VC LIVE | 2025 Cliburn Piano Competition

Tune in from May 21–June 7 to watch all rounds of this year's piano competition

We're coming to you LIVE from Fort Worth, Texas, for the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Open to pianists of all nationalities, the competition was started in 1962 in honor of American pianist Van Cliburn and his vision for using music to break down boundaries.

The 30 pianists selected to participate in the preliminary round can be found here.

Chaired by Paul Lewis, the 2025 competition jury will comprise Rico Gulda, Mari Kodama, Anne-Marie McDermott, Gabriela Montero, Jon Nakamatsu,  Lise de la Salle, Yevgeny Sudbin, and Wu Han.

The gold medalist will receive $100,000, the silver medalist $50,000, and the bronze medalist $25,000. Beyond cash prizes, winning a Cliburn medal includes comprehensive career management, artistic support, and bolstered publicity efforts for the three following years. Previous winners include Yunchan Lim, Yekwon Sunwoo, and Vadym Kholodenko.

 

COMPETITION SCHEDULE:

Preliminary Round | 30 competitors perform a 40-minute recital, including a commissioned work composed by Gabriela Montero

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | Session 1 | 11 am (ET), 10 am (Local Time)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | Session 2 | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | Session 3 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

Thursday, May 22, 2025 | Session 4 | 11 am (ET), 10 am (Local Time)

Thursday, May 22, 2025 | Session 5 | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Thursday, May 22, 2025 | Session 6 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

Friday, May 23, 2025 | Session 7 | 11 am (ET), 10 am (Local Time)

Friday, May 23, 2025 | Session 8 | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Friday, May 23, 2025 | Session 9 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

 

Quarterfinal Round | 18 competitors perform a 40-minute recital

Saturday, May 24, 2025 | Session 1 | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Saturday, May 24, 2025 | Session 2 | 11 am (ET), 10 am (Local Time)

Saturday, May 24, 2025 | Session 3 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

Sunday, May 25, 2025 | Session 4 | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Sunday, May 25, 2025 | Session 5 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

 

Semi-Final Round | 12 competitors perform a 60-minute recital and a Mozart Concerto with conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 | Recital Round | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

Thursday, May 29, 2025 | Recital Round | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Thursday, May 29, 2025 | Concerto Round | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

Friday, May 30, 2025 | Recital Round | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Friday, May 30, 2025 | Concerto Round | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30pm (Local Time)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 | Recital Round | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 | Concerto Round | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30pm (Local Time)

Sunday, June 1, 2025 | Recital Round | 3:30 pm (ET), 2:30 pm (Local Time)

Sunday, June 1, 2025 | Concerto Round | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30pm (Local Time)

 

Final Round | 6 competitors perform two concertos with Marin Alsop and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

Friday, June 6, 2025 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)

Saturday, June 7, 2025 | 8:30 pm (ET), 7:30 pm (Local Time)