18 quarterfinalists advance in 2025 Cliburn Competition in Fort Worth
May 23,2025
See full Culture Map article by Stephanie Allmon Merry here.
UPDATE 5-24-2025: Quarterfinalist Xiaofu Ju, 25, of China, has withdrawn from the Cliburn Competition, citing medical reasons. He will not be replaced, and the competition will continue with 17 quarterfinalists, they say.
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Eighteen competitors have advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Seventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth. They are:
Yangrui Cai, China, 24
Angel Stanislav Wang, United States, 22
Piotr Alexewicz, Poland, 25
Xiaofu Ju, China, 25
Chaeyoung Park, South Korea, 27
Yanjun Chen, China, 23
Evren Ozel, United States, 26
Elia Cecino, Italy, 23
Alice Burla, Canada, 28
Aristo Sham, Hong Kong, China, 29
Vitaly Starikov, Israel/Russia, 30
Jonathan Mamora, United States, 30
Carter Johnson, Canada/United States, 28
Mikhail Kambarov, Russia, 24
Jonas Aumiller, Germany, 26
David Khrikuli, Georgia, 24
Shangru Du, China, 27
Philipp Lynov, Russia, 26
The announcement was made Friday, May 23, after three days of preliminary-round competition in which all 28 original contestants played a 40-minute solo recital that included the competition's commissioned work, Rachtime, by composer and jury member Gabriela Montero.
Each of the 18 quarterfinalists will now play a 40-minute solo recital (repertoire of their choosing) at the Van Cliburn Recital Hall at TCU.
Performances will take place in five recitals over two days: 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm Saturday, May 24; and 10 am, 2:30 pm, and 7:30 pm Sunday, May 25. They will follow the same playing order from the preliminary round, as determined in the Draw Party on May 19.
The performance schedule will be:
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Quarterfinal Recital 1
2:35 p.m. – Shangru Du, China, 27
3:20 p.m. – Xiaofu Ju, China, 25
20-minute intermission
4:20 p.m. – Carter Johnson, Canada/United States, 28
5:05 p.m. – David Khrikuli, Georgia, 24
Quarterfinal Recital 2
7:35 p.m. – Aristo Sham, Hong Kong China, 29
8:20 p.m. – Angel Stanislav Wang, United States, 22
20-minute intermission
9:20 p.m. – Philipp Lynov, Russia, 26
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Quarterfinal Recital 3
10:05 a.m. – Jonas Aumiller, Germany, 26
10:50 a.m. – Mikhail Kambarov, Russia, 24
20-minute intermission
11:50 a.m. – Piotr Alexewicz, Poland, 25
12:35 p.m. – Alice Burla, Canada, 28
Quarterfinal Recital 4
2:35 p.m. – Yanjun Chen, China, 23
3:20 p.m. – Jonathan Mamora, United States, 30
20-minute intermission
4:20 p.m. – Evren Ozel, United States, 26
5:05 p.m. – Chaeyoung Park, South Korea, 27
Quarterfinal Recital 5
7:35 p.m. – Elia Cecino, Italy, 23
8:20 p.m. – Yangrui Cai, China, 24
20-minute intermission
9:20 p.m. – Vitaly Starikov, Israel/Russia, 30
Twelve semifinalists will be announced following the last performance on Sunday, once jury voting has concluded. Then the competition will move to Bass Performance Hall in downtown Fort Worth for the semifinals (May 28-June 1) and finals (June 3-7).
For tickets to attend remaining rounds in person, visit the Cliburn website. The entire competition will be webcast live and available on-demand at cliburn.org, YouTube @TheCliburn, WFAA+, and more; visit the Cliburn site for more information.