Rounds: Semifinal Round

Semifinal Round Concert 4

5 of 20 competitors performing 28-minute recitals of repertoire of their choosing.
Seating for this event is general admission.

The Amateur Competition highlights the importance of music-making in everyday life, bringing together the world’s best non-professional pianists age 35 and older for seven days of performances, symposia, and social events. All rounds of competition are open to the public, as are many of the festival events. We hope you’ll join us and get swept up in this truly inspiring, international event, where everyday people become stars of the stage

GENERAL CONCERT INFORMATION

Patrons must be 8 years of age or older to attend Amateur Competition Performances.

For questions about ticketing please contact the Bass Hall Box Office at 817.212.4280.

There will be no late seating during any recital. Latecomers will be seated between performers. Audience members are encouraged to remain in their seats until the conclusion of each performance.

For information on parking please visit https://www.basshall.com/plan-your-visit/parking/

AMATEUR COMPETITION LINKS
ABOUT   I  TICKETS  I  APPLICATION AND RULES  I  JURY  I  ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS

Semifinal Round Concert 3

5 of 20 competitors performing 28-minute recitals of repertoire of their choosing.
Seating for this event is general admission.

The Amateur Competition highlights the importance of music-making in everyday life, bringing together the world’s best non-professional pianists age 35 and older for seven days of performances, symposia, and social events. All rounds of competition are open to the public, as are many of the festival events. We hope you’ll join us and get swept up in this truly inspiring, international event, where everyday people become stars of the stage

GENERAL CONCERT INFORMATION

Patrons must be 8 years of age or older to attend Amateur Competition Performances.

For questions about ticketing please contact the Bass Hall Box Office at 817.212.4280.

There will be no late seating during any recital. Latecomers will be seated between performers. Audience members are encouraged to remain in their seats until the conclusion of each performance.

For information on parking please visit https://www.basshall.com/plan-your-visit/parking/

AMATEUR COMPETITION LINKS
ABOUT   I  TICKETS  I  APPLICATION AND RULES  I  JURY  I  ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS

Semifinal Round Concert 2

5 of 20 competitors performing 28-minute recitals of repertoire of their choosing.
Seating for this event is general admission.

The Amateur Competition highlights the importance of music-making in everyday life, bringing together the world’s best non-professional pianists age 35 and older for seven days of performances, symposia, and social events. All rounds of competition are open to the public, as are many of the festival events. We hope you’ll join us and get swept up in this truly inspiring, international event, where everyday people become stars of the stage

GENERAL CONCERT INFORMATION

Patrons must be 8 years of age or older to attend Amateur Competition Performances.

For questions about ticketing please contact the Bass Hall Box Office at 817.212.4280.

There will be no late seating during any recital. Latecomers will be seated between performers. Audience members are encouraged to remain in their seats until the conclusion of each performance.

For information on parking please visit https://www.basshall.com/plan-your-visit/parking/

AMATEUR COMPETITION LINKS
ABOUT   I  TICKETS  I  APPLICATION AND RULES  I  JURY  I  ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS

Semifinal Round Concert 1

5 of 20 competitors performing 28-minute recitals of repertoire of their choosing.
Seating for this event is general admission.

The Amateur Competition highlights the importance of music-making in everyday life, bringing together the world’s best non-professional pianists age 35 and older for seven days of performances, symposia, and social events. All rounds of competition are open to the public, as are many of the festival events. We hope you’ll join us and get swept up in this truly inspiring, international event, where everyday people become stars of the stage

GENERAL CONCERT INFORMATION

Patrons must be 8 years of age or older to attend Amateur Competition Performances.

For questions about ticketing please contact the Bass Hall Box Office at 817.212.4280.

There will be no late seating during any recital. Latecomers will be seated between performers. Audience members are encouraged to remain in their seats until the conclusion of each performance.

For information on parking please visit https://www.basshall.com/plan-your-visit/parking/

AMATEUR COMPETITION LINKS
ABOUT   I  TICKETS  I  APPLICATION AND RULES  I  JURY  I  ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS

Yukine Kuroki – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Concerto

YUKINE KUROKI
Japan  |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
accompanied by Evan Mitchell

Yukine Kuroki has performed with the Astana State Philharmonic, Tatarstan National Symphony, Lithuanian National Symphony, and Polish Silesian Philharmonic Orchestras. She has appeared at the International Music Festival “Stars on Baikal” in Irkusk, Russia at the invitation of Denis Matsuev, as well as the Vilnius Piano Festival and in recitals throughout her native Japan. Competition credits include top prizes at the International Balys Dvarionas, Hanoi International Piano, and International Festival “Astana Piano Passion” Competitions. Yukine studies with Fumiko Eguchi at the Showa Music University Piano Art Academy since 2008. She delights in spreading joy through music, and her hobbies include calligraphy and monochrome drawing.

Evelyn Mo – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Concerto

EVELYN MO
United States |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op. 11
accompanied by Natsuko Ejiri

Evelyn Mo made her orchestra debut at age 13 with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, and has since performed with the Orchestra of Northern New York, Camerata New York, and Shenandoah University Symphonic Orchestra. Currently under the guidance of John O’Conor, she has previously studied with Thomas Mastroianni, and attended the Lee University and Southeastern Piano Festivals and the International Institute for Young Musicians. In addition to piano, Evelyn plays the violin and is active at her school as member of the yearbook staff, writer for the newspaper, and coordinator for Tomorrow’s Women in Science and Technology.

Alim Beisembayev – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Concerto

ALIM BEISEMBAYEV
Kazahkstan  |  Age 17

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, op. 23
accompanied by Evan Mitchell

Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Alim Beisembayev has given recitals in London, Moscow, and Sacile (Italy), and performed with the Svetlanov Orchestra of Moscow, New Russia Orchestra, and the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, working with conductors Mark Gorenstein, Evgeny Bushkov, and Dmitry Liss. Competition credits include third prize at the 2014 International Liszt Competition for Young Pianists in Weimar and first prize in the 2008 International Televised Competition for Young Musicians “Nutcracker” in Moscow. Alim began piano lessons at age 5, and moved to the United Kingdom in 2010 to attend the Purcell School for Young Musicians, first studying with Rustem Hayroudinoff and now with Tessa Nicholson. In his spare time, he pursues ballroom dancing, acting, and learning languages.

