization, and we intend to continue to support the Cliburn for many years to come.
CLIBURN: Any favorite memories/stories of the Cliburn, the Competitions, or Van himself?
CLIBURN: What is WWG Compass’ sponsorship philosophy, and how has the Cliburn fit into that philosophy?
JOHN: It is extremely important to all three of us to support the arts in Fort Worth. We are honored to be able to support this incredible organization and grateful to be able to give back to our community through our support of the Cliburn.
JOHN: I was fortunate to meet Van as a child and knew him my entire life. I cannot point to one specific event, but I can tell you that he was a unique, kind, wonderful human being. Immensely talented, yet humble and kind, and I am extremely proud that I knew him. Also, it is hard to explain the feeling of walking into the Cliburn conference room and seeing the pictures on the wall of past winners, many of whom I have met—realizing how impactful the competition was on my life and the lives of many others all around the world. Knowing that my father was a huge part of the inception of the Cliburn— its success and its growth—is truly special. The Cliburn has always been appreciative of my father’s efforts and supportive and kind to my family, and for that I am very thankful.
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
CAN YOU FEEL IT?
It’s a low rumble right now, but it’s building faster than you think.
As I write this, we’re just about five months away from the Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition beginning on May 21, 2025. In fact, the deadline for applications has passed. So, at this moment, somewhere deep in the stack of submissions from all over the world are those 30 brilliant young musicians who will call Fort Worth home for a few weeks next summer, thrilling us all with their artistry, their passion…and their endurance. And in that group of 30 are those very few who will rise above the rest to become global stars right in front of our eyes on June 7th. Gives you chills. There were very few benefits that derived from the COVID pandemic, but one might be the reevaluation of our screening process. In the past, the screening jury would travel the world for in-person auditions but beginning in 2022, we brought the world here. Make sure to mark your calendars for March 16–22 when we will welcome over 80 of the most talented pianists on the planet to the PepsiCo Recital Hall at TCU as they vie to be in that final 30 who will return in May. It’s truly a sneak peek into the Competition. And it’s free!
As usual, the Cliburn has been burning the candle at both ends. Back in April we raced gondolas in Italy (actually the Fort Worth Club) at the Classically Cliburn Gala with our hosts, Gaylord and Bradley Lummis; Priscilla Martin and Charles White were honorary chairmen. In September, we added pickleball to the Cliburn Classic golf tournament at River Crest; Chairmen were Cameron and Huck Newberry, and Megan and Perry Porterfield. Elisabeth and Brent Hyder were Honorary Chairmen.
This season of Cliburn Concerts is stacked with talent, both at the Kimbell (our home away from home), and at our newest venue, Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall in the Stockyards. Cliburn Family Concerts features events at the Zoo, Stockyards Station, and the Omni Theater. And my personal favorite of all our programming, the bilingual Cliburn in the Classroom, is back to pre-pandemic strength as we move our traveling Steinway around North Texas for virtuoso piano performances and activities in front of 60,000 elementary-aged students, spanning multiple subjects including math, reading, language arts, social studies, history, and art. Wow.
It is the mission of the Cliburn to advance classical piano music throughout the world through international competitions, education programs, and concert series in, I might add, an uncompromising and incomparable manner. If you’re not directly impacted and inspired by at least one of these worldclass efforts, you need to get out more! Thank you for your support, we’ll see you soon.
At this moment, somewhere deep in the stack of submissions from all over the world are those 30 brilliant young musicians who will call Fort Worth their home for a few weeks next summer. “ ”
Jeffrey B. King Chairman of the Board
