The 17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition has narrowed down to its semifinals, with 12 competitors advancing to the next round after five days of competition. The remaining pianists will perform a 60-minute recital and a Mozart concerto accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto.
Chaeyoung Park of South Korea was one of two women to place for the semifinals, saying it felt great to hear her name called. The other competitors advancing include Piotr Alexewicz from Poland, Jonas Aumiller from Germany, and Yangrui Cai from China, among others.
The semifinal round takes place May 28-June 1 at Bass Performance Hall, where pianists will face a demanding chamber music format. Cliburn President and CEO Jacques Marquis emphasizes the importance of phrasing and style in the Mozart concertos, which showcase a performer’s ability to work within a tight framework.
Chaeyoung Park, who chose Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 29 as one of her recital pieces, notes that she tends to gravitate towards emotionally intense music. For the concerto round, she has chosen the Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, saying it suits her temperament and style.
The competition continues with a focus on evaluating pianists’ unique voices and career potential. With one week left before the semifinals conclude, the remaining competitors will face intense scrutiny from the judges.
Source: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/05/26/cliburn-narrows-competition-to-12-pianists-heres-who-played-their-way-to-the-semifinals