Cliburn News - Winter/Spring 2018

CLIBURN NEWS WWW.CLIBURN.ORG

WINTER/SPRING 2018 I ISSUE NO. 114

2017 WINNERS LAUNCH

For Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo, rave reviews from Chicago to London, media blitzes, and a chart-topping CD.

IN THIS

ISSUE: JUNIOR COMPETITION IN DALLAS MAY 2019

2018 FESTIVAL: THE MUSIC OF RUSSIA

2017 WINNERS: ON THE ROAD

LAUREATE UPDATE: ALEXANDER KOBRIN

CLIBURN CALENDAR FEBRUARY SESSIONS 13 CLIBURN Brooklyn Rider, string quartet I Tues, Feb 13, 2018, 8:00 p.m.

22–25

I Scat Jazz Lounge

2018 CLIBURN FESTIVAL: THE MUSIC OF RUSSIA

Yury Favorin, Alexander Kobrin, and Georgy Tchaidze, piano + Rolston String Quartet Feb 22–25, 2018 I Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth A celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Van Cliburn’s historic Tchaikovsky Competition victory

MARCH SESSIONS 8 CLIBURN The Westerlies, brass quartet I Thurs, March 8, 2018, 8:00 p.m.

SOLD! OUT

29

APRIL 6

14 26–27

Y ONLW E F A S SEATT! LEF

MAY 10–16 2 I CLIBURN NEWS

I Scat Jazz Lounge

CLIBURN AT THE KIMBELL: VIRTUOSOS

Ray Chen, violin + Julio Elizalde, piano WITH WORKS BY BEETHOVEN, SAINT-SAËNS, YSAŸE Thurs, March 29, 2018, 7:30 p.m. I Kimbell Art Museum Piano Pavilion

CLASSICALLY CLIBURN GALA

A Russian Romance I Fri, April 6, 2018, 7:30 p.m. I Ridglea Country Club

CLIBURN AT THE MODERN

Hannah Lash, composer I Sat, April 14, 2018, 2:00 p.m. I Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

CLIBURN AT THE KIMBELL: MASTERS

Emanuel Ax, piano WITH WORKS BY MOZART, BACH, BEETHOVEN, LISZT Thurs & Fri, April 26 & 27, 2018, 7:30 p.m. I Kimbell Art Museum Piano Pavilion

CLIBURN IN THE COMMUNITY

Alina Bercu, piano, 2017 Cliburn Competitor I May 10–16, 2018 I Various venues (TBA)

TICKETS & INFORMATION AT CLIBURN.ORG I 817.212.4280

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

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8

JUNIOR COMPETITION ANNOUNCED

page

2017: BY THE NUMBERS

Check out this behind-the-scenes snapshot of the Fifteenth Cliburn Competition and see the results.

The second edition will take place in May 2019 in Dallas—get all the details.

12

2017 WINNERS UPDATE

It’s been a busy 9 months since they were announced as our new medalists.

14

2018 CLIBURN FESTIVAL ANNOUNCED

Five concerts of all Russian music pay tribute to Van Cliburn’s Tchaikovsky victory 60 years later.

15

16

LAUREATE UPDATE: ALEXANDER KOBRIN The 2005 gold medalist has a busy touring and recording career, plus a new teaching home at Eastman.

17 18

TRIBUTE TO MARTHA ROWAN HYDER

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SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: THE STAYTON

THANK YOU, CARLA KEMP THOMPSON

The distinctive retirement destination supports our Cliburn in the Community free concerts series.

Last fall, Jeff King became chairman of the board, taking the mantle after eight years of exceptional leadership from Carla.

FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Jeff King talks new board structure, 2018 plans, and our volunteer base.

WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT

FROM THE

PRESIDENT As you likely know, we announced on January 10 that the Cliburn Junior Competition will be held in Dallas in 2019. Making this decision was a long process, and I thank all involved for the thoughtful discussions and for sharing their points of view. It helped us understand and fine-tune our approach to this great opportunity.

“

...Dallas is an obvious extension of our footprint.

I believe that this opportunity will help us to increase the impact of the flagship Cliburn Competition here in DFW and abroad...

”

Over the last four years, we have concentrated on smart growth for the organization, and how we can further realize our mission and expand our reach. We implemented the strategic plan vision by increasing or launching new programs locally (Cliburn at the Kimbell, Cliburn Sessions, Cliburn in the Classroom, Van Cliburn: an American Hero, Cliburn Festival, Cliburn in the Community), as well as nationally and internationally (Cliburn in the Cinema, Cliburn Live).

The Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival was established in 2015 as another means for the Cliburn to use its standing and expertise to encourage tomorrow’s great artists, to provide a valuable forum for them, and to give them an entrance to the next step of their journeys. Building on that and the major success and international awareness of the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Dallas is an obvious extension of our footprint.

I believe that this opportunity will help us to broaden the impact of the flagship Cliburn Competition here in DFW and abroad, increase our artistic partnerships, diversify our sources of revenues, and expand our international stage presence.

Fort Worth is the Cliburn’s home, and it will, in perpetuity, host the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. We have, in fact, been increasing our programs in our hometown. Our offices are in downtown Fort Worth; our education program visits every elementary school in Fort Worth each year; and our community partnerships (the museums, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Bass Hall, Texas Ballet Theater, TCU, Fort Worth Public Library, Sundance Square Plaza, Texas Wesleyan University, the list goes on) have never been stronger. And we are also currently and continuously exploring new projects.

Thank you for your steadfast support, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Sincerely,

Jacques Marquis President and CEO 4 I CLIBURN NEWS

JUST ANNOUNCED

FOR PIANISTS AGE 13 TO 17

MAY 31–JUNE 8, 2019 DALLAS, TEXAS SMU & MEYERSON SYMPHONY CENTER

ALESSIO BAX, JURY CHAIRMAN ALL ROUNDS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND. ALL PERFORMANCES WEBCAST LIVE AT CLIBURN.ORG. MARCH 1, 2018 Applications open

JANUARY 10, 2019 Applications due

JANUARY 2019 Tickets on sale

MARCH 13, 2019 Competitors announced WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 5

THE COMPETITION SELECTION ROUND—24 competitors selected through online applications and video submissions, 15 to 20 minutes in length

and include one etude, one movement of a Classical sonata, and one expressive Romantic work. New for the second edition, 14 additional pianists will be accepted as non-competing festival participants.

PRELIMINARY ROUND (SMU)—24 pianists, each performing a 20-minute recital to include a virtuosic etude and one threeor four-voice Bach Prelude and Fugue.

QUARTERFINAL ROUND (SMU)—14 pianists, each performing a 30-minute recital to include the first or last movement of a Classical sonata (some restrictions will apply).

SEMIFINAL ROUND (SMU)—6 pianists, each performing a 40-minute recital (to include one large work of at least 18 minutes in length and a contemporary work) and one concerto movement with piano accompaniment (movement to be selected by the Cliburn).

FINAL ROUND (MEYERSON)—3 pianists, each performing one complete concerto with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Please note that exact repertoire requirements will be posted at Cliburn.org by March 1, 2018.

THE PRIZES The first-prize winner will receive a cash award of $15,000; second prize is $10,000; and third prize is $5,000. All three top prizes will also include scholarships, and community residency and mentorship opportunities with the Cliburn. Other special prizes will be announced later this year.

THE FESTIVAL The Cliburn will offer a variety of events aimed at the artistic advancement of the competitors, festival

attendees, and other pianists, including master classes, guest artist recital(s), workshops, chamber music and four-hand reading, one-on-one mentorship meetings, and more. The Festival will also share the gifts of elite young pianists with the community, through free recitals around Dallas. Schedule to be announced in 2019.

Combining exceptional lyricism and insight with consummate technique, 2019 Junior Competition jury chairman Alessio Bax is without a doubt “among the most remarkable young pianists now before the public” (Gramophone). He catapulted to prominence with First Prize wins at both the Leeds and Hamamatsu International Piano Competitions, and is now a familiar face on four continents not only as a recitalist and chamber musician, but as a concerto soloist; he has appeared with more than 100 orchestras including the London and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras, Dallas and Cincinnati Symphonies, NHK Symphony in Japan, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, and the City of Birmingham Symphony with Sir Simon Rattle.

An accomplished chamber musician, in summer 2017, Mr. Bax inaugurated a threeyear appointment as Artistic Director of Tuscany’s Incontri in Terra di Siena festival.

His regular collaborators include his wife, pianist Lucille Chung, superstar violinist Joshua Bell, Berlin Philharmonic principals Daishin Kashimoto and Emmanuel Pahud, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. In 2013, he received the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award and Lincoln Center’s Martin E. Segal Award, which recognizes young artists of exceptional accomplishment.