Wei Luo– Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Concerto

WEI LUO
China  |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, op. 1
accompanied by Natsuko Ejiri

Born in Shenzhen, Wei Luo began piano lessons at age 5, and gave her debut recital in Hong Kong at age 6. Winner of the 11th Chopin International Competition for Young Pianists in Poland (2010) and the 2nd Rachmaninov International Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Frankfurt (2010), she made her orchestra debut with the Shanghai Philharmonic in 2010 after winning its concerto competition. After studying at the Music Middle School Affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory, Wei moved to Philadelphia in 2012 to learn from Gary Graffman and Robert McDonald at The Curtis Institute of Music, where she was selected in her second year as the only pianist in the annual Dean’s Honors Recital. She also has lessons from Eleanor Wong and has taken master classes with Leon Fleisher, Richard Goode, Seymour Lipkin, Abbey Simon, and Nelita True.

Youlan Ji – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Concerto

YOULAN JI
China |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, op. 21
accompanied by Evan Mitchell

Born in Beijing, Youlan Ji moved to New York in 2012 to attend The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division, where she studies with Yoheved Kaplinsky. She has won first prizes at the United States Open Music Competition (2011), Third International Rosario Marciano Piano Competition (2011), and Xinghai Cup Piano Competition (2008). She has been featured in recitals in Beijing, Shanghai, and New York, and performed the Beethoven Second Concerto with Juilliard’s Pre-College Orchestra as winner of its concerto competition. In her spare time, Youlan enjoys watching movies and swimming.

Arsenii Mun – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Concerto

ARSENII MUN
Russia  |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
GRIEG Piano Concerto in A Minor, op. 16
accompanied by Natsuko Ejiri

Born in St. Petersburg, Arsenii Mun began studying music at age 6 and entered the Special Musical School-Lyceum of the State Conservatory in 2010. He gave his recital debut in 2012, and has since performed throughout Russia and with the St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony, Tchaikovsky Symphony, and Tallin Chamber Orchestras. He has won prizes in the 2011 Horowitz International Piano Competition, 2012 International Televised Competition for Young Musicians “Nutcracker” in Moscow, and the 2014 Yamaha Music Award. Also interested in chamber music, Arsenii has attended the Musica Mundi festival in Belgium—where he received feedback from Daniel Barenboim, Maxim Vengerov, and Itamar Golan—the Peter de Grote Festival in the Netherlands, and the Salzburg International Summer Academy.

Evelyn Mo – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Recital

EVELYN MO
United States |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
MENDELSSOHN Variations sérieuses, op. 54
CHOPIN Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52
LIEBERMANN Gargoyles, op. 29: I. Presto
LISZT Concert Paraphrase on Waltz from Gounod’s Faust

Evelyn Mo made her orchestra debut at age 13 with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, and has since performed with the Orchestra of Northern New York, Camerata New York, and Shenandoah University Symphonic Orchestra. Currently under the guidance of John O’Conor, she has previously studied with Thomas Mastroianni, and attended the Lee University and Southeastern Piano Festivals and the International Institute for Young Musicians. In addition to piano, Evelyn plays the violin and is active at her school as member of the yearbook staff, writer for the newspaper, and coordinator for Tomorrow’s Women in Science and Technology.

Youlan Ji – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Recital

YOULAN JI
China |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
BACH Overture in the French Style, BWV 831
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp Major, op. 78
CHOPIN Rondo in E-flat Major, op. 16
CARTER “Caténaires” from Two Thoughts about the Piano

Born in Beijing, Youlan Ji moved to New York in 2012 to attend The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division, where she studies with Yoheved Kaplinsky. She has won first prizes at the United States Open Music Competition (2011), Third International Rosario Marciano Piano Competition (2011), and Xinghai Cup Piano Competition (2008). She has been featured in recitals in Beijing, Shanghai, and New York, and performed the Beethoven Second Concerto with Juilliard’s Pre-College Orchestra as winner of its concerto competition. In her spare time, Youlan enjoys watching movies and swimming.

Yukine Kuroki – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Recital

YUKINE KUROKI
Japan  |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
LISZT, Transcendental Etude No. 11 “Harmonies du soir”
SAINT-SAENS-LISZT Danse macabre, op. 40
TOKUYAMA Musica Nara for Piano
LIERBERMANN Gargoyles, op. 29

Yukine Kuroki has performed with the Astana State Philharmonic, Tatarstan National Symphony, Lithuanian National Symphony, and Polish Silesian Philharmonic Orchestras. She has appeared at the International Music Festival “Stars on Baikal” in Irkusk, Russia at the invitation of Denis Matsuev, as well as the Vilnius Piano Festival and in recitals throughout her native Japan. Competition credits include top prizes at the International Balys Dvarionas, Hanoi International Piano, and International Festival “Astana Piano Passion” Competitions. Yukine studies with Fumiko Eguchi at the Showa Music University Piano Art Academy since 2008. She delights in spreading joy through music, and her hobbies include calligraphy and monochrome drawing.

Arsenii Mun – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Recital

ARSENII MUN
Russia  |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
BEETHOVEN 32 Variations in C Minor, WoO 80
SCHUBERT Moment musicaux in C Major, D. 780, no. 1
DEBUSSY Pour le piano
SHCHEDRIN Rodion, Humoresque
LISZT “Tarantella” from Venezia e Napoli

Born in St. Petersburg, Arsenii Mun began studying music at age 6 and entered the Special Musical School-Lyceum of the State Conservatory in 2010. He gave his recital debut in 2012, and has since performed throughout Russia and with the St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony, Tchaikovsky Symphony, and Tallin Chamber Orchestras. He has won prizes in the 2011 Horowitz International Piano Competition, 2012 International Televised Competition for Young Musicians “Nutcracker” in Moscow, and the 2014 Yamaha Music Award. Also interested in chamber music, Arsenii has attended the Musica Mundi festival in Belgium—where he received feedback from Daniel Barenboim, Maxim Vengerov, and Itamar Golan—the Peter de Grote Festival in the Netherlands, and the Salzburg International Summer Academy.

