From left to right: SeungChan Lee, Alex Moore, Chad Jung, Corey Hale, Stephen Bates and Amanda Goodwin.
This summer, the eyes of the classical music world turn once again to Fort Worth for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition — one of the most prestigious events in the global music scene. Held every four years, the Cliburn Competition showcases extraordinary young pianists, offering them a platform to launch international careers.
For the 2025 competition, the preliminary and quarterfinal rounds will take place at the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU, a state-of-the-art facility named in honor of the legendary pianist whose legacy continues to inspire emerging artists.
While the spotlight will shine on the extraordinary performances, it’s the dedication and talent of support staff and faculty from the School of Music and College of Fine Arts that make it all possible behind the scenes, including:
- Stephen Bates, information technology coordinator of fine arts
- Amanda Goodwin, technical director
- Corey Hale, head stage manager
- SeungChan Lee, stage technician
- Blair Kirk, stage technician
- Chad Jung, assistant professor of professional practice in dance lighting design and production
- Alex Moore, chief piano technician
- Andrea Zents, stage technician
“The School of Music is blessed with incredible support staff, and we honestly couldn’t do what we do without them,” shared Marc Reed, D.M.A., director of the School of Music, who is completing his first year at TCU. “Because we’ve been hosting The Cliburn here at TCU for decades, our staff knows what to expect and has been working hard to prepare.”
Delivering Precision and Excellence at The Cliburn
The Megan and Victor Boschini Music Center is home to the Van Cliburn Concert Hall.
From managing behind-the-scenes details to ensuring technical excellence and a smooth audience experience, TCU faculty and staff play an essential role in the competition’s success.
Their responsibilities range from verifying all technology in the Van Cliburn Concert Hall is performance-ready and ensuring Cliburn staff have proper internet access for broadcasting, to lighting design that balances atmosphere with visibility for the pianists.
“We have been meeting with The Cliburn and working out the details of this setup since January, ensuring all goes according to plan when they arrive next month,” shared Goodwin. “We truly could not host something like this without the incredible team we have here at TCU!”
One of the most vital roles is coordinating the delivery, placement and tuning of the competition pianos. Moore works closely with both The Cliburn and Steinway to oversee each instrument’s arrival and setup, spending hours fine-tuning them for the performers.
“Our staff is tested and continually proves they can handle large and prestigious events like The Cliburn,” said Reed. “It’s been a joy to watch them work these events, and I have no doubt the 2025 iteration of The Cliburn will be successful because of the dedication and skill of our incredible staff.”
As the competition is set to begin, we extend a heartfelt thank you to the professionals whose hard work and expertise make it all possible.
“I feel so very fortunate to have my first year here at the School of Music be a year where The Cliburn is happening,” shared Reed. “Van Cliburn is a legend in Fort Worth, and we try to honor his life, work and legacy in so many things that we do, as evidenced by naming our recently opened state-of-the-art concert hall in the Megan and Victor Boschini Music Center after him. We look forward to many more years of close collaboration with The Cliburn.”