The Columbus Symphony Orchestra will open its 50th Anniversary Season by featuring pianist Van Cliburn in a one-night-only double-concerto performance.
The performance, featured by The Huntington National Bank, will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 15) in the Ohio Theatre in downtown Columbus. The event is in conjunction with The Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s Great Performer’s Series.
Cliburn’s concert will feature Liszt’s Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major and Grieg’s Concerto in A Minor and will be conducted by Music Director Alessandro Siciliani.
In addition, the concert will include the Academic Festival Overture by Johannes Brahms and Capriccio italien by Tchaikovsky.
Cilburn last appeared with The Columbus Symphony Orchestra in May 1996 on the annual gala event, performing to a sold-out Ohio Theatre crowd.
American pianist Cliburn skyrocketed to fame in 1958 during the height of the Cold War when he conquered the heart of Russian people as the winner of the First International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
The victory made front-page news around the world, and the triumph was celebrated by a ticker-tape parade in New York City, the only such honor given to a classical musician.
Worldwide concert tours and rigorous recording schedules were greeted by sell-out crowds and top of the chart record sales as a result of Cliburn’s success in Moscow.
Cliburn performed with virtually every major orchestra and conductor in all the important concert halls.
In addition, he has performed for every United States president since Harry S Truman, as well as for royalty and heads of state for numerous countries in Europe, Asia and South America.
At the height of his career, Cliburn found time to give his name, talents and energies to establishing the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, first held in 1992.
For more information, contact The Columbus Symphony Orchestra at (614) 228-9600.