The Sixth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs is right around the corner, beginning May 23, 2011. In 1999 the Van Cliburn Foundation formed the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs with its home being TCU’s Ed Landreth Hall.
The Van Cliburn Foundation has defined the word “amateur” as “ those 35 or older, who play the piano as a serious pastime rather than as a profession—sometimes having had to make the difficult choice between their profession and their potential career as a concert artist.”
The Van Cliburn Foundation was developed by local Fort Worth teachers and volunteers shortly after 23-year-old Van Cliburn won the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958. In 1962 the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was born and has brought international recognition to Fort Worth.
Maggie Estes, director of marketing for the Van Cliburn Foundation, explained this year they have 77 competitors who represent 18 countries. The list of competitors was finalized April 1 and is listed below. The jury panel was announced this week as follows: John Giordano, Gregory Allen, Shields-Collins Bray, Richard Dyer, Jose Feghali, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Yoheved Kaplinsky, Jon Nakamatsu, John Owings, Pamela Mia Paul.
Estes said John Giordano, jury chairman for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition since 1973 and music director emeritus of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, has chaired the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs every time. Giordano will work with David Chambless Worters, president and CEO for the Van Cliburn Foundation, to put together the panel of judges, which will include a former winner of the Van Cliburn professional piano competition.
Estes said the personality of Fort Worth has helped shape the competition greatly, because of the volunteerism in this area. Fort Worth has some of the best volunteers in the country, and the amateur competition brings out 1,200 volunteers alone.
One way people can help to support the amateur piano competition is first, by attending. There are three rounds and all performances are open to the public. The preliminary round is May 23-25, the semifinal found is May 27 and 28, and the final round is May 29. The final round will consist of six contestants and each will present a program between 25 and 30 minutes in length.
There are several social events that take place during the week of competition that both students and the local 109 community can volunteer for and/or attend. Those interested in volunteer opportunities can call Pat Lorimer at 817-738-6536 or visit www.cliburn.org for more information.
Competitors include:
United States
(Name, occupation, city)
Alabama
Tony Roberson, Associate Professor of Nursing, Tuscaloosa
Debra Saylor, Vocal Instructor, Huntsville
Arizona
Mark Fuller, Attorney, Phoenix
Arkansas
Utako Tanigawa, Senior Director of IT Portfolio Management, Bentonville
California
Brad Arington, Attorney, San Jose
Nazeli Atayan Rohman-Fly, Homemaker, Pasadena
Ken Iisaka, Internet Start-up Entrepreneur and Consultant, Mill Valley
Alex Leow, Physician/Physician Scientist, Sacramento
Yvonne Liu, Early Childhood Music Educator, Foster City
Esfir Ross, Dental Assistant, Oakland
Mari Shiokawa (Jacobson), Homemaker, San Francisco
Shi-Chin Yvonne Tsai, Pediatrician, La Palma
Choo Hooi (Janice) Khoo, Medical Practice Manager, Bakersfield
Connecticut
Daniel Bertram, Parent, Avon
Dave Duebendorfer, Investment Manager, Westport
Pablo Eizayaga, Banker, Riverside
Larry Harris, Investment Manager (retired), Madison
District of Columbia
Victor Dyni, Music Librarian (retired), Washington, D.C.
Alexandre Leite, Investment/Project Finance Professional, Washington, D.C.
Florida
Martha Chestnut Hartman, Management Consultant (retired), Celebration
Georgia
Christopher Sarzynski, Physician, Atlanta
Hawaii
Mari Yoshihara, Professor of American Studies, Honolulu
Illinois
Janet Underhill, Music Teacher (retired), Chicago
Maryland
Thomas A. Maurice, Purchasing Manager, Baltimore
Christopher Shih, Physician, Ellicott City
Massachusetts
Angela Lee Tien, Homemaker, Winchester
Michigan
Debby Pearlberg, Math Tutor, Southfield
Minnesota
Joseph Mercuri, Hospitalist Physician, Sartell
Stephen Stouder, Account Executive at UnitedHealthcare, Apple Valley
Montana
Larry Masterson, Physician Assistant, Terry
New York
Victor Buckman, Computer Systems Director (retired), Bronx
Mark Cannon, Psychiatrist, Larchmont
Seth Darst, Professor of Molecular Biophysics, New York
Mari Ito, Architect, Brooklyn
North Carolina
Al Thomas, Real Estate Appraiser, Burlington
Ohio
Vincent Schmithorst, Research Scientist, Batavia
Oklahoma
J. Spencer Thompson, Radiation Oncologist, Edmond
Oregon
Darlene Cusick, Piano Teacher (retired) and Church Organist, Portland
Judy Darst, Piano Teacher (retired), Bend
Dr. John A. DeRuntz, Jr., Mathematician, Scientist, and Professor (retired), Tigard
Pennsylvania
Barry Coutinho, Family Physician, Pittsburgh
Lori Gilbert, Advertisting Sales, Wexford
Texas
Anne Blakeney, Homemaker, Dallas
J. Michael Brounoff, U.S. Administrative Law Judge, Plano
Christine Cheng, Physician, Houston
Mark Graham, Health Care Worker, Denton
Robin Green, Attorney (retired), Dallas
Clark Griffith, Database Programmer (retired), Fort Worth
Marisa Naomi Haines, Teacher of AP Statistics, Murphy
David Hibbard, Railroad Manager (retired), Fort Worth
Denise Humphrey, Clinical Psychologist, Dallas
Leticia Martinez, Criminal Prosecutor, Fort Worth
James Raphael, Fine Jeweler, Real Estate, Salon Owner, Fort Worth
Paul Rutschmann, Adjunct Instructor of European and German History, Arlington
Utah
Jane Gibson King, Homemaker, Provo
Madalyn Bingham Taylor, Homemaker & Business Owner, Ogden
Washington
Valentina Rodov, Attorney (retired), Seattle
International
Australia
JY Lim, Attorney, Sydney
Iona Luke, Attorney, New South Wales
Brazil
Jose Mauro Peixoto, Portfolio Manager, Sao Paulo
Canada
Ricker Choi, Financial Risk Consultant, Toronto, Ontario
Jun Fujimoto, Marketing Specialist, Scarborough, Ontario
Leslie Myrick, Hospital Administrator (retired), Toronto, Ontario
Matthew A. Tingle, Business Executive, Windsor, Ontario
France
Vincent Letourmy, Project Manager at Thales Group, Donflans Sainte Honorine
Germany
Atsutaka Manabe, Physicist, Bensheim
Eberhard Zagrosek, Physicist (retired), Berlin
Italy
Andrea Terenzi, Dentist, Rome
Japan
Hajime Kobayashi, Management Consultant, Niiza-shi, Saitama
Kazuyuki Ohmura, Software Engineering Manager, Kawaski-shi, Kanagwa-ken
Reiko Osawa, Homemaker, Itami, Hyogo
Yoko Taruki, Kindergarten Teacher, Yokohama
Takanori Yamato, Retail Sales Promotions Manager, Tokyo
Mexico
Jorge Zamora, Distribution Manager in Telecommunications, Huixquilucan
Philippines
Gerard Q. de Guzman, Pharmacist, San Fabian, Pangasinan
United Kingdom
Andrea De Tomas, Attorney, London
Dominic Piers Smith, Team Leader in Aerodynamics for Mercedes Formula One Team, Middle Barton, Oxfordshire
