“The Cliburn on Wednesday announced the jurors for its 2017 competition, and there are no full-time piano teachers on the list,” writes Andrea Ahles in Wednesday’s (9/16) Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas). “The Cliburn has asked eight professional concert pianists to join the jury chairman, maestro Leonard Slatkin, in evaluating the 30 young pianists in the 15th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, set for May 25 through June 10, 2017…. The jury includes new adjudicators Arnaldo Cohen (Brazil), Jean-Philippe Collard (France), Anne-Marie McDermott (USA), Marc-André Hamelin (Canada) and Alexander Toradze (USA/Georgia). Also chosen were Mari Kodama (Japan) and Christopher Elton (United Kingdom)…. The only returning juror from the 2013 competition is pianist Joseph Kalichstein of Israel…. In 2013, nine of the 30 competitors were current or former students of jurors.… For the first time since 1977, the screening jury will not include anyone who is also on the competition jury…. Competition juror Hamelin will compose a commissioned work for the 2017 competition…. Other changes include: Adding a quarterfinal round … [and] having each semifinalist perform a Mozart concerto with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and conductor Nicholas McGegan.” The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition takes place once every four years in Fort Worth, Texas.
Posted September 18, 2015
