FORT WORTH, Texas, February 25, 2016—The Cliburn will host its 2016 “Classically Cliburn Gala 2016: A Cuban Crescendo" on Friday, April 8, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. at Ridglea Country Club. The black tie/white dinner jacket event will feature a Cuban theme—complete with a casino and a cigar terrace.

Highlights of the evening will include an elegant reception with signature mojitos and a short performance by piano duo Anderson & Roe; dinner and dancing to the music of Simply Irresistible; a late-night patio to indulge in hand-rolled cigars; and a chance to use Cliburn Cash to play craps, blackjack, or roulette with Cliburn CEO and president Jacques Marquis.

Individual tickets are $500, and tables start at $5,000.

For reservations, visit www.cliburn.org, call 817.738.6536 or email khowell@cliburn.org.

ABOUT THE CLIBURN
The Cliburn advances classical piano music throughout the world. Its international competitions, education programs, and concert series embody an enduring commitment to artistic excellence and the discovery of new artists. Established in 1962, the quadrennial Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is widely-recognized as “one of the world’s highest-visibility classical-music contests” (Dallas Morning News) and remains committed to its original ideals of supporting and launching the careers of young pianists, age 18 to 30 (fifteenth edition May 25–June 10, 2017). It shares the transformative powers of music with a wide global audience, through fully-produced webcasts and by providing commission-free, comprehensive career management and concert bookings to its winners. Rounding out its mission, the Cliburn also produces the Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival for exceptional 13 to 17-year-old pianists (inaugural edition June 21–28, 2015; second 2019), and the Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition for outstanding non-professional pianists age 35 and older (seventh edition June 19–25, 2016).

Over a four-year cycle, the Cliburn contributes to North Texas’ cultural landscape with over 170 classical music performances for 150,000 attendees, through competitions, free community concerts, and its signature Cliburn Concerts series at Bass Performance Hall, the Kimbell Art Museum Piano Pavilion, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. It presents 1,000 in-school, interactive music education programs for more than 200,000 area elementary students. During the same time period, it garners the world’s attention with over one million visits from 155 nations for live concert and competition webcasts; 300 concerts worldwide booked for competition winners; more than 5,000 news articles about the Cliburn and its winners; regular national radio broadcasts to 245 public radio stations; and a PBS documentary airing in a potential 105 million households. Detailed information about the Cliburn and its programs is available at Cliburn.org.

Cliburn Sponsors are:
Amon G. Carter Foundation
Arts Council of Fort Worth
Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust
The Pangburn Foundation, J.P. Morgan, Trustee
ExxonMobil / XTO Energy
Mercedes T. Bass Charitable Corporation
Sid W. Richardson Foundation 

Exclusive Print Media Sponsor:
Star-Telegram

Official Piano of the Cliburn:
Steinway & Sons – North Texas / Houston

Official Hotel of the Cliburn:
Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel

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