Wei Luo– Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Recital

WEI LUO
China  |  Age 16

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
SHOSTAKOVICH Prelude and Fugue in A-flat Major, op. 87, no. 17
BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Paganini, op. 35, Books I and II
RAVEL La valse

Born in Shenzhen, Wei Luo began piano lessons at age 5, and gave her debut recital in Hong Kong at age 6. Winner of the 11th Chopin International Competition for Young Pianists in Poland (2010) and the 2nd Rachmaninov International Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Frankfurt (2010), she made her orchestra debut with the Shanghai Philharmonic in 2010 after winning its concerto competition. After studying at the Music Middle School Affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory, Wei moved to Philadelphia in 2012 to learn from Gary Graffman and Robert McDonald at The Curtis Institute of Music, where she was selected in her second year as the only pianist in the annual Dean’s Honors Recital. She also has lessons from Eleanor Wong and has taken master classes with Leon Fleisher, Richard Goode, Seymour Lipkin, Abbey Simon, and Nelita True.

Alim Beisembayev – Cliburn Junior 2015 Semifinal Round Recital

ALIM BEISEMBAYEV
Kazahkstan  |  Age 17

2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival
June 21–28, 2015  I  TCU
Fort Worth, TX, USA

Program:
CHOPIN Fantasie in F Minor, op. 49
LIGETI Etude No. 10 “Der Zauberlehrling”
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, op. 83

Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Alim Beisembayev has given recitals in London, Moscow, and Sacile (Italy), and performed with the Svetlanov Orchestra of Moscow, New Russia Orchestra, and the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, working with conductors Mark Gorenstein, Evgeny Bushkov, and Dmitry Liss. Competition credits include third prize at the 2014 International Liszt Competition for Young Pianists in Weimar and first prize in the 2008 International Televised Competition for Young Musicians “Nutcracker” in Moscow. Alim began piano lessons at age 5, and moved to the United Kingdom in 2010 to attend the Purcell School for Young Musicians, first studying with Rustem Hayroudinoff and now with Tessa Nicholson. In his spare time, he pursues ballroom dancing, acting, and learning languages.

Michael Slavin– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

MICHAEL SLAVIN, M.D., 65
Ophthalmologist
Manhasset, New York
United States

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Music has been a part of Michael Slavin’s life since he was 5, and at age 9, he attended The Juilliard School of Music’s preparatory division. When he was 11, he performed the Mozart Piano Concerto in D Major (“The Coronation”) with the Little Orchestra Society at Lincoln Center. He spent his undergraduate years at Cooper Union in New York, where he received a bachelor’s degree in physics, after which he attended medical school, and for the past 25 years, he has practiced ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology in Long Island. Following his retirement from medicine, Dr. Slavin has made time again for the piano. He was awarded first prize at the Chicago International Amateur Piano Concerto Competition in 2012, won the 12th Washington International Piano Artist’s Competition in 2014, and last year, he won first prize at both the Paris International Piano Competition for Amateurs and the Chopin International Amateur Piano Competition. Dr. Slavin is an avid reader, bridge player, and sports lover.

Program:
RAVEL, Le Tombeau de Couperin, op. 68

Gregory Knight– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

GREGORY KNIGHT, 53
Software engineer
Morganton, North Carolina
United States

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Gregory Knight started playing piano at age 4, under his mother’s guidance. Formal instruction began seven years later, at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina, where he went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in piano performance. While in school, he participated in a master class with Guido Agosti in 1981, and placed first in the Gardner-Webb College Concerto Competition one year later. Following graduation, Mr. Knight went on to pursue a career in software engineering, yet continued to take master classes and hone his musical hobby. He looks to the Amateur Competition as a means to test his aptitude: “It gives me not only a reason to learn new, challenging repertoire, but also an opportunity to perform it for people who truly understand and appreciate piano literature.” The motorcycle buff is a father of four and grandfather of three, and has been married 18 years to his wife, Cathy.

Program:
CHOPIN, Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 35

Ken Iisaka– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

KEN IISAKA, 47
Software engineer
Foster City, California
Japan/Canada

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Ken Iisaka, a Cliburn Amateur finalist in 2007 and 2011, says his previous participation was during “the most tumultuous time of my life.” But he views competing as a necessary vehicle for his musical improvement, and for his soul. Born in Tokyo, he immigrated to Canada with his family and took private lessons while studying computer science at the University of Ottawa. In recent years, he has appeared at Fullerton College Piano Ensemble Festival (2014) and at the Newport Music Festival (2015). Most recently, he performed in an ensemble concert in Tokyo with his partner, Yvonne Liu, whom he met at the Amateur Competition in 2011. Currently, he is a lead engineer for a software company whose clients are advertisers and publishers, in Sunnyvale, California. Mr. Iisaka enjoys writing concert reviews, photography, cooking, and wines from Northern California.

Program:
BEETHOVEN, Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, op. 111

Xavier Aymonod– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

XAVIER AYMONOD, 40
Strategy consultant
Paris, France
France

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Xavier Aymonod began his music studies at Aix-en-Provence Conservatory of Music, under the guidance of Monique Oberdoerffer and Michel Bourdoncle, and then went on to study science and technology at the prestigious École Polytechnique, outside Paris. He was a laureate of the International Competition for Outstanding Piano Amateurs from 1998–2000 in Paris, and in 2000, he was a semifinalist at “Piano20ème siècle” in Orléans. Mr. Aymonod has participated in master classes with William Aide, Jean-François Heisser, and Eric Heidsieck. Currently a principal at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, his work involves advising transportation companies on strategic issues. In his free time, Mr. Aymonod enjoys playing with his children (ages 4 and 5), traveling, running, golfing, and indulging in fine wine.

Program:
BRAHMS, Rhapsody in G Minor, op. 79, no. 2
ROQUE ALSINA, Etudes Nos. 2 and 3 from Klaverstücke No. 7
LISZT, Mephisto Waltz No. 1

Lana C. Marina– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

LANA C. MARINA, 47
Stay-at-home mother
New York, New York
United States

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Lana C. Marina spent her childhood practicing the piano, under the assumption she would become a pianist. When she was 14, she won the Van Cliburn scholarship to the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan, where she met Mr. Cliburn at a ceremony: “He complimented my playing and, memorably, kissed my hand.” But an accident—in which she slipped on ice and broke her left wrist—during her junior year at Northwestern University sidelined her budding career, and Ms. Marina decided to pursue a law degree at Cornell Law School. For 20 years, she worked as a trademark lawyer until she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which forced her to take a step back. In participating at the Amateur Competition, Ms. Marina hopes to achieve her personal best and to be a role model for her 9-year-old daughter, Sydney, showing her that one can accomplish dreams in the face of obstacles.

