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The official artwork of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition features “Chromesthesia” by internationally renowned, Texas-based muralist DAAS; the piece was originally commissioned for the Cliburn’s first-ever mural, painted in May 2022 at 113 South Main Street in Fort Worth’s vibrant Near Southside. The mural was a lasting gift to the city of Fort Worth and a celebration of the Cliburn’s 60th Anniversary.

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.

This year’s Competition sees the launch of exclusive live recordings available in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, alongside Cliburn-curated playlists, and a live album release for each 2025 medalist, via record label Platoon.

Yevgeny Sudbin has been hailed by The Telegraph as “potentially one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century.” As BIS Records’ only exclusive artist, all of his recordings have met with critical acclaim and are regularly featured as CD of the Month by BBC Music Magazine or Editor’s Choice by Gramophone. It was described by Gramophone as “a disc in a million,” while the International Record Review stated that his Rachmaninov recording “confirms him as one of the most important pianistic talents of our time.”

Yutong Sun, a native of Tianjin, China, is currently studying with Alexander Korsantia and Dang Thai Son at the New England Conservatory. He has gained international recognition by winning prizes at prestigious competitions, including placing in three in Spain: Santander (second), Canals (third), and Jaén (first). He returns to Fort Worth this year after competing in the 2017 Cliburn Competition.

The Cliburn was founded in 1962, and has flourished since on the shoulders of a community of supporters—committed individuals, corporations, foundations, and arts, service, and educational organizations. The dedication of your time and resources fulfills the Cliburn’s mission of providing life-changing opportunities for young pianists, participatory music education for public elementary school children, and access to excellent art for lovers of music. In essence, continuing Van Cliburn’s vision of sharing classical music with the largest possible audience.

Known for his charisma and expressive interpretations, Mexican conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto has established himself not just as a major figure in the orchestra world but also as an influential cultural leader, educator, and a champion of new music. In a significant career development, he will start his tenure as Music Director of the North Carolina Symphony at the beginning of the 2023–24 season.

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Pianist Gloria Chien has one of the most diverse musical lives as a noted performer, concert presenter, and educator. She made her orchestral debut at the age of 16 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra with Thomas Dausgaard, and she performed again with the BSO with Keith Lockhart. Gloria was subsequently selected by the The Boston Globe as one of its Superior Pianists of the year, “who appears to excel in everything.” In recent seasons, she has performed as a recitalist and chamber musician at Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, the Dresden Chamber Music Festival, and the National Concert Hall in Taiwan. She performs frequently with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. In 2009, Gloria launched String Theory, a chamber music series in Chattanooga, Tennessee that has become one of the region’s premier classical music presenters. The following year she was appointed director of the Chamber Music Institute at Music@Menlo, a position she held for the next decade.

The 2025 Cliburn Competition will be broadcast live on Cliburn.org and the Cliburn’s YouTube channel, May 21–June 7.