Now that the winners of the Van Cliburn Amateur Competition have been announced, we can turn our attention to the next North Texas celebration of the piano, the PianoTexas International Academy & Festival. In its 30th year, the festival offers summer study programs for young pianists, teachers, and amateur players, as well as a concert program. The centerpiece of this year’s fest: all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas will be performed by a series of notable performers, including Paul Badura-skoda, John Lill, and Christopher Tayler.
Speaking about the festival to the DMN’s Scott Cantrell, founder and TCU professor Tamás Ungár said he wanted “something monumentous” for this year’s anniversary celebration.
“When we started, there was nothing going on in the summer here,” Ungár says. “This was a wasteland as far as culture. Now, because of the Fort Worth Opera and the Cliburn, we have extended the season for the orchestra. Add the Mimir Festival, and we have put Fort Worth and the Metroplex on the map as a summer destination.”