Mr. Bax’s celebrated discography for Signum Classics includes nine albums, which have garnered him multiple choice awards from Gramophone and American Record Guide. Recorded for Warner Classics, his Baroque Reflections album was also a Gramophone “Editor’s Choice.”

ALESSIO BAX 6 I CLIBURN NEWS

JURY CHAIRMAN

Bax graduated with top honors from the conservatory of Bari, his Italian hometown, at just 14. After further studies in Europe, in 1994 he moved to the United States. A Steinway artist, he lives in New York City with Ms. Chung and their daughter, Mila.

SMU AND THE MEADOWS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

A nationally ranked private university located near the heart of Dallas, SMU is a distinguished center for global research with a liberal arts tradition. SMU’s 11,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and 90 countries to take advantage of small classes, handson research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study, and innovative programs. The University offers a strong foundation in the humanities and sciences and undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs through seven schools.

The Meadows School of the Arts, formally established at SMU in 1969 and named in honor of benefactor Algur H. Meadows, is a nationally recognized arts education institution. The Meadows School offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in advertising, art, art history, arts management and arts entrepreneurship, corporate communication and public affairs, creative computation, dance, film and media arts, journalism, music, and theatre. The school is a leader in developing innovative outreach and community engagement programs, challenging its students to make a difference locally and globally by developing connections between art, entrepreneurship, and change. The Meadows School is also a convener for the arts in North Texas, serving as a catalyst for new collaborations and providing critical industry research.

DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Jaap van Zweden, presents the finest in orchestral music at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, regarded as one of the world’s premier concert halls. As the largest performing arts organization in the Southwest, the DSO is committed to inspiring the broadest possible audience with distinctive classical programs, inventive pops concerts, and innovative multi-media presentations. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the orchestra reaches more than 230,000 adults and children through performances, educational programs, and community outreach initiatives. The DSO’s involvement with the City of Dallas and the surrounding region includes an award-winning multi-faceted educational program, community projects, popular parks concerts, and youth programming. The DSO has a tradition dating back to 1900, and it is a cornerstone of the unique, 68 acre Arts District in downtown Dallas that is home to multiple performing arts venues, museums, and parks; the largest district of its kind in the nation. The DSO is supported, in part, by funds from the Office of Cultural Affairs, City of Dallas.

WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 7

2017 VAN CLIBURN INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION

BY THE NUMBERS 290 applications were received. From those, 146 were selected for live Screening Auditions in London, Hannover, Budapest, Moscow, Seoul, New York, and Fort Worth, where they were heard by a Screening Jury of five. The 30 carefully selected competitors were welcomed to Fort Worth in May with signature Texas warmth and provided with the ideal conditions to perform at the highest level. In Cliburn tradition, they stayed with host families in their homes—each with a grand Steinway & Sons piano—and were cared for by a volunteer force of close to 900. The fifteenth edition boasted an international jury comprising some of the most esteemed pianists of our time, who used each performance in each round to learn more about the competitors and make their decisions. Top notch artistic collaborators participated this year: Marc-André Hamelin; Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra; Nicholas McGegan; Brentano String Quartet; and Leonard Slatkin.

photos on pages 8-11: Ralph Lauer and Carolyn Cruz

New partnerships with major broadcast entities medici.tv and Fathom Events ensured that the 2017 Competition was the most highly visible music competition in the world, giving all competitors a chance for unprecedented exposure on a global scale and providing more ways than ever for people around the world to enjoy the beautiful music made.

Yekwon Sunwoo performs with Leonard Slatkin and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

8 I CLIBURN NEWS

Daniel Hsu applauds his artistic collaborators, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

ON STAGE 3,630 minutes (61 hours) of music performed on stage at Bass Performance Hall.

FUN FACTS Composer most played: Liszt Work most performed: Prokofiev Sonata No. 7 The Schumann Piano Quintet was

13

programmed by competitors.

It was not performed.

Each of the finalists performed approx.

230 minutes (almost 4 hours).

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

1,344

22 hours)

rehearsed minutes ( with the finalists and semifinalists.

BEHIND THE SCENES 9 jurors from 8 countries (including mostly touring pianists) practiced

180 hours over 21 days.

21 stagehands worked 1,417 hours in 3 weeks to seamlessly produce what backstage for

happened on stage.

4 Steinway & Sons piano techs worked 528 hours on 47 pianos, from the concert grands on stage to the pianos placed in each host family’s home.

