“The already sweet top prize at the Cleveland International Piano Competition is now 50 percent sweeter,” writes Zachary Lewis in Monday’s (12/9) Plain Dealer (Cleveland). “Thanks to a gift from Mal and Barbara Mixon, the contest’s first prize now entails an award of $75,000, up from the previous $50,000. This makes Cleveland’s top prize one of the largest of its kind in the world…. On top of $75,000, first-place winners will continue to receive three years of artist management, a recital at a prominent New York venue, and a solo recording. Runners-up, too, will continue to receive cash prizes of $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000 for second, third and fourth places, respectively. All finalists also perform with the Cleveland Orchestra. Certain other pianists also will continue to receive smaller cash prizes…. Increasing the top prize is just one of several steps being taken by the competition and director Pierre van der Westhuizen to raise the event’s profile. Earlier this year, the group announced that contests will now be held every three years, not biennially, and that the next one will occur in 2016.”
Posted December 11, 2013
