The 15th Van Cliburn International Piano competition is underway in Fort Worth.

The Cliburn is held every four years – it received nearly 300 applications for this year’s competition. That’s quite a jump from the last event.

About 150 were selected for live screening auditions in London, Hanover Budapest, Moscow, Seoul, New York and Fort Worth. Their number was whittled down to 30 pianists from 15 countries who are competing through June 10^th in Fort Worth.

Jacques Marquis heads the Cliburn. He told KERA’s Lee Cullum on the TV program CEO that there’s a reason for the increase in applicants.

“We launched the junior competition then with the junior competition 13- to 17 years old, the idea was to keep the Cliburn brand alive in the world. And we webcast also internationally the junior but we webcast also our amateur competition and we webcast also our Cliburn concerts then we  increased our reach internationally.”

KERA’s Bill Zeeble will keep us updated here at Art&Seek about the Cliburn, so check back. Meantime, watch Marquis’ interview with Cullum.