Steinway & Sons’ Ismael Cunha tunes a performance piano on stage at Bass Hall.

WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 9

Rachael Cheung performs to a packed house in the Final Round, with Leonard Slatkin and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

IN THE AUDIENCE Over 40,000 people total attended 29 Competition concerts in Bass Hall.

More than 4,340 came to free festival events in Van Cliburn Recital Hall and McDavid Studio.

Over the course of

2 days, more than

4,500 watched our first-ever simulcast in Sundance Square Plaza during the Final Round.

Simulcast attendees pose for a picture with the LED screen.

This larger-than-life Cliburn logo was on display in Sundance Square Plaza during the Final Round.

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ON CAMERA & ONLINE More than 110 hours of live concerts, commentary, interviews,

Elizabeth Joy Roe and Greg Anderson provided insightful commentary and vivid color throughout the live webcast.

features, and awards ceremonies were broadcast free online through partnership with medici.tv, hosted by Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe (Anderson & Roe Piano Duo).

40 people from the United States, France, Russia, Switzerland,

and the United Kingdom worked tirelessly on the webcast crew to bring it to a record number of people around the world.

THE REACH

4.8 million Average view time duration: 70 minutes 169 countries; 8,858 cities Total video views:

Top 10: United States, Russia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, France, South Korea, China, United Kingdom, Germany Total social reach via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more:

113 million over 3 weeks

IN THE NEWS Over 1,200 articles or reports were written about the Competition over 5 weeks.

940 million Media value: $8.7 million Potential reach:

The sidewalks leading to Bass Hall transformed into keyboards.

Countries: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Italy, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam

WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 11

WINNERS UPDATE Since June 11, 2017—the day following the Awards Ceremony— we have been working closely with our new winners as they adjust to busy concert schedules and lives as public figures. Collectively, they will perform 100 Cliburn-booked concerts this season across the United States, and, for Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo, the world through our partnership with London-based Keynote Artists. Already since their wins, Decca Gold has released commercial recordings

Since then he has made an undeniable impression during his fall tour around the world, including his:

YEKWON SUNWOO

• sold-out Chicago recital debut, lauded for “ravishing pianisim… a genuine poetic sensibility, a way of making the music his own and telling you things about it you had not heard before” (Chicago Tribune);

Photo: Jeremy Enlow

GOLD MEDALIST

www.yekwonsunwoo.com

Yekwon’s Decca Gold album, Cliburn Gold 2017, reached #1 on the Billboard’s Traditional Classical Chart its first week of release in August. Featuring his Competition-winning performances of Ravel, Haydn, and Rachmaninoff, the recording is available on all major outlets (including the Cliburn Shop at Cliburn.org).

February 20 FPC Concerts, Myrtle Beach, SC 23 University of Vermont Lane Series, Burlington, VT 25 St. Benedict College/St. Joseph’s University, St. Joseph, MN March 1 3–4 6 7 11 12 14 17 20 21 22 23

Charlotte Concerts, Charlotte, NC Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Greenville, SC Sanibel Music Festival, Sanibel Island, FL East Alabama Arts, Opelika, AL* Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota, FL* Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, West Palm Beach, FL* Krannert Center–University of Illinois, Urbana, IL Wassermann Festival, Utah State University, Logan, UT Penn State University, State College, PA* Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA* Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA* New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ*

*with National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba 12 I CLIBURN NEWS

for each of them, and New York-based 8va Music Consultancy has developed new websites and social media presence. And in November, they attended Cliburn Winners Week in Fort Worth, where they met with members of our new International Advisory Council for career mentorship sessions, covering topics such as financial and tax planning, programming, working with presenters, media relations, social media, and etiquette.

• return to the Cliburn stage in Fort Worth, where “it was clear that something special was happening… I sensed emotional depths I’d never before imagined” (Dallas Morning News); • special performance, alongside Renée Fleming and Cynthia Nixon, for the New York Public Radio Gala 2017; • UK concerto debut with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and other performances in Canada, Korea, and across the United States.

And in December it was announced that he has officially joined the roster of Keynote Artist Management for worldwide general management, just six months after his Cliburn win.

Yekwon’s concerts through May 2018 are listed below.

