by Daniel Hathaway
Cleveland—September 28, 2017. After serving as president and CEO of the Cleveland International Piano Competition since 2011, Pierre van der Westhuizen has announced his appointment as Director of the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and Awards in Kalamazoo, Michigan, beginning on January 2 of 2018.
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of the CIPC family for these seven years,” van der Westhuizen said in a press statement released today. “I’ve been touched by the most wondrous music, the most dedicated individuals, and the most generous and supportive patrons one could possibly hope for. I extend my deepest thanks to all.” [Read more…]
The opening sessions of the Cleveland International Piano Competition’s first round proved to be a thrilling start on Monday, July 25 at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium. Eleven fine contestants showcased their virtuosity and poesy before eight jurors — all of whom are renowned pianists in their own right. 
After playing two rounds with no eliminations, the original pool of 24 young pianists in the Cleveland International Piano Competition’s Young Artists Competition was trimmed to 12. The semifinal round pared that number down to six finalists — three each in the Senior and Junior divisions. The final round with Gerhardt Zimmermann and the Canton Symphony Orchestra, played in front of a sold-out house in Gartner Auditorium at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Thursday evening, May 21, would determine who would win first, second and third prizes in each division, as well as who would be awarded the Mozart, Bach and Audience prizes. 
On Tuesday, May 12, at 7:00 pm in Baldwin Wallace University’s Gamble Auditorium, 25 young pianists representing eight countries will compete for top prizes at the Cleveland International Piano Competition’s