Six finalists announced at the Cliburn 2025
After three weeks of competition, the 2025 Cliburn International Piano Competition has revealed its six finalists. Chosen from an original pool of 28 pianists from around the world, these outstanding artists now prepare for the final round, where they will each perform two concertos with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marin Alsop, from June 3 to 7.
Held every four years in Fort Worth, Texas, the Cliburn is one of the most prestigious events in the piano world. Its most recent winner, Yunchan Lim, became an international sensation in 2022 after his now-legendary performance of Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto.
This year’s finalists are:
Aristo Sham (Hong Kong, 29)
Angel Stanislav Wang (United States, 22)
Evren Ozel (United States, 26)
Vitaly Starikov (Israel/Russia, 30)
Carter Johnson (Canada/United States, 28)
Philipp Lynov (Russia, 26)
The final round programs range from Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Schumann to Prokofiev, Bartók, and Rachmaninov—offering a wide spectrum of pianistic and orchestral challenges.
The chart below, created by Álvaro Varela de Marco, offers a visual breakdown of the finalists’ nationalities. For a deeper look into the full data analysis of the 2025 Cliburn Competition—including gender, national origin, and concerto choices—you can view the complete report focused on the final round here.
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MAY 30, 2025
Vengerov visits Barenboim: “A true legend and great example”
Violinist Maxim Vengerov recently shared a photo from a visit to Daniel Barenboim’s home, expressing deep admiration for the conductor and pianist. “I am so proud to have studied with him for so many years, played so many concerts, and recorded with him both as pianist and conductor,” he wrote on Instagram. “A true legend and great example for me as a musician and as a humanist.”
Vengerov recalled meeting Barenboim for the first time at an audition in Cologne at the age of 17, and spending meaningful time with him and his wife, pianist Elena Bashkirova.
The post comes a few months after Barenboim, 81, publicly announced he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Since then, he has withdrawn from a number of performances, including recent engagements in Berlin and Milan.
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MAY 30, 2025
Charlotte Symphony raises over $50 million for long-term growth
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra has completed a record-breaking fundraising campaign, collecting $50.1 million over three years — the largest total in its 93-year history. The funds will support both long-term sustainability and near-term artistic priorities under the leadership of Music Director Kwamé Ryan.
“This is a transformative milestone,” said David Fisk, the orchestra’s president and CEO. “We can now invest more deeply in the artistic and community-centered work that defines us.”
Of the total raised, $40 million will go toward strengthening the orchestra’s endowment, helping to offset the loss of annual support from the Thrive Fund, which expired in 2021. The remaining $10.1 million will help fund operations over the next five years.
The campaign was led by Bank of America executives Brian Moynihan and Hugh McColl Jr., with additional support from local institutions including the C.D. Spangler Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The orchestra serves more than 150,000 people annually and runs educational programs reaching over 15,000 students. Fisk emphasized that ongoing annual support remains essential for sustaining this impact.
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MAY 29, 2025
Rachel Willis-Sørensen receives the Met’s 2025 Beverly Sills Artist Award
The Metropolitan Opera has announced American soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen as the recipient of its 2025 Beverly Sills Artist Award, an annual $50,000 prize that supports emerging singers with a growing career at the Met.
Willis-Sørensen made her debut with the company in 2014 as Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, and has since returned in roles such as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Leonora in Il trovatore. Next season, she will appear in the title role of Strauss’s Arabella.
Created in 2006 in honor of Beverly Sills, the award is funded by an endowment from the late Agnes Varis and is intended to support professional development for young artists. Past recipients include Joyce DiDonato, Lisette Oropesa, and Angel Blue.
In a statement, Willis-Sørensen expressed gratitude for the recognition: “To receive this recognition for my work is an honor that I truly treasure—one that encourages me to continue pushing my limits and further developing my artistic ability.”
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MAY 29, 2025
Lucerne Piano Festival 2025 opens with Igor Levit — genre-bending highlights to follow
The 2025 Lucerne Piano Festival opens on 29 May with a recital by Igor Levit, who performs works by Brahms, Schumann, and Liszt’s transcription of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. Running through 1 June, this edition of the festival continues Levit’s curatorial vision of the piano as a space for boundary-pushing artistry.