24 25 27

Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, Brookville, NY* Princeton University, Princeton, NJ* Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

April 4–7 11 12 14 18 19 21 22

Tongyeoung International Music Festival, Tongyeoung, South Korea Lied Center of Kansas, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS Savannah Music Festival, Savannah, GA Huntsville Chamber Music Guild, Huntsville, AL Heidelberg Spring Festival, Heidelberg, Germany Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark Leipzig Gewandhaus, Leipzig, Germany Schloss Belvedere, Weimar, Germany

May 13 19 23 27 28

Taipei National Concert Hall, Taipei, Taiwan Santa Cecilia Classical Orchestra, Madrid, Spain Istanbul Music Festival, Istanbul, Turkey BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium Philharmonie Luxembourg, Luxembourg

KENNY BROBERG

After spending the summer at the Lake Como Academy, Kenny embarked on a fall tour that took him from Bakersfield, CA to New Orleans, LA to Hastings, UK in a performance that the Hastings Observer hailed for “an improvisatory feel to much of his playing which communicated a sense of living creativity… the finale had a sense of joy and life, which radiated from the soloist and [Hastings Philharmonic] players to the whole hall.”

February 16 Fazioli Concert Hall, Italy March 20 28 29 31

Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, West Palm Beach, FL Maui Arts and Cultural Center, Maui, HI Kahilu Theatre, Kamuela, HI University of Hawaii Manoa, Honolulu, HI

In addition to the bronze medal, Daniel took home prizes for best performances of both chamber music and new work. His award-winning performance of the 2017 Competition commissioned work—Marc-André Hamelin’s Toccata on “L’homme armé”—is included on his Decca Gold album, Cliburn Bronze 2017, alongside a monumental performance of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, which TheaterJones hailed for “superb musicianship, creative imagination and impeccable technique” (also available for streaming or download).

He also took the piece on tour in the fall, which took him coast to coast, from Fresno, CA to Port Washington, NY. Concerts through the rest of the season are listed below.

February 8 Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL 17 Under the Beams, New Harmony, IN 21 Wassermann Festival, Utah State University, Logan, UT 23 St. John’s Cathedral, Denver, CO 27 Western Washington University Sanford-Hill Piano Series,

Bellingham, WA March 3 San Angelo Symphony Orchestra, San Angelo, TX

His Decca Gold album, Cliburn Silver 2017, features one of his signature works, the Barber Piano Sonata, and is available for streaming and download at major outlets.

April 8 10

12 14 17

20 22 27

University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA Millersville University, Millersville, PA Huntsville Chamber Music Guild, Huntsville, AL Western Washington University Sanford-Hill Piano Series, Bellingham, WA St. John’s Cathedral, Denver, CO Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival, Fort Worth, TX Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, Kansas City, MO

DANIEL HSU BRONZE MEDALIST

Photo: Jeremy Enlow

www.kennybroberg.com

Photo: Jeremy Enlow

SILVER MEDALIST

April 7–8 13 15 21 28

www.danielhsupiano.com

Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Davenport, IA Huntsville Chamber Music Guild, Huntsville, AL Marathon Center for the Arts, Findlay, OH Roswell Symphony Orchestra, Roswell, NM Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Victoria, TX

May 25–27 Mellon Music Festival, Davis, CA WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 13

Alexander Kobrin

2005 Cliburn gold medalist

14 I CLIBURN NEWS

Yury Favorin

2017 Cliburn finalist

Georgy Tchaidze 2017 Cliburn finalist

Rolston String Quartet

LAUREATE UPDATE: 2005 GOLD MEDALIST

ALEXANDER KOBRIN

CLIBURN: What was your experience at the 2005 Competition?

What was your first impression of Fort Worth?

ALEX: My experience was truly special and unforgettable. I could not even anticipate how life changing my trip would be. Fort Worth was the very first place I visited in the USA, and of course I was very curious about Texas, especially after watching westerns from Clint Eastwood! I was surprised how much culture Fort Worth had to offer.

And needless to say how much I enjoyed meeting Van Cliburn.

My memory of him I will keep in my heart for the rest of my life.

CLIBURN: You have travelled the world performing on some of the world’s greatest stages and with famous orchestras. Tell us about some of those highlights in your career.

ALEX: I don’t even know where to start... I would mention terrific venues like Albert Hall in London and Avery Fisher Hall in New York.

Working with such great conductors as Mikhail Pletnev and Sir Mark Elder was truly inspiring. Performing on the historic stages of the Berlin Philharmonie and Müncher Herkulessaal, and recording live with the BBC Symphony were other unique experiences.

