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Back at Cliburn Sessions by popular demand! Violinist Charles Yang and pianist Peter Dugan perform at Tannahill's Music Hall on September 24.

Learn more about the flagship Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, as well as the Junior and Amateur Competition.

Sergey Tanin started piano lessons when he was 5 years old, and—though his parents were not musicians and never pushed him to practice—his commitment to the instrument grew quickly. By age 9, he had decided to be a pianist. Growing up in Yakutia in far Eastern Russia, a long way from major cities and the concerts they might offer, he drew inspiration from recordings by great artists, such as Argerich, Pletnev, Michelangeli, and Rubinstein. He was “taken by the power of music.”

In this concert, 4 of 28 competitors will each perform a 40-minute recital, including the worldwide debut of the 2025 Cliburn commissioned work composed by Competition juror Gabriela Montero.

When Arseniy Gusev was 5 years old, an upright piano was brought into his St. Petersburg home, and he immediately started playing and experimenting with it. He wrote his first piece—a romance on a Pushkin poem—shortly thereafter, and his grandmother asked him if he would like to go to music school. He went on to study both composition and piano performance at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Upon graduation in 2018, he moved to the United States, where he attends the Cleveland Institute of Music, under the tutelage of Sergei Babayan (piano) and Keith Fitch (composition).

Venues, Directions & Parking

In this concert, 2 of 12 competitors will each perform a 60-minute recital.

Bring your family and friends for a free interactive, educational concert! In this season of Cliburn Kids on the Road, our artists present “What Makes A Hero,” a program that celebrates music with your favorite heroes.

Get a taste of the artistry and excitement of the upcoming 2025 Cliburn Competition! Bring your friends and family for a free concert at the Near Southside's Cliburn Mural, featuring 2013 finalist Fei-Fei in this year's Countdown to the Cliburn series.

Born in Qinhuangdao, Xiaolu Zang was 4 years old when an electric keyboard caught his attention. He eventually attended the Beijing Central Music Conservatory Middle School for seven years under Professor Ye Lin and won first prizes in several major Chinese competitions. It was during that time, at the age of 15, that he recalls a singular day when he determined himself to become a professional musician. That commitment took him to Germany in 2017, where he studies with Arie Vardi at Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover.