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The Houston Symphony is a key partner is the 2028 Cliburn International Competition for Conductors

Kenny Broberg, jury member for the 2027 Cliburn International Competition for Young Pianists

In the 15 years since he won Cliburn gold at the age of 19, Haochen Zhang has captivated audiences in the United States, Europe, and Asia with a unique combination of deep musical sensitivity, fearless imagination, and spectacular virtuosity.

The Cliburn's newest series returns for a second season, featuring magical, musical experiences for the whole family at the Fort Worth Zoo, the Fort Worth Stockyards Station, and (new this year!) the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

Celebrate a major cultural moment in Fort Worth with two days of live performances, local flavor, and community fun—free in Sundance Square Plaza.

Join us at Steinway Piano Gallery of Fort Worth across the street from Bass Performance Hall and enjoy a free recital from several 2025 Cliburn competitors. Bring your lunch or purchase onsite from Nguyen Lou Banh Mi.

Decca Classics has announced the forthcoming release of one of the most talked-about performances in recent classical music history: Yunchan Lim’s electrifying interpretation of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, recorded live with Marin Alsop and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra during the Final Round of the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, when he was just 18 years old.

On Jonathan Mak’s third birthday, his sister’s piano teacher decided to give him a trial lesson; he has been actively studying both piano and viola ever since. He made his orchestra debut with the Canadian Sinfonietta just one year later, at the age of 4.

Equally in demand as a recitalist, soloist, and chamber musician, Mikhail Berestnev brings to every performance the experiences of a career spanning the globe, including Australia, Ireland, Russia, Belgium, Brazil, and Spain, in addition to concert halls across the United States. Recent collaborations include solo appearances under the direction of Maestro Hector Guzman, and composer and conductor Dr. Robert Xavier Rodriguez; in chamber music with members of the Dallas Symphony; as part of the MAKE Trio; and with the Julius String Quartet.

After Vitaly Starikov completed his studies at the Ural Special Music School in his native Yekaterinburg, his “dream came true” when he began studying with Vera Gornostayeva, one of the world’s most venerated teachers, at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. At that time, her student, Vadym Kholodenko, had just won the 2013 Cliburn Competition, which “greatly inspired” Vitaly: “and it was then that the thought was born to someday participate in this competition.”