Program:
BRAHMS, Etude No. 5 (for left hand) after J.S. Bach’s Chaconne in D Minor, BWV 1016
SCHULZ-EVLER, Concert Arabesques on Motifs by Johann Strauss (“By the Beautiful Danube”)

Yasuo Kurimoto– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

YASUO KURIMOTO, M.D., 55
Ophthalmologist
Kobe, Japan
Japan

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Dr. Yasuo Kurimoto says he has wanted to participate in the Cliburn Amateur Competition for 10 years, and his interest in the competition’s namesake goes back further: “Van Cliburn has been my hero since I was a child.” He took private piano lessons, but pursued medicine as a career, receiving his medical degree in 1986, and a Ph.D. in 1995 from Kyoto University. Currently, he is the director of the department of ophthalmology at Kobe City General Hospital. Dr. Kurimoto has found success competing in amateur contests around the world. In 2001, he was a semifinalist in the first Boston International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs; a semifinalist in 2002 at the Paris Concours des Grands Amateurs de Piano; first-prize winner at the 14th Osaka International Music Competition and first-prize winner at the International (Tokyo) Amateur Piano Competition in 2014. An opera buff who also enjoys skiing and wine, he looks forward to meeting piano-lovers from around the world in Fort Worth.

Program:
SCHUMANN, Kreisleriana, op.16

Sean Sutherland– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

SEAN SUTHERLAND, 39
Entrepreneur/lecturer
Montréal, Québec
St. Vincent and The Grenadines/Canada

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Born in St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Sean Sutherland serendipitously discovered the piano as a child and was instantly enamored. His opportunities for pursuing his studies were limited on St. Vincent, however, so he resumed his studies upon his arrival at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while earning bachelor’s degree in music, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science; he went on to receive an MBA from McGill University in Montreal. Since graduating, he has founded a niche tutorial service and lectures at McGill University as an adjunct professor of international finance and information systems. Mr. Sutherland is keenly interested in “exploring opportunities for leveraging technology to promote learning” and is passionate about adapting classical music for the steelpan (drum).

Program:
CHOPIN, Preludes, op. 28, nos. 13-18, 20-24
GERSHWIN-SAY, Summertime Variations

Gorden Cheng– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

GORDEN CHENG, 35
Systems engineer
San Diego, California
United States

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

An information technology and network security executive, Gorden Cheng received a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2003 from the University of Texas at Dallas, and worked at two Dallas-area computer companies until 2004 before relocating to Southern California. He has taken private piano lessons for years, and the practice has netted results: From 2011–2015, he placed in amateur competitions in Paris (2011), Chicago (2012), Colorado Springs (2012), Warsaw (2012), Washington, D.C. (2012), and Boston (2015). Currently head of technology operations for eMolecules, Inc., Mr. Cheng calls himself a computer nerd and Internet plumber. He enjoys spending time with his wife and children and is a huge fan of FC Barcelona and the UFC.

Program:
PROKOFIEV, “Young Juliet;” “Mercutio;” and “Montagues and Capulets” from Romeo and Juliet, op. 75
STRAVINSKY, Trois Mouvements de Petrouchka

Deirbhile Brennan– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

DEIRBHILE BRENNAN, 46
Accountant
Dublin, Ireland
Ireland

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

At age 5, Deirbhile Brennan began her piano studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and later studied with Frank Heneghan at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama for 10 years, winning many prizes and awards. Ms. Brennan holds a degree in music from Trinity College Dublin after which she took a lengthy break that included forging a career as an accountant; she currently works as senior operations manager at the National Treasury Management Agency. Ms. Brennan returned to the piano in 2009 studying with Dr. Hugh Tinney. She has won a number of awards at piano competitions including in the United Kingdom (finalist 2012), Ile De France, Paris (first prize 2012), and Chicago (first prize 2014). She performs regularly; but notably in 2014, she performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, and last year she performed at the Les Amateurs Piano Festival in Morocco. The mother of four children ages 8 to 16, she enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as attending concerts and plays.

Program:
MOZART, Variations on “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman,” K. 265 (300e)
SCHUBERT, Impromptu in A-flat Major, op. 142, no. 2
CHOPIN, Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52

Jeanne Backofen Craig– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Semifinal Round Recital

JEANNE BACKOFEN CRAIG, 46
Homemaker/part-time minister of music and liturgy
Forest, Virginia
United States

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Piano studies and competitions took up most of Jeanne Backofen Craig’s childhood, but after graduating from Virginia Tech, she stopped performing. In the ensuing 20 years, Ms. Craig stayed home with her three children while pursuing cooking, sewing, gardening, and home-improvement projects. At the encouragement of her husband and now-teenage children, Ms. Craig started to play again, and when she learned about amateur competitions, she says she was inspired to “dig out my old music and see if I could still play those pieces.” A self-taught webmaster, she designed and maintains websites for the Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra as well as her church, where she is a part-time minister of music and liturgy. In her spare time, Ms. Craig enjoys long-distance running, and she qualified and ran in the 2011 Boston Marathon.

Program:
BRAHMS, Intermezzo in A Major, op. 118, no. 2
LISZT, “Vallée d’Obermann” from Années de Pèlerinage
LISZT, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11 in A Minor

Matthias Fischer– Cliburn Amateur 2016 Quarterfinal Round Recital

MATTHIAS FISCHER, 42
Physician
Würzburg, Germany
Germany

2016 Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition
Semifinal Round – Thursday, June 23, 2016
Van Cliburn Recital Hall
Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Born in 1973, in Bad Kissingen, Germany, Matthias Fischer received his first piano lessons from his parents at age 5. Throughout his childhood, he won prizes in the German youth competition, Jugend Musiziert, and briefly studied the piano at Munich Musikhochschule with Karl-Hermann Mrongovius from 1993–1994. One year later, he began his career in medicine as a student at the University of Würzburg. He finished his medical thesis in 2000 and pursued an M.D./Ph.D. thesis on mental retardation. Since 2007, he has been an assistant doctor and researcher at the university hospital for psychiatry in Würzburg. Throughout his work in medicine, however, Dr. Fischer continued to hone his piano skills. In 1996, he placed second at the first amateur competition in which he participated, in Utrecht, Netherlands, and he looks forward to this Competition and the possibility of playing with an orchestra.