There were many. However, I would mention that the opportunity to see this country—to visit far corners and make music not only in New York City or Washington, but also places like Alaska—made my journey truly special.

CLIBURN: You’ve now released eight CDs to great critical acclaim— the 2015 album was named a top five of the year by Fanfare magazine. What is your process for choosing recording projects?

ALEX: I would like to thank labels like Centaur Records and Quartz for the opportunity to record basically whatever I want. I had many ideas to put together my favorite repertoire such as Haydn and Schumann, and this year my Russia CD of music by Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky received a critics choice award in Fanfare, which makes me happy to be appreciated for a very intimate work.

CLIBURN: Teaching is also a clear priority in your life; you’ve recently joined the faculty of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. What does teaching mean to you, and how did you come to the decision to make that home at Eastman?

ALEX: Throughout my career, teaching has been a source of inspiration—a way to understand music and psychological aspects of performing not only through my own experience, but also through students and their challenges as they search for their ideals. I believe that teaching has always been very helpful to be not only emotional but also analytical, to be verbal about music making, to get under the composer’s skin, so to speak. It is not only students receiving something from me, but also me learning a lot from them about overcoming barriers and achieving artistic goals through artistic decisions we all ought to make. I am very thrilled to be part of such a prestigious, cultural, artistic environment as the Eastman School, and I feel that being at Eastman means being in the heart of music and culture at the highest level possible.

CLIBURN: Having served on the jury of several prestigious competitions, tell us about what you think it takes to be a good juror?

What is that experience like for you?

ALEX: I believe that it is crucially important to realize what it takes for each competitor to go out there and try to do their best in a very stressful situation—which any competition is. Personally I am looking for the artist, a true musician; wrong notes are not that important to me.

CLIBURN: Any future plans or projects you can tell us about?

ALEX: I’m looking forward to recording a CD of Schubert, whose anniversary we celebrate next season. I have been coming to this project for a long time. At the same time, throughout the next two years, I am performing all of the Beethoven Sonatas. This is a truly unique journey for every pianist, and I am fortunate to have such an opportunity to go through it.

CLIBURN: We’re looking forward to welcoming you back for the Cliburn Festival in February. How did you choose your repertoire for the festival? Are there any of particular personal significance to you?

ALEX: I was very happy to receive the invitation from the Cliburn, and I liked the idea of Russian music for the Festival. Works by Shostakovich are particularly close to me, and I am happy that I get a chance to perform his Jewish Poetry songs and his Quintet. Other works also belong to my favorite repertoire, and I am so much looking forward to being back in Fort Worth for these performances.

WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 15

A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO

MARTHA ROWAN HYDER December 9, 1927–August 17, 2017

We will be eternally grateful for the pivotal role that Martha played in elevating the international status of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and her tireless dedication to achieving that goal. Her relationship with the Cliburn began at the urging of her children’s piano teacher (and Cliburn Competition founder) Grace Ward Lankford. She became Entertainment Chairman of the First Cliburn Competition, and went on to be a founding member of the Executive Committee, serving as Chairman of the Board from 1973 to 1978.

Martha deeply loved Van and the mission of the Cliburn. She once described him as “humble, brilliant, and accessible” and as a man who loved both playing music and his adoring audiences, “whether performing at a small town community center or at Carnegie Hall. While the Cliburn Competition features his name, it also captures the essence of his heart, and his passion for spreading the joy of music.” She wanted the Cliburn to be the best in the world and used everything at her disposal to raise its profile and promote its winners. Over the course of her life, she built an extraordinary network of friends and colleagues around the world; she was the kind of elegant and confident personality that people did not easily forget after meeting her just once.

We are so thankful that we were able to be with her and honor her major, lifetime contribution to the Cliburn during the Opening Dinner of the 2017 Competition. She was a true force and a champion for the arts; she is missed by our Cliburn family around the world.

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SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT:

THE STAYTON SPONSOR ARTICLE

When the Stayton on Museum Way opened in 2011 just outside downtown Fort Worth in the rapidly developing West 7th corridor, the community’s leadership and residents knew they did not want to be just another retirement center. As a Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation community, the Stayton prides itself on enriching the lives of its own residents as well as individuals living throughout Fort Worth. As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the Stayton is able to support local programs that have helped make Fort Worth an arts and culture destination known throughout the world.

