Sometimes it’s really important to see just what the tippy-top highest standard in your field of endeavor is: Pianists can see the tip of the mountaintop at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. It’s one of the most exciting events in classical music, and those of you who think that that’s equivalent to “one of the most exciting days watching paint dry” should look it up. The performance of Chopin’s Conceerto #1 tonight (9:45 Eastern Time) by a blind pianist might rock your world. www.cliburn.tv.
Just making it to the competition is a lifetime achievement. The range of repertoire runs through four hundred years of classical music, including the bedrock pieces of the classical repertoire, along with chamber music, and the huge knuckle-pounding concerti.
29 pianists started in the competition, which runs from May 22 to June 7 (2009), every one of them a phenomenal artist. It’s now down to 6 finalists, and those of us who aren’t lucky enough to be there in person can watch performances AND rehearsals, streamed live, on Webcam.
The performances will also be archived.
