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 