One of the most anticipated evenings takes place on 31 May, when Levit joins Malakoff Kowalski, Johanna Summer, and Chilly Gonzales for Songs with Words. The program features the world premiere of Kowalski’s new album, setting poems by Allen Ginsberg to classical miniatures by composers including Chopin, Schumann, and Debussy. Each of the four performers will also present solo pieces of their own choosing.
Other events include Chilly Gonzales in a solo set (30 May), Iveta Apkalna performing Bach and Philip Glass on the organ (31 May), and the closing concert (1 June) featuring Levit and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in an all-Mozart program.
More information: lucernefestival.ch
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Twelve pianists advance to Cliburn Competition semifinals
After two intense days of quarterfinal recitals, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition has announced the twelve semifinalists who will continue in one of the world’s most prestigious piano contests. Founded in 1962 in Fort Worth, Texas, the Cliburn has been a career-defining platform for emerging pianists, known for its rigorous artistic standards and international visibility.
From an original pool of 28 participants, the following twelve pianists have advanced to the semifinal round, which takes place Wednesday, May 28, to Sunday, June 1:
Carter Johnson (Canada / United States, 28)
Aristo Sham (Hong Kong, China, 29)
Angel Stanislav Wang (United States, 22)
Philipp Lynov (Russia, 26)
Jonas Aumiller (Germany, 26)
Piotr Alexewicz (Poland, 25)
Yanjun Chen (China, 23)
Evren Ozel (United States, 26)
Chaeyoung Park (South Korea, 27)
Elia Cecino (Italy, 23)
Yangrui Cai (China, 24)
Vitaly Starikov (Israel / Russia, 30s)
Each semifinalist will perform a 60-minute solo recital and a Mozart concerto with Carlos Miguel Prieto conducting the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
At the conclusion of this round, six finalists will be selected to move on to the final stage of the competition.
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MAY 25, 2025
Six finalists named in prestigious Sibelius Violin Competition
The XIII International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition has announced the six violinists advancing to the final round, following performances by 18 candidates in the second stage.
This prestigious event, held every five years in Helsinki, is considered one of the most important platforms for emerging violinists. Established in 1965 to honor the legacy of Finland’s most celebrated composer, the competition has launched the careers of many renowned soloists.
The 2025 finalists are:
Gabrielle Després, Otto Antikainen, Claire Wells, Minami Yoshida, Amia Janicki, and Sueye Park.
The final round will take place at the Helsinki Music Centre from 27 to 29 May, where the six musicians will perform with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. In a historic first for the competition, each finalist will present not only Sibelius’s Violin Concerto, but also a modern violin concerto, showcasing a broader artistic range.
The orchestras will be led by Dima Slobodeniouk, Pietari Inkinen, and Geoffrey Paterson, stepping in for Pekka Kuusisto, who had to withdraw due to illness.
MAY 23, 2025
Cecilia Bernardini named concertmaster of the Netherlands Bach Society
The Netherlands Bach Society has appointed Cecilia Bernardini as its new concertmaster, starting with the 2025–26 season. She succeeds Shunske Sato, who held the position until June 2023.
Well known to the ensemble, the Dutch-Italian violinist has regularly performed as guest concertmaster in recent years, including in the 2024 St Matthew Passion under Johanna Soller, the Bach Society’s recently appointed artistic leader. The ensemble noted a strong artistic connection between Bernardini and Soller, calling it a promising foundation for future collaborations.
Recognized for her versatility and historically informed performance practice, Bernardini is currently associate artistic director of the Freiburger Barockorchester and concertmaster of the B’Rock Orchestra. She has previously led ensembles such as the Dunedin Consort and Pygmalion and continues to perform with groups including Camerata Salzburg, Vox Luminis, The King’s Consort, and the Bach Collegium Japan.
Alongside her orchestral work, she is active as a chamber musician, performing frequently with her father, oboist Alfredo Bernardini, and with Trio Marie Soldat. Her repertoire spans from early music to contemporary works, including a 2010 premiere of Philip Glass’s Double Concerto at the Residentie Orkest.
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