FORT WORTH, Texas, May 19, 2025—The Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition welcomed 28 young pianists from around the world to the Opening Dinner & Draw Party on Monday evening, May 19, 2025, at The Worthington Renaissance Hotel in downtown Fort Worth.
The competitors, members of the Jury, and host families received a warm welcome from the city of Fort Worth. Featured speakers included Cliburn President and CEO Jacques Marquis, Chairman of the Board Jeffrey B. King, 1962 Gold Medalist Ralph Votapek, and Honorary Opening Dinner Chairmen Rozanne and Billy Rosenthal with a special tribute to longtime Cliburn supporter Roz Rosenthal.
After dinner, Ralph Votapek drew competitor names out of a chalice, Jacques Marquis read them out from the stage, and each pianist came forward to choose their order of play.
PERFORMANCE ORDER
1. Xuanxiang Wu, China, 18
2. Shangru Du, China, 27
3. Xiaofu Ju, China, 25
4. Ryota Yamazaki, Japan, 26
5. Federico Gad Crema, Italy, 26
6. Carter Johnson, Canada/United States, 28
7. David Khrikuli, Georgia, 24
8. Aristo Sham, Hong Kong, China, 29
9. Angel Stanislav Wang, United States, 22
10. Philipp Lynov, Russia, 26
11. Jonas Aumiller, Germany, 26
12. Magdalene Ho, Malaysia, 21
13. Roman Fediurko, Ukraine, 20
14. Mikhail Kambarov, Russia, 24
15. Callum McLachlan, United Kingdom, 26
16. Jiarui Cheng, China, 26
17. Piotr Alexewicz, Poland, 25
18. Alice Burla, Canada, 28
19. Yanjun Chen, China, 23
20. Jonathan Mamora, United States, 30
21. Evren Ozel, United States, 26
22. Sung Ho Yoo, South Korea, 28
23. Chaeyoung Park, South Korea, 27
24. Pedro López Salas, Spain, 27
25. Kotaro Shigemori, Japan, 25
26. Elia Cecino, Italy, 23
27. Yangrui Cai, China, 24
28. Vitaly Starikov, Israel/Russia, 30
This order of performance will remain the same for the pianists who advance to the Quarterfinal Round.
PRELIMINARY ROUND SCHEDULE
Visit cliburn.org for the full schedule.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Preliminary Recital 1
10:05 a.m. – Xuanxiang Wu, China, 18
10:50 a.m. – Shangru Du, China, 27
20-minute intermission
11:50 a.m. – Xiaofu Ju, China, 25
Preliminary Recital 2
2:35 p.m. – Ryota Yamazaki, Japan, 26
3:20 p.m. – Federico Gad Crema, Italy, 26
20-minute intermission
4:20 p.m. – Carter Johnson, Canada/United States, 28
5:05 p.m. – David Khrikuli, Georgia, 24
Preliminary Recital 3
7:35 p.m. – Aristo Sham, Hong Kong, China, 29
8:20 p.m. – Angel Stanislav Wang, United States, 22
20-minute intermission
9:20 p.m. – Philipp Lynov, Russia, 26
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Preliminary Recital 4
10:05 a.m. – Jonas Aumiller, Germany, 26
10:50 a.m. – Magdalene Ho, Malaysia, 21
20-minute intermission
11:50 a.m. – Roman Fediurko, Ukraine, 20
Preliminary Recital 5
2:35 p.m. – Mikhail Kambarov, Russia, 24
3:20 p.m. – Callum McLachlan, United Kingdom, 26
20-minute intermission
4:20 p.m. – Jiarui Cheng, China, 26
5:05 p.m. – Piotr Alexewicz, Poland, 25
Preliminary Recital 6
7:35 p.m. – Alice Burla, Canada, 28
8:20 p.m. – Yanjun Chen, China, 23
20-minute intermission
9:20 p.m. – Jonathan Mamora, United States, 30
Friday, May 23, 2025
Preliminary Recital 7
10:05 a.m. – Evren Ozel, United States, 26
10:50 a.m. – Sung Ho Yoo, South Korea, 28
20-minute intermission
11:50 a.m. – Chaeyoung Park, South Korea, 27
Preliminary Recital 8
2:35 p.m. – Pedro López Salas, Spain, 27
3:20 p.m. – Kotaro Shigemori, Japan, 25
20-minute intermission
4:20 p.m. – Elia Cecino, Italy, 23
Preliminary Recital 9
7:35 p.m. – Yangrui Cai, China, 24
8:20 p.m. – Vitaly Starikov, Israel/Russia, 30
ABOUT THE 2025 CLIBURN COMPETITION
The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is widely considered “one of the most prestigious contests in classical music” (The New York Times, June 2022). From its origins in 1962 through today, it has remained dedicated to sharing music with the largest international audience possible and to launching the careers of its winners. The next edition builds on that rich foundation and the historic success of the 2022 edition—one of the most-watched classical events in history, with more than 60 million views across 177 countries. It also launched the meteoric career of Yunchan Lim, whose Cliburn laureate predecessors include Haochen Zhang, Nobuyuki Tsujii, Olga Kern, Vadym Kholodenko, Yekwon Sunwoo, and Beatrice Rana.
