2025 CLIBURN COMPETITORS ANNOUNCED

The Cliburn announces today the 30 competitors selected to participate in 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. Visit cliburn.org to learn more.

The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is widely considered “one of the most prestigious contests in classical music” (The New York Times, June 2022). From its origins in 1962 through today, it has remained dedicated to sharing music with the largest international audience possible and to launching the careers of its winners. The next edition builds on that rich foundation and the historic success of the 2022 edition—one of the most-watched classical events in history, with more than 60 million views across 177 countries. It also launched the meteoric career of Yunchan Lim, whose Cliburn laureate predecessors include Haochen Zhang, Nobuyuki Tsujii, Olga Kern, Vadym Kholodenko, Yekwon Sunwoo, and Beatrice Rana.

“Fourteen of the world’s experts worked with dedication over the last few months to thoughtfully consider each of our 340 applicants and eventually narrow the field down to the 30 competitors who will return to Fort Worth in May,” said Jacques Marquis, Cliburn president and CEO. “And they did a wonderful job. As usual, we were impressed with the high level of playing, craft, engagement, enthusiasm, and commitment of each of these pianists. The Cliburn is honored to provide an international platform for them to express their musical vision and to help usher them into the next steps of their professional journeys.”

2025 CLIBURN COMPETITORS

Piotr Alexewicz, Poland, age 25
Jonas Aumiller, Germany, 26
Alice Burla, Canada, 28
Yangrui Cai 蔡阳睿, China, 24
Elia Cecino, Italy, 23
Yanjun Chen 陈艳君, China, 23
Jiarui Cheng 程嘉睿, China, 26
Federico Gad Crema, Italy, 26
Shangru Du 杜尚儒, China, 27
Roman Fediurko Роман Федюрко, Ukraine, 20
Magdalene Ho, Malaysia, 21
Carter Johnson, Canada/United States, 28
Xiaofu Ju 鞠小夫, China, 25
Mikhail Kambarov Михаил Камбаров, Russia, 24
David Khrikuli, Georgia, 24
Pedro López Salas, Spain, 27
Philipp Lynov Филипп Лынов, Russia, 26
Jonathan Mamora, United States, 30
Callum McLachlan, United Kingdom, 26
Evren Ozel, United States, 26
Chaeyoung Park 박채영, South Korea, 27
Korkmaz Can Sağlam, Türkiye, 25
Aristo Sham 沈靖韜, Hong Kong, China, 29
Kotaro Shigemori 重森光太郎, Japan, 25
Vitaly Starikov Виталий Стариков, Israel/Russia, 30
Anastasia Vorotnaya, Russia, 30
Angel Stanislav Wang, United States, 22
Xuanxiang Wu 武暄翔,  China, 18
Ryota Yamazaki 山﨑亮汰, Japan, 26
Sung Ho Yoo 유성호, South Korea, 28

Ages listed as of May 21, 2025.
Repertoire will be added to the competitor pages on cliburn.org the week of April 14.

COMPETITOR STATS

1. 30 pianists
2. Ages 18 to 30, average age: 25 (ages as of May 21, 2025)
3. 17 countries and regions represented (including dual representation)

• Canada, China, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong China, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States
• Most represented: China (7), United States (4), Russia (4)

SELECTION PROCESS

An initial screening panel—comprising pianists Lucille Chung (Canada/United States), Jane Coop (Canada), Alessandro Deljavan (Italy), Valery Kuleshov (United States/Russia), Anton Nel (United States), Orli Shaham (Israel/United States), Katia Skanavi (Greece/Russia), Erik T. Tawaststjerna (Finland), and Amy Yang (China/United States)—reviewed all 340 applications, recommending 150 pianists to move forward. From those, the Screening Jury—Philippe Bianconi (France), Gloria Chien (Chinese Taipei/United States), Alexander Kobrin (United States), Momo Kodama (Japan), and Roberto Plano (Italy/United States)—selected 77 to be invited to Fort Worth for the live Screening Auditions, held March 16–22, 2025. The five-member Screening Jury then chose the 30 competitors, following the live auditions.