In honor of famed pianist Van Cliburn, the Texan who went to Moscow and won the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958 at the height of the Cold War, comes a musical event of epic proportions – “ 2017 Cliburn Competition LIVE in Cinemas .” The one-day event will highlight the six final pianists in concerto performances with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Leonard Slatkin.
Founded in 1962, this time-honored tradition makes its big-screen debut through Fathom Events in partnership with the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Hosted quadrennially in Cliburn’s hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, the Competition will be broadcast live to movie theaters nationwide on Saturday, June 10, at 1:00 p.m. ET /12:00 p.m. CT /11:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. PT. During the event, cinema audiences will experience an exclusive interview with Mr. Slatkin with WQXR (New York)’s Elliott Forrest.
Tickets for “2017 Cliburn Competition LIVE in Cinemas” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 300 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
Hailed as “a cross between the Miss America Pageant, the Olympic Games, the Academy Awards™ and the Pulitzer Prize” by the Boston Globe, the Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition will bring the very best pianists in the world to Fort Worth, Texas, to compete for the coveted Cliburn gold medal and a chance at an international performing career. An esteemed screening jury traveled around the world to hear 146 pianists perform before a live audience. From these auditions, 30 of the world’s finest pianists will be invited to compete in Fort Worth. Seventeen days of competition culminate in concerto performances by six finalists accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and Mr. Slatkin.
“Van Cliburn’s vision was to share excellent classical music with people around the world,” said Jacques Marquis, Cliburn president and CEO. “As the organization that bears his name, we proudly continue his legacy by utilizing the latest tools to reach wider audiences with each edition of the Competition, showcasing the talent of our exceptional competitors. For 2017, we’re pleased to have such an innovative partner in Fathom Events, which will help us bring this music and these artists into movie theaters across the United States.”
“The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is one of the most elite musical events in the world,” Fathom Events Vice President of Programming Kymberli Frueh said. “It truly showcases some incredible talent and we are thrilled to be a part of bringing this to a national audience in movie theaters for the first time.”
