ABOUT THE 2025 COMPETITION

Widely considered “one of the most prestigious contests in classical music” (The New York Times, 2022), the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition exists to share excellent classical music with the largest international audience possible and to launch the careers of its winners every four years. Building on a rich tradition that began with its 1962 origins in honor of Van Cliburn and his vision for using music to serve audiences and break down boundaries, the Cliburn seeks, with each edition, to achieve the highest artistic standards while utilizing contemporary tools to advance its reach. Beyond cash prizes, winning a Cliburn medal means comprehensive career management, artistic support, and bolstered publicity efforts for the three years following.

The 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition builds on the historic success of the 2022 edition, which was an outstanding embodiment of the Cliburn’s core tenets: enduring commitment to artistic excellence, the discovery of new artists, and the advancement of classical piano music throughout the world. It reached a record-breaking number of people around the globe, exponentially surpassing viewership and online engagement from its past editions. It has now become one of the most-watched classical events in history, with more than 60 million views on Cliburn channels across 177 countries—and immeasurable viral reach beyond that.

PRE-ENGAGE A 2025 WINNER

The Cliburn is pleased to offer an opportunity to book one of the 2025 Cliburn winners—the top emerging pianists in the world—prior to the Competition. Here’s how it works:

1. Select your preferences

A pre-engagement gives you the first right to present the debut of the Cliburn winner in your area. You’ll select a preferred medalist and season or date, or simply confirm your interest in presenting a winner in a future season. The 2025 laureates are available for solo, chamber, or concerto performances, as well as community engagement events or residencies.

2. Follow along with the Competition

There are many ways to follow along over the three weeks of electrifying Competition performances:

•  Attend the Competition in Fort Worth as an Official Guest
•  Host a watch party in your city and create buzz about your 2025 winner engagement
•  Watch the live webcast with millions of piano fans from around the globe

3. Confirm your engagement

Once the winners are announced, we’ll be in touch to go over details and confirm your engagement with a specific medalist. There’s flexibility to make changes as needed, and should we be unable to come to a mutual agreement on artist, date, or other terms, you’re under no obligation to contract a winner.