Program:
SCHUMANN, Davidsbündlertänze, op. 6

Shuan Hern Lee – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Concerto

Shuan Hern Lee
Australia  | Age 16

Semifinal Round Concerto – Thursday, June 6, 2019 – 9:14 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
RACHMANINOV Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, op. 30 (I)

Australian pianist Shuan Hern Lee has performed across his country and Europe, and in the United States, China, Russia, and Indonesia, including appearances with the Minnesota, Moscow State, Ukraine, Armenia, Western Australia, and Jakarta Symphony Orchestras. He has been with his teacher, Yoon Sen Lee, for 14 years—since he was 2½ years old. He currently studies at the University of Western Australia, and also with Ingrid Fliter at the International Piano Academy Incontri Col Maestro in Imola, Italy. Among his many accolades are 11 first-place finishes at international piano competitions around the world. In his time away from the piano, he likes playing table tennis and with nerf guns, writing poetry, and studying philosophy.

“I believe that classical music and art will be one of the most important subjects in life for centuries to come. Technology is advancing at a terrifying and amazing speed, but no matter how advanced AI or robotics will turn out to be, music can never be substituted.”

J J Jun Li Bui – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Concerto

J J Jun Li Bui
Canada  | Age 14

Semifinal Round Concerto – Thursday, June 6, 2019 – 8:59 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
RACHMANINOV Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, op. 1 (I)

Toronto-native J J Jun Li Bui won his first piano competition on the day he turned 7, which cemented his commitment to music: he went on to prizes in several Canadian contests, as well as the Hanoi (Vietnam), Aarhus (Denmark), and Midwest (United States) International Piano Competitions. Currently in his third year of full scholarship at The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists at The Royal Conservatory Toronto under Michael Berkovsky, he also studies privately with Dang Thai Son. He has performed in recital across Canada, and with orchestras, including the China Guiyang Symphony, Greater Toronto Philharmonic, and Oakville Chamber. In his time away from the piano, J J enjoys cycling, reading, and table tennis.

“I feel that learning music is like a journey that never ends. A journey that is so wonderful and rewarding.”

Chun Lam U – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Concerto

Chun Lam U
Hong Kong  | Age 16

Semifinal Round Concerto – Thursday, June 6, 2019 – 8:37 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
CHOPIN Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op. 11 (I)

Chun Lam U’s competition credits include first-prize finishes in the Chopin International Piano Competition Asia, Japan Hamamatsu PIARA International Piano Competition, and Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition, as well as second-place prizes at the Hanoi International Piano Competition, Shenzhen Piano Open Competition, and Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Artists. He has performed in his native Hong Kong, with the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Virtus String Quartet; in Vietnam with the VNAM Symphony Orchestra; and in China, with the Salzburg Chamber Soloists, with which he made his concerto debut in 2017. A student of Rizzo Chung at the GMC Music Academy, Chun Lam also enjoys playing basketball and solving math problems.

“One of the reasons I truly love music is because I feel a sense of belonging when I play the piano, and this allows me to freely showcase my personality without fear.”

Eva Gevorgyan – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Concerto

Eva Gevorgyan
Russia/Armenia  | Age 15

Semifinal Round Concerto – Thursday, June 6, 2019 – 8:04 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
RACHMANINOV Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43 (Variations 13-24)

Eva Gevorgyan has received prizes in more than 40 international competitions for piano and composition—in the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Estonia, Malta, Kazakhstan, Poland, Czech Republic, Georgia, Russia, and Serbia. Born and raised in Moscow, she has studied with Natalia Trull at the Central Music School of the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky State Conservatory, and has performed across Russia, Europe (including a Royal Albert Hall debut in April), and in the United States. She also receives a scholarship from the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein and participates regularly in its intensive music weeks and activities. In 2017, Eva performed in front of Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and she has taken part in a national television show for young talent, advancing to the final as the only pianist. Last year, she appeared on live television with Russian President Vladimir Putin and asked him about education reform. She likes composing, growing exotic plants, jogging, and playing table tennis.

“When I play, I hope people can hear words which I would never say in my real life. Being on stage at the Cliburn Junior Competition will charge me with energy and love for a long time forward.”

JiWon Yang – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Concerto

JiWon Yang
South Korea  | Age 17

Semifinal Round Concerto – Thursday, June 6, 2019 – 7:42 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
TCHAIKOVSKY Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, op. 23 (I)

JiWon Yang made her recital debut in Seoul at age 9 and her concerto debut in Kazakhstan at 13. Among her competition accolades are several in her home country, as well as wins at the Zhuhai Mozart Competition in China, Astana Piano Passion Kazakhstan, and Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Pianists. She has participated in Russia’s International Music Festival “Stars on the Baikal,” as well as the St. Paul University Piano Festival. Notable performances include with the Salzburg Chamber Soloists and at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and Philippines Chopin Society. A current student of HyoungJoon Chang, JiWon counts traveling and flute performance among her interests outside of piano.

“Music gives me the feeling of joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, and many different emotions. Also, music helps people to communicate with each other with our hearts.”

Avery Gagliano – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Concerto

Avery Gagliano
United States  | Age 17

Semifinal Round Concerto – Thursday, June 6, 2019 – 7:30 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
RACHMANINOV Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, op. 18 (I)

Avery Gagliano cannot remember a time that music wasn’t a part of her life; it has always been her “most natural form of expression.” At age 9, she made her Carnegie Hall debut and her orchestral debut at the Strathmore Concert Hall. The following year she appeared on the NPR’s “From the Top” and made her solo recital debut. Currently in her third year at the Curtis Institute of Music studying with Jonathan Biss and Gary Graffman, she has taken first prize at the Aspen Music Concerto, MostArts Festival Piano, and Chopin International Piano (Hartford) Competitions, was young scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, and is a 2019 National YoungArts winner in music. As a soloist and an avid chamber musician, the Washington, D.C.-native has performed in major concert venues in her hometown, as well as across the United States, and in Paris, Oxford, Munich, and Perugia in Europe. During her free time, Avery writes pop songs, and loves to sing, read, and play ultimate frisbee.

“This competition will provide me a chance to internalize music in a way that elevates it to a higher level of artistry and make it possible for me to successfully convey my ideas to audiences.”

