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Pianist Lauren Koszyk maintains a versatile career as an educator, opera coach, and collaborative pianist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A graduate of the University of North Texas, she earned her Master of Music in Collaborative Piano with a related field in Early Music; she also holds a degree in German Language. Ms. Koszyk has been presented with top honors by the Governor of Illinois and the President of Illinois State University.

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Pianist Nathan Ryland, a native of Richardson, Texas, has been a winner in competitions across the United States, from the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition to the Brevard Music Center Piano Competition in North Carolina. Most recently, he was selected as the winner of the Texas State International Piano Competition and will be performing with the Central Texas Philharmonic later this season. He has performed with the Mid-Texas Symphony and UNT Symphony Orchestra. He was also chosen as a winner of the Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition, playing with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in 2014.

Shields-Collins “Buddy” Bray has been artistic consultant for the Cliburn since 2003. For the last 20 years he has shown his longstanding commitment to new music, hosting concerts spotlighting living American composers such as William Bolcom, John Corigliano, Ricky Ian Gordon, Jennifer Higdon, Jake Heggie, Kevin Puts, Ned Rorem, and Ben Moore. With music educator John Feierabend, Buddy created the Cliburn in the Classroom curriculum for second-, third-, and fourth-graders; now, after almost two decades of serving as writer, narrator, host, and sometimes-pianist at these uniquely interactive programs, he continues to be heavily involved in an advisory role.

The announcement of the 6 finalists in the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held following the conclusion of the Semifinal Round.

Exploring the ways music reflects the American experience over the last 250 years, the Cliburn brings together a group of artists in residence to present music written in, inspired by, or reflective of the United States.

Yangrui Cai began his piano studies at age 4, though none of his family had any music- or art-related background. When he was 15, a first-place finish in the national auditions earned him a spot in China’s Xinghai Conservatory of Music Middle School. Upon his graduation with distinction in July 2019, the Hunan native was admitted to several prestigious conservatories in the United States with full scholarships. He is currently a third-year undergraduate student at Oberlin Conservatory, under the tutelage of 2001 Cliburn Gold Medalist Stanislav Ioudenitch.

Passionate about collaboration, pianist Michael Bukhman is active internationally as a chamber musician, adjudicator, and pedagogue. An award-winning pianist, he has been a top-prize winner and medalist in several international piano competitions.