Quick facts about the 2025 Cliburn Competition are available below. Visit cliburn.org for more information.
COMPETITION JURY
- Paul Lewis, jury chairman (Ireland/United Kingdom)
- Till Fellner (Austria)
- Mari Kodama (Japan/United States)
- Anne-Marie McDermott (United States)
- Gabriela Montero (Venezuela/United States)
- Jon Nakamatsu (United States)
- Lise de la Salle (France)
- Yevgeny Sudbin (United Kingdom)
- Wu Han (Chinese Taipei/United States)
PRIZES & AWARDS
All together, Competition prizes total more than $2 million in value. A total of $265,000 in cash will be awarded, including $100,000 for the gold medalist, $50,000 for the silver medalist, and $25,000 for the bronze medalist. Medalists also receive three years of comprehensive personalized career management and concerts.
COMPETITION TICKETS
There is nothing like being in the hall for a Cliburn Competition performance; add to that the unmatched exhilaration of being there to cheer on 30 of the world’s top emerging pianists as they strive to perform their best on an enormous world stage in hopes of launching international careers. It’s been 63 years since the first notes of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition were played in Fort Worth, Texas, and the world will once again be attentively listening.
All tickets, including premium and regular subscription packages and for individual concerts, are available now.
LIVE BROADCAST
The Cliburn broadcast is the next best thing to being in the concert hall, with spectacular views that put you right on stage; high-quality sound so you don’t miss a nuance; insightful commentary from our experts—hosts Buddy Bray and Elizabeth Joy Roe, and our lead backstage correspondent Greg Anderson—and fun behind-the-scenes access to the Competition and its warm hometown. Produced by New York-based Framework Productions, the 2025 live broadcast introduces several new features, including a keyboard hands-only camera and on-screen synced scores provided within 48 hours of each recital, powered by Weefeen. All content will be available for on-demand viewing—enjoy three weeks of this innovative artistry on cliburn.org, YouTube @TheCliburn, medici.tv, amadeus.tv (China), The Violin Channel, and WFAA+ (Dallas-Fort Worth).
ABOUT THE CLIBURN
The Cliburn advances classical piano music throughout the world. Its international competitions, education programs, and concert series embody an enduring commitment to artistic excellence and the discovery of new artists. Established in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1962, the quadrennial Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (seventeenth edition, May 21–June 7, 2025) remains the most visible expression of that mission and is, as always, committed to its original ideals of supporting and launching the careers of emerging artists, ages 18–30. It shares the transformative powers of music with a wide global audience, through fully produced webcasts and by providing comprehensive career management and concert bookings to its winners. Rounding out its mission, the Cliburn also produces the Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival (fourth edition, June 2027) for exceptional 13- to 17-year-old pianists and the Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition (ninth edition, June 2028) for outstanding non-professional pianists age 35 and older.
Over a four-year cycle, the Cliburn contributes to North Texas’ cultural landscape with over 170 classical music performances for 150,000 attendees through competitions, free community concerts, and its signature Cliburn Concerts series. Cliburn in the Classroom—the Cliburn’s music education program and recipient of D CEO Magazine’s 2024 Innovation in Education Award—presents 1,000 free, in-school, and interactive concert experiences for more than 200,000 area elementary students over a four-year cycle. During the same time period, the Cliburn garners the world’s attention with more than 60 million views from 177 nations for competition webcasts; 300 concerts worldwide booked for competition winners; more than 10,000 news articles about the Cliburn and its winners; and regular national radio broadcasts to 245 public radio stations. cliburn.org
