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Cliburn Festival

In-depth, musical celebration

The Cliburn Festival is a multiday event examining different perspectives in music—such as the work of a singular composer, the music of a particular moment in history, or a significant stylistic movement.

Each festival features a group of resident artists (including past Cliburn laureates) that explore difference facets of the festival's theme.

Festival performances take place the in the stunning Tadao Ando designed auditorium at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

2026 Cliburn Festival: America 250

Celebrate the ingenuity, independence, and pure joy of American music. In five concerts over four days, pianists-in-residence Peter Dugan, Avery Gagliano, and Jonathan Mamora will be joined by mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan and local musicians to explore the ways music reflects the American experience.

Over the last 250 years America has developed music with a distinct language, voice, and style. Born in independence and honed by its vast influences—from spirituals, blues, and jazz to traditional immigrant folk songs, to the European classical tradition—these enduring compositions have become more than the sum of these parts, and represent the true pioneer spirit of America. From the beloved works of Gershwin, Copland, and Bernstein to the innovative voices of Price, Beach, and Barber, join us in this celebration of America.

Subscribe now and save on tickets to all five concerts or click on the events below to purchase individual tickets.
Amegy Bank

2026 Cliburn Festival Presenting Sponsor

Upcoming Concerts

Pianists-in-residence

  • Peter Dugan

    Peter Dugan

    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 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.” He is heard on radios nationwide weekly as host of NPR’s From the Top; is an active and passionate collaborator who has toured extensively with violinists Joshua Bell and Charles Yang, and vocalists John Brancy and Kara Dugan (his wife); and is a composer who has performed his own works everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Joe’s Pub and had his arrangements released by Disney+.

  • Avery Gagliano

    Avery Gagliano

    Celebrated as “a distinctive young talent” (International Piano), pianist Avery Gagliano is recognized for interpretations with great emotional depth and a “distinctly narrative approach” (Miami International Piano Festival). Having first risen to international acclaim as the winner of the first prize and best concerto prize at the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition, she has established herself as an artist to watch and has performed in prominent venues including Carnegie Hall, Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, the Louis Vuitton Foundation, Salle Cortot, Luxembourg Philharmonie, Konzerthaus Berlin, Ehrbar Saal in Vienna, and La Grange au Lac in Évian.

    Avery is a graduate of Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Robert McDonald, Gary Graffman, and Jonathan Biss. She currently resides in Germany and studies with Sir András Schiff at Kronberg Academy.

  • Jonathan Mamora

    Jonathan Mamora

    Acclaimed for his “most assured pianism,” and “natural, songful lyricism”  (Dallas Morning News), pianist and educator Jonathan Mamora strives to uplift and positively influence others using music as a means for service. 

    Jonathan is the first-prize winner of a number of international piano competitions, most recently the 2025 Hilton Head, 2023 Scottish, 2023 Maria Canals Barcelona, and 2022 Olga Kern. He has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, with highlights including a 2023 debut at Carnegie Hall and engagements with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, and New Mexico Philharmonic. He is currently serving as Director of Keyboard Studies at La Sierra University.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

About the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

World-renowned architect Tadao Ando’s “Arbor for Art," the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is a striking building that embodies the pure, unadorned elements of a modern work of art. It is composed of five pavilions of concrete and glass set on 11 naturally landscaped acres, including a 1.5 acre reflecting pond. The Modern maintains one of the foremost collections of postwar art in the central United States, consisting of more than 3,000 significant works of modern and contemporary international art.

General Concert Information

  • Patrons must be 8 years of age or older to attend Cliburn Festival.
  • For questions about ticketing, please contact the Bass Hall Box Office at 817.212.4280.
  • The on-site will call and box office will open in the Modern lobby one hour prior to concert time.
  • For information on parking, please visit themodern.org
  • Photography and recording are strictly prohibited.
  • For further information on attending Cliburn events, please read our Visitor Guide.
201 Main Street, Suite 100
Fort Worth, TX 76102
817.738.6536
Our Mission To advance classical piano music throughout the world. Its international competitions, education programs, and concert series embody an enduring commitment to artistic excellence and the discovery of young artists.
© 2026 The Cliburn