September 20, 2023
The Cliburn announces the major elements of the Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, taking place May 21–June 7, 2025, at Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU and Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Applications open October 16, 2023, and will be due October 16, 2024.
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 40 million views on Cliburn channels across 177 countries—and immeasurable viral reach beyond that.
And it launched the careers of three extraordinary medalists. Gold Medalist Yunchan Lim has had a meteoric rise to stardom. In his first two seasons as Cliburn winner, concert engagements include New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestre de Paris, and Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw, and Seoul Arts Center (most quickly sold out.) His performance videos are now the most viewed online for some of classical piano’s most popular works including Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3, Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3, Liszt 12 Transcendental Etudes, and Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22, K. 482. Silver Medalist Anna Geniushene and Bronze Medalist Dmytro Choni have each set off on busy touring careers, with performance highlights including Washington Performing Arts at the Kennedy Center, Wiener Konzerthaus, Palau de la Música, and Elbphilharmonie; Lille Piano and Lucerne Festivals; top orchestras of the United States and Europe; and tours of Japan, China, Italy, and Germany. Studio recordings for each are forthcoming.
Widely considered “one of the most prestigious contests in classical music” (The New York Times), 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 upcoming Cliburn FOUR-YEAR COMPETITION CYCLE will be:
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
May 21–June 7, 2025
For pianists 18 to 30 years old
Fort Worth, Texas, USA (Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU & Bass Performance Hall)
Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 2027 (Details to be announced 2026)
For pianists 13 to 17 years old
Dallas, Texas, USA
Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
June 2028 (Details to be announced 2027)
For non-professional pianists 35 years and older
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
IMPORTANT DATES
October 16, 2023—Applications Open
Spring 2024—Premium Ticket Subscription Packages On Sale
October 16, 2024—Applications Due
Early 2025—Single Tickets On Sale; Screening Auditions Schedule Announced
March 9–15, 2025—Screening Auditions in Fort Worth, Texas USA
April 2, 2025—30 Competitors Announced
May 21–June 7, 2025—Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
ELIGIBILITY
The Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is open to pianists of all nationalities. First-prize winners of previous Van Cliburn International Piano Competitions are not eligible to compete. Applicants must have been born after June 7, 1994, and on or before May 21, 2007.
Videos will be submitted through the online application process. Submissions must be between 35 and 40 minutes in length. The repertoire will consist of works chosen by the pianist and may be selected from works offered for the Competition recital rounds. Only complete works will be accepted. The video must be filmed with the pianist’s face and hands in the frame at all times.