One program that exemplifies this spirit is the Stayton’s four-yearsand-counting support of the Cliburn in the Community series. Cliburn in the Community presents young Cliburn artists in free performances at accessible venues throughout Fort Worth. Performances occur throughout a one-week period each spring and fall, and in addition to giving underserved audiences the chance to hear great classical music, they serve to give Cliburn artists experience performing in new venues for unique audiences.

The Cliburn often partners with local social service agencies or other organizations to present performances to select audiences; previous partnerships have included Tarrant County Alzheimer’s Association, Sixty & Better, Trinity Habitat for Humanity, Northside

Boys and Girls Club, the Downtown Fort Worth Public Library, H.O.P.E. Farm, and Sundance Square. Artists presented have included 2017 Cliburn medalists Kenny Broberg and Daniel Hsu, 2013 Cliburn finalist Tomoki Sakata, former Cliburn competitors Steven Lin and Claire Huangci, International Franz Liszt Piano Competition prizewinner Peter Klimo, and all three 2015 Junior Competition winners.

As the Presenting Sponsor of Cliburn in the Community, the Stayton makes it possible for over 5,000 Fort Worth seniors, children, and families to enjoy classical music concerts free of charge each year. The Cliburn salutes the Stayton at Museum Way for their commitment to the Cliburn and its mission of advancing classical piano music around the world.

WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 17

OUR ENDLESS GRATITUDE TO

CARLA KEMP THOMPSON CLIBURN CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD January 2011 – September 2017

During her chairmanship, Carla presided over:

Two Van Cliburn International Piano Competitions Two Cliburn Amateur Competitions The inaugural Cliburn Junior Competition and Festival Major expansions in the annual concert and educational programs

Carla joined the Board of Directors in 1994, was treasurer for 12 years prior to her chairmanship, and served as chairman of six Cliburn galas.

“We as citizens of this great city owe a debt of gratitude to Carla Thompson for her years of dedicated leadership as chairman of the Cliburn, as well as to President and CEO Jacques Marquis and his talented team. Together they have consistently produced the best artistic and educational experiences to be found anywhere.

Van Cliburn was a gift to humanity; he bounded onto the world stage at the perfect moment in history. The volunteers and staff of the Cliburn are dedicated to carrying on his legacy by advancing and celebrating the very best in classical music.”

18 I CLIBURN NEWS

— Jeff King, chairman of the board

FROM THE

CHAIRMAN These are exciting times for the Cliburn, and it is with deep gratitude that we recognize and thank Carla Kemp Thompson. A leader of strength and grace, Carla has served as a director since 1994, the last seven of those years as chairman of the board. She steered us through a major, multi-year effort to modernize and streamline our bylaws and governance structure, the results of which we see today in a smaller, more nimble operating board and in the newly created Van Cliburn Advisory Council, the members of which will continue to lend their wisdom and experience to the world-renowned organization they have loved and led for years.

We will publicly express our respect and appreciation for Carla and her husband Kelly at our Classically Cliburn Gala on Friday, April 6. We hope you will join us for that special evening.

We also recognize the energy and contributions of the Cliburn 180°, our dynamic young professionals group that continues to play an expanding role in our vision and future, just as it was designed to do. This year several of its most involved and engaged members were elected to our Board of Directors, as well as to our Executive Committee, and we look forward to their continued service and leadership.

Finally, I call attention to the 900 volunteers who brought the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition to life, and who support us every day. They are our foundation, they are core to everything we do, and without them the Cliburn would simply not exist. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I bring a special word of appreciation and profound gratitude to each of you who volunteer in any capacity.

We hope to see you all this year at a concert or at the Gala. Bring your out-of-town visitors downtown to the Cliburn office and share with them the wonderful public display of Van’s awards, recordings, and personal papers. In the meantime, I wish you all a happy new year, and I thank you for your support.

With gratitude and excitement for 2018,

Jeff King Chairman of the Board

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On behalf of the Board of Directors, I bring a special word of appreciation and profound gratitude to each of you who volunteer in any capacity.

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Bring your out-of-town visitors downtown to the Cliburn office and share with them the wonderful public display of Van’s awards, recordings, and personal papers.

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WINTER/SPRING 2018 I 19

Non-Profit Organization US Postage

PAID

Permit No.13 Fort Worth, Texas

201 MAIN ST., STE. 100 FORT WORTH, TX 76102

NORTH TEXAS • HOUSTON

Ridglea Country Club Fort Worth, Texas

gala chairmen Kaydee & Bill Bailey Kim & Glenn Darden

honorary chairmen Carla & Kelly Thompson