January 12, 2023

A total of 248 pianists, age 13 to 17, and representing 44 countries, have submitted applications to compete in the 2023 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival, taking place June 8–17, 2023, in Dallas, Texas, with the Preliminary, Quarterfinal, and Semifinal Rounds at the SMU Meadows School of the Arts and the Final Round performance with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Valentina Peleggi at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. The selected 24 competitors and 14 non-competing festival participants will be announced on March 28, 2023.

Applicant Pool

Countries represented by the 248 Junior Competition applicants include (in alphabetical order): Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belize, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, China Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam.

The countries with the most applicants are: China (100); United States (93); South Korea (24); Canada (20); Japan (10).

A selection committee is now in the process of choosing 24 competitors and 14 non-competing festival participants from the impressive applicant pool, through online applications and video submissions, which are 15 to 20 minutes in length and include one virtuosic etude, one movement of a Classical sonata, and one lyrical work.