Shuan Hern Lee – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Recital

Shuan Hern Lee
Australia | Age 16

Semifinal Round Recital – Wednesday, June 5, 2019 – 9:12 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’hommè armé”
CHOPIN Nocturne in C Minor, op. 48, no. 1
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, op. 83
BALAKIREV Islamey (Oriental Fantasy)

Australian pianist Shuan Hern Lee has performed across his country and Europe, and in the United States, China, Russia, and Indonesia, including appearances with the Minnesota, Moscow State, Ukraine, Armenia, Western Australia, and Jakarta Symphony Orchestras. He has been with his teacher, Yoon Sen Lee, for 14 years—since he was 2½ years old. He currently studies at the University of Western Australia, and also with Ingrid Fliter at the International Piano Academy Incontri Col Maestro in Imola, Italy. Among his many accolades are 11 first-place finishes at international piano competitions around the world. In his time away from the piano, he likes playing table tennis and with nerf guns, writing poetry, and studying philosophy.

“I believe that classical music and art will be one of the most important subjects in life for centuries to come. Technology is advancing at a terrifying and amazing speed, but no matter how advanced AI or robotics will turn out to be, music can never be substituted.”

J J Jun Li Bui – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Recital

J J Jun Li Bui
Canada | Age 14

Semifinal Round Recital – Wednesday, June 5, 2019 – 8:12 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
HAMELIN Toccata on “L’homme armé”
CHOPIN Etude in G-sharp Minor, op. 25, no. 6
CHOPIN Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52
TCHAIKOVSKY-PLETNEV Concert Suite from The Nutcracker

Toronto-native J J Jun Li Bui won his first piano competition on the day he turned 7, which cemented his commitment to music: he went on to prizes in several Canadian contests, as well as the Hanoi (Vietnam), Aarhus (Denmark), and Midwest (United States) International Piano Competitions. Currently in his third year of full scholarship at The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists at The Royal Conservatory Toronto under Michael Berkovsky, he also studies privately with Dang Thai Son. He has performed in recital across Canada, and with orchestras, including the China Guiyang Symphony, Greater Toronto Philharmonic, and Oakville Chamber. In his time away from the piano, J J enjoys cycling, reading, and table tennis.

“I feel that learning music is like a journey that never ends. A journey that is so wonderful and rewarding.”

Chun Lam U – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Recital

Chun Lam U
Hong Kong | Age 16

Semifinal Round Recital – Wednesday, June 5, 2019 – 7:30 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, op. 31, no. 3
CHOPIN Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, op. 60
FRANK Nocturno Nazqueño

Chun Lam U’s competition credits include first-prize finishes in the Chopin International Piano Competition Asia, Japan Hamamatsu PIARA International Piano Competition, and Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition, as well as second-place prizes at the Hanoi International Piano Competition, Shenzhen Piano Open Competition, and Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Artists. He has performed in his native Hong Kong, with the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Virtus String Quartet; in Vietnam with the VNAM Symphony Orchestra; and in China, with the Salzburg Chamber Soloists, with which he made his concerto debut in 2017. A student of Rizzo Chung at the GMC Music Academy, Chun Lam also enjoys playing basketball and solving math problems.

“One of the reasons I truly love music is because I feel a sense of belonging when I play the piano, and this allows me to freely showcase my personality without fear.”

Eva Gevorgyan – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Recital

Eva Gevorgyan
Russia/Armenia  | Age 15

Semifinal Round Recital – Wednesday, June 5, 2019 – 4:12 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
SCHUMANN Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, op. 22
BOLCOM Butterflies, hummingbirds from Twelve New Etudes, Book II
HINDEMITH Suite ‘1922’, op. 26

Eva Gevorgyan has received prizes in more than 40 international competitions for piano and composition—in the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Estonia, Malta, Kazakhstan, Poland, Czech Republic, Georgia, Russia, and Serbia. Born and raised in Moscow, she has studied with Natalia Trull at the Central Music School of the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky State Conservatory, and has performed across Russia, Europe (including a Royal Albert Hall debut in April), and in the United States. She also receives a scholarship from the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein and participates regularly in its intensive music weeks and activities. In 2017, Eva performed in front of Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and she has taken part in a national television show for young talent, advancing to the final as the only pianist. Last year, she appeared on live television with Russian President Vladimir Putin and asked him about education reform. She likes composing, growing exotic plants, jogging, and playing table tennis.

“When I play, I hope people can hear words which I would never say in my real life. Being on stage at the Cliburn Junior Competition will charge me with energy and love for a long time forward.”

JiWon Yang – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Recital

JiWon Yang
South Korea  | Age 17

Semifinal Round Recital – Wednesday, June 5, 2019 – 3:12 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
LIEBERMANN Gargoyles, op. 29
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition

JiWon Yang made her recital debut in Seoul at age 9 and her concerto debut in Kazakhstan at 13. Among her competition accolades are several in her home country, as well as wins at the Zhuhai Mozart Competition in China, Astana Piano Passion Kazakhstan, and Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Pianists. She has participated in Russia’s International Music Festival “Stars on the Baikal,” as well as the St. Paul University Piano Festival. Notable performances include with the Salzburg Chamber Soloists and at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and Philippines Chopin Society. A current student of HyoungJoon Chang, JiWon counts traveling and flute performance among her interests outside of piano.

“Music gives me the feeling of joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, and many different emotions. Also, music helps people to communicate with each other with our hearts.”

Avery Gagliano – Cliburn Junior 2019 Semifinal Round Recital

Avery Gagliano
United States  | Age 17

Semifinal Round Recital – Wednesday, June 5, 2019 – 2:30 p.m. CDT
Caruth Auditorium, SMU  I  Dallas, Texas, USA

Program:
ADÉS Mazurkas for Piano, op. 27, nos. 1 & 2
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition

Avery Gagliano cannot remember a time that music wasn’t a part of her life; it has always been her “most natural form of expression.” At age 9, she made her Carnegie Hall debut and her orchestral debut at the Strathmore Concert Hall. The following year she appeared on the NPR’s “From the Top” and made her solo recital debut. Currently in her third year at the Curtis Institute of Music studying with Jonathan Biss and Gary Graffman, she has taken first prize at the Aspen Music Concerto, MostArts Festival Piano, and Chopin International Piano (Hartford) Competitions, was young scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, and is a 2019 National YoungArts winner in music. As a soloist and an avid chamber musician, the Washington, D.C.-native has performed in major concert venues in her hometown, as well as across the United States, and in Paris, Oxford, Munich, and Perugia in Europe. During her free time, Avery writes pop songs, and loves to sing, read, and play ultimate frisbee.

