COMPETITION • Continued from page 1 the first note sounds on May 24. The exceptional players, outstanding acoustics, and music-inspired camaraderie all coalesce into a stunning live experience, filled with anticipation and intrigue. As you take your seat, you will automatically become part of the Cliburn’s legacy of producing the world’s preeminent piano contest. The Fourteenth Competition will feature 30 of today’s most promising young pianists in three rounds as they vie for the coveted Cliburn medals, career management, and more than $175,000 in prizes and awards. In all, they will give 96 performances. Renowned musicians Maestro Leonard Slatkin, the Brentano String Quartet, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will also be on hand, adding creative vigor and prestige to the stage.
Seventeen Days of the World’s Finest Piano Talent Preliminary Round: May 24–30 Thirty extraordinary pianists from around the world each perform two 45-minute recitals. Semifinal Round: June 1–4 Twelve semifinalists each perform a quintet with the critically acclaimed Brentano String Quartet, in addition to a 60-minute recital, which includes the commissioned work by American composer Christopher Theofanidis. Final Round: June 6–9 The Competition reaches its climax as six finalists each perform two concerti with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Grammy® Award-winning Maestro Leonard Slatkin. Awards Ceremony: June 9 The six finalists eagerly await their names to be called from the stage as the medals and prizes are awarded. All six finalists will receive three years of career management, but only one will be named the gold medalist. For those who cannot attend in person, the performances will be streamed live in their entirety at Cliburn.org. Online video will be available 24 hours a day throughout the Competition, and will include video-on-demand, as well as live concerts. Such technology makes it possible for virtually anyone anywhere to experience the Competition. In 2009, more than 158,000 visitors logged in from 157 countries. Fourteenth Competition tickets are now available online at Cliburn.org, or by calling 817.212.4450. Don’t miss the excitement! We expect more than 50,000 people to attend from across the United States and abroad, making the 2013 Competition a truly international event. See you there!
Lives of the Laureates Radu Lupu, 1966 Gold Medalist
Radu Lupu is firmly established as one of the most important musicians of his generation, and is widely acknowledged as a leading interpreter of the works of Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and Schubert. Since winning the Second Cliburn Competition in 1966 and the Leeds Competition in 1969, he has regularly performed as soloist and recitalist in the music capitals and major festivals of Europe and the United States. A Grammy® Award winner, he has made more than 20 recordings for London/Decca. Earlier this year, Mr. Lupu took some time to share recollections of his time in Fort Worth.
Q: Tell us about your passion for music and the piano. What inspired you in the beginning? A: I always loved music and listening to it, particularly orchestral pieces which I tried to play by ear on the piano. My passion for piano started very late. My inspiration came from what I heard on the radio. I could also sing well—at that time!
Q: Why did you choose to compete in the Cliburn Competition? A: Because of Van Cliburn’s name, it was seen as a very big competition in the Soviet Union where I was studying at the time, and I wanted the experience of going to an “exotic” place, which to me was America in those days. I didn’t hope for anything.
After the Competition, I stayed three extra months for concerts, living with hosts Max and Gali Clark. Since she was Russian-born, it was wonderful for me to be able to communicate in Russian since I spoke no English. We became extremely close, and they treated me like their own family. I remember well referring to them as my Texas parents. We stayed in contact with each other for a long time after that.
Q: Tell us about your life after the Cliburn. What role did the Cliburn Competition play in changing your life and career?
Q: What was your impression of the Cliburn Competition before you came? A: I was happy to play concerts in the United States A: Since he won the 1958 Tchaikovsky Competition, after the Competition. It was a wonderful experience Van Cliburn became a real iconic name throughout the world and especially in Russia. Because of that, I was very conscious it had importance for me. I also liked that the program required chamber music, which was new to me in competitions.
Q: Tell us about your time in Fort Worth during the Competition. A: I was interested to hear everyone else so I spent a lot of time listening to other competitors and made friends with many of them. I also remember the parties during the Competition, which enabled me to meet so many competitors and where I experienced such warm hospitality. I don’t recall many things, but for sure, I was a nervous wreck waiting for the names to be called. Just by making it to the finals, I already considered it to be a personal success.
Q: What were your impressions of Fort Worth and Texas? Did you experience any culture shock? A: It was strange to be in that part of the world, which was so different from anything I’d seen in my life. I loved meeting Van Cliburn after the first round, and I came to appreciate him not only as the very great pianist he is, but also as one of the most generous, lovable,
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endearing people I have ever met. I remember being shocked that my shaver didn’t work because of the different plug, so I had to go to a barber where I had to lie down to get a shave! I was also taken to a rodeo and my first American football game—a big culture shock. I had no idea what was going on.
for me. I returned to Moscow to continue my studies. I became very well-known in Romania very quickly and had a lot of concerts there. I was very young and as I said, didn’t expect to win. It was an important stepping stone for me in terms of self-confidence. I didn’t expect to be a professional pianist—I was aiming for conducting—but this was great encouragement for me to continue as a pianist.
Q: What advice do you give to aspiring young pianists? A: My advice to young pianists is if they love music, then with time and experience, the important thing is to discover oneself through music.
Radu Lupu will perform on the Cliburn Concerts series at Bass Performance Hall on Monday, January 28, 2013, playing works by Franck, Schubert, and Debussy. Other highlights of his 2012–2013 season include an engagement with the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Colin Davis as part of Davis' 85th birthday celebration; a U.S. tour featuring a Carnegie Hall concert and performances with the Chicago, Boston, and St. Louis Symphonies; his 10th tour of Japan; and the continuation of his cycle of the Beethoven piano concerti with the Finnish Chamber Orchestra in Helsinki.