“This competition will provide me a chance to internalize music in a way that elevates it to a higher level of artistry and make it possible for me to successfully convey my ideas to audiences.”

Cliburn Junior Competition Semifinal Round Performance 1

Semifinal Round- (Phase I) 3 of 6 pianists, each performing a 40-minute recital to include a work by a living composer and a substantial work of at least 18 minutes in length.

2:30 p.m. —Avery Gagliano, United States, 17
3:12 p.m. —JiWon Yang, South Korea, 17
4:12 p.m. —Eva Gevorgyan, Russia/Armenia, 15
NOTE: PATRONS MUST BE 8 YEARS OR OLDER TO ATTEND JUNIOR COMPETITION PERFORMANCES.
Paid parking is available in the Moody and Binkley Parking Centers visit smu.edu/parking for more details

Cliburn Junior Competition Semifinal Round Performance 2

Semifinal Round- (Phase 1) 3 of 6 pianists, each performing a 40-minute recital to include a work by a living composer and a substantial work of at least 18 minutes in length.

7:30 p.m. CDT—Chun Lam U, Hong Kong, 16
8:12 p.m. CDT—J J Jun Li Bui, Canada, 14
9:12 p.m. CDT—Shuan Hern Lee, Australia, 16
NOTE: PATRONS MUST BE 8 YEARS OR OLDER TO ATTEND JUNIOR COMPETITION PERFORMANCES.
Paid parking is available in the Moody and Binkley Parking Centers visit smu.edu/parking for more details

Cliburn Junior Competition Semifinal Round Performance 3

Semifinal Round- (Phase 2) 6 pianists, each performing one concerto movement with piano accompaniment.

1. Avery Gagliano, United States, 17—RACHMANINOV Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, op. 18 (I)
2. JiWon Yang, South Korea, 17—TCHAIKOVSKY Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, op. 23 (I)
3. Eva Gevorgyan, Russia/Armenia, 15—RACHMANINOV Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43 (Variations 13-24)
Intermission
4. Chun Lam U, Hong Kong, 16—CHOPIN Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, op. 11 (I)
5.  J J Jun Li Bui, Canada, 14—RACHMANINOV Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, op. 1 (I)
6. Shuan Hern Lee, Australia, 16—RACHMANINOV Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, op. 30 (I)
NOTE: PATRONS MUST BE 8 YEARS OR OLDER TO ATTEND JUNIOR COMPETITION PERFORMANCES.
Paid parking is available in the Moody and Binkley Parking Centers visit smu.edu/parking for more details

Beatrice Rana- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

BEATRICE RANA
2013 Silver Medalist
Italy | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 44

Born into a family of musicians, Beatrice Rana began musical studies at the age of four and made her concerto debut when she was nine. She has been invited to perform at the Busoni, La Folle Journée, La Roque d’Antherón, Lanaudière, and Radio-France Festivals, and as soloist with the Aarhus Symfoniorkester, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Kuala Lumpur Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia, and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. First prize winner of the 2011 Montreal International Musical Competition, Ms. Rana also took first prize at the Muzio Clementi and Bang & Olufsen Piano Competitions. She released her first CD in 2012 of works by Scriabin and Chopin on ATMA Classique. She currently studies at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, having previously graduated from the Nino Rota Conservatory of Music.

Nikolay Khozyainov- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

NIKOLAY KHOZYAINOV
Russia | Age 20

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 44

Nikolay Khozyainov made his debut at age seven in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He has since garnered numerous prizes, including top prizes at the Dublin and Sydney International Piano Competitions and the Moscow International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition for Young Pianists. Additionally, he was the youngest finalist competing in the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2010. He has appeared with the Sydney Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestras, among others. Mr. Khozyainov released his first CD, featuring works by Chopin and Liszt, on the Accord label in 2010. He followed this in 2012 with an all-Chopin disc released by the Chopin Institute in Warsaw and another recording on the JVC Victor label in Japan. He is currently enrolled at the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Jayson Gillham- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

JAYSON GILLHAM
Australia-United Kingdom | Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 44

Jayson Gillham has performed with the United Kingdom’s Hallé Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, China’s Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra, and in major venues throughout Germany, Italy, Scotland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He plays regularly in Australia, returning each year for recital, concerto, chamber music, and festival appearances. Mr. Gillham was named Commonwealth Musician of the Year in 2012, upon winning the Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition, and received a gold medal from HRH Princess Alexandra. A graduate of Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, he relocated to London in 2007 to pursue a master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music. Mr. Gillham is also a cultural ambassador for the Hearts for Africa (Amani) Foundation.

Claire Huangci- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

CLAIRE HUANGCI
United States | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
DVORAK Piano Quintet in A Major, op. 81

Born in Rochester, New York, Claire Huangci has made debuts with the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, and with various other orchestras across Europe and the United States. She has appeared in recital as part of the Ravinia, Verbier, International Keyboard Institute, and Kissinger Summer Festivals, and at the Salle Cortot in Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York, Bonn Beethovenhaus, and in other venues throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States. She recently recorded her first CD for Berlin Classics, which will be released in fall of 2013. Ms. Huangci graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2007 and has studied at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover since 2007.

Nikita Mndoyants- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

NIKITA MNDOYANTS
Russia | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
BRAHMS Piano Quintet in F Minor, op. 34

Born into a family of professional musicians, Nikita Mndoyants began to play piano and compose music at an early age. He gave his first public recital when he was ten, and one year later released his first recording of a live performance at the Sibelius Academy Concert Hall in Helsinki. Since then, Mr. Mndoyants has toured throughout China, Estonia, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. He has been invited to perform in several festivals, including the Chopin Festival in Duszniki-Zdroj, the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York, and a festival dedicated to the World Economic Forum in Davos. His compositions are featured on two recordings released by Classical Records in 2007. Mr. Mndoyants is currently pursuing postgraduate studies at the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where he also received a degree in piano and composition.

Tomoki Sakata- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

TOMOKI SAKATA
Japan | Age 19

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, op. 44

Born in Nagoya, Tomoki Sakata received his first piano lesson at the age of five. A prizewinner at various competitions throughout Asia and Europe, Mr. Sakata has appeared in concert in Osaka, Tokyo, and Yokohama, as well as in Geneva, Lugano, Paris, Prague, Utrecht, Vienna, and in Moscow for the twelfth International Festival “Musical Kremlin.” He has also performed as soloist with the Hamamatsu Symphony, Lubrin Philharmonic, and Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestras. Mr. Sakata currently studies at both the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and at the International Piano Academy Lake Como.

Nikita Abrosimov- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

NIKITA ABROSIMOV
Russia | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
DVORAK Piano Quintet in A Major, op. 81

Nikita Abrosimov began studying piano at the age of six and made his recital debut when he was fourteen. He has since made appearances at La Scala in Milan, Alice Tully Hall in New York, Mariinsky Concert Hall in St. Petersburg, and in venues throughout France, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, South Korea, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He has recently performed with the Nizhny Novgorod Symphony, Kostroma Symphony, and Stanford Symphony Orchestras, as well as with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev in St. Petersburg’s Stars of the White Nights Festival. Mr. Abrosimov earned degrees at the Balakirev Music College and at Indiana University South Bend. He currently lives in London, where he studies at the Royal College of Music.

Fei-Fei Dong- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

FEI-FEI DONG
China | Age 22

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
BRAHMS Piano Quintet in F Minor, op. 34

Born in Shenzhen, Fei-Fei Dong gave her first recital at age ten; this was followed three years later by her orchestral debut with the Macau Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has since made debuts in Alice Tully Hall and the Louvre Auditorium, and with the Aspen Music Festival, Hong Kong, Juilliard, Shanxi, and Shenzhen Symphony Orchestras. Ms. Dong is a first-prize winner of several competitions in China, including the Schumann International Piano Competition for Young Musicians, the Asia-Pacific International Chopin Piano Competition, and the 65th Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition. Ms. Dong currently lives in New York, where she is pursuing her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School.

Alessandro Deljavan- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

ALESSANDRO DELJAVAN
Italy | Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
DVORAK Piano Quintet in A Major, op. 81

Alessandro Deljavan began studying piano before he was two years old, and went on to win top prizes at national and international competitions as a child and teenager. He has since performed in the major cities of Italy, as well as in Argentina, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and the United States, and with the Haydn Orchester, as well as the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra. He has recorded the works of Alkan, Brahms, Busoni, Cramer, Rubinstein, Satie, Schubert, and Schumann for the Naxos, Brilliant, OnClassical, Piano Classics, and Stradivarius labels. He will also be featured alongside Evgeny Kissin, Antonio Pappano, and Charles Rosen in a film about Liszt, produced and broadcast by Italian RAI TV. An avid chamber musician, he has performed with the Sine Nomine Quartet, the Takács Quartet, and the Orchestra Sinfonica Verdi, with which he also conducted. He plays regularly with his violinist partner Daniela Cammarano as well. Mr. Deljavan makes his home in Pescara, Italy, and is currently a Theo Lieven Scholar at the Conservatory of Lugano.

Sean Chen- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

SEAN CHEN
2013 Bronze Medalist
United States | Age 24

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Chamber Recital
Bretano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
BRAHMS Piano Quintet in F Minor, op. 34

 Second-prize winner at the 2011 Seoul International Music Competition and Christel DeHaan Classical Fellow of the American Pianists Association, Sean Chen has performed with several orchestras, including the Indianapolis Chamber, Juilliard, New West Symphony, and Suwon Philharmonic. He has presented solo recitals in Albuquerque, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Taipei, among other cities. Additional awards include top prize at the 2010 Gina Bachauer Piano Competition at Juilliard, the 2010 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship, Best Performance of an American Work at the 2009 Cleveland International Piano Competition, Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight Award, and an NFAA ARTSweek award. Born in Florida, Mr. Chen grew up in Oak Park, California, and now resides in New Haven, Connecticut, where he is pursuing his artist diploma at the Yale School of Music. When not at the piano, he enjoys tinkering with computers and composing.

Vadym Kholodenko- Cliburn 2013 Semifinal Chamber Recital

VADYM KHOLODENKO
2013 Gold Medalist
Ukraine | Age 26

Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Semifinal Round Chamber Recital
Brentano String Quartet
Bass Performance Hall

Program:
FRANCK Piano Quintet in F Minor

Born in Kiev, Vadym Kholodenko won first prize at both the International Schubert Competition in Dortmund in 2012, and the Sendai International Music Competition in 2010. He has worked with Yuri Bashmet, Vladimir Spivakov, and other distinguished conductors, and has performed across the globe in Austria, China, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, and the United States. He released recordings of Liszt, Rachmaninov, and Medtner on Russia’s TV Culture label in 2009. An avid chamber musician as well, he performed and recorded a CD with violinist Alena Baeva, and formed a piano duo with Andrey Gugnin, which they dubbed “iDuo.” Mr. Kholodenko currently resides in Moscow, where he attends the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Semifinal Round Concert 8 – Recital

Two of the 12 semifinalists of the 2017 Cliburn Competition perform 60-minute recitals of their choosing.

2:30–3:30 p.m. LEONARDO PIERDOMENICO, Italy
3:50–4:50 p.m. KENNETH BROBERG, United States

Semifinal Round Concert 6 – Recital

Two of the 12 semifinalists of the 2017 Cliburn Competition perform 60-minute recitals of their choosing.

2:30–3:30 p.m. HAN CHEN, Taiwan
3:50–4:50 p.m. RACHEL CHEUNG, Hong Kong

 

Semifinal Round Concert 4 – Recital

Two of the 12 semifinalists of the 2017 Cliburn Competition perform 60-minute recitals of their choosing.

2:30–3:30 p.m. TONY YIKE YANG, Canada
3:50–4:50 p.m. YEKWON SUNWOO, South Korea

 

Semifinal Round Concert 3 – Recital

Two of the 12 semifinalists of the 2017 Cliburn Competition perform 60-minute recitals of their choosing.

7:30–8:30 p.m. YURY FAVORIN, Russia
8:50–9:50 p.m. GEORGY TCHAIDZE, Russia

 

Semifinal Round Concert 2 – Recital

Two of the 12 semifinalists of the 2017 Cliburn Competition perform 60-minute recitals of their choosing.

2:30–3:30 p.m. YUTONG SUN, China
3:50–4:50 p.m. HONGGI KIM, South Korea

 

Semifinal Round Concert 1 – Recital

Two of the 12 semifinalists of the 2017 Cliburn Competition perform 60-minute recitals of their choosing.

7:30–8:30 p.m. DANIEL HSU, United States
8:50–9:50 p.m. DASOL KIM, South Korea