Special thanks to Viktor Lazarov at La Scena Musicale magazine for writing about our approach to fashion onstage and in our music videos. The conversation runs the gamut from Issey Miyake to Zara, James Bond to Liz’s mother:
La Scena Musicale — Music & Fashion Series: Glittering Sounds and Sights from Star Piano Duo
We are excited to announce that we are joining the Cliburn's new venture: the Cliburn Agency! We've had a richly rewarding partnership with the Cliburn, one of the most legendary organizations in classical music, for over a decade: we've appeared on their concert series—the Cliburn Sessions (as their inaugural artists) and their mainstage Cliburn Concerts at the Kimbell Museum—and we've hosted the webcast of their prestigious International (2017, 2022) and Junior (2015) competitions. We've long been impressed by their energizing, forward-thinking approach to the field of classical piano, and their mission aligns beautifully with ours. We look forward to co-creating a powerful impact on the world of music with the Cliburn team and the other inspiring artists on the roster!
Read more about the Cliburn Agency here: https://theviolinchannel.com/the-cliburn-launches-its-own-artist-management-firm/
From the official press release:
Today, the Cliburn launches a new boutique management firm: the Cliburn Agency. The full-service firm offers comprehensive general management, concert booking, project management, and publicity and branding services to a select group of rising and established instrumentalists—piano and beyond—whose high artistic caliber is matched by a vision for moving the field of classical music forward.
THE LAUNCHING ROSTER
The initial Cliburn Agency roster comprises Anderson & Roe Piano Duo; Greg Anderson, piano; Peter Dugan, piano; Fei-Fei, piano; Bridget Kibbey, harp; and Clayton Stephenson, piano. From intriguing programming and projects to alternative concerts and community engagement, these touring musicians are dedicated to connection and creativity—and they are partnering with the Cliburn to enhance and magnify their careers, efforts, and impact.
THE AGENCY
The core of the Cliburn mission is twofold: an enduring commitment to artistic excellence and to supporting extraordinary artists. The most visible expression of that vision is the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition—now one of the most-watched classical music events in the world. But it has also materialized in other arenas where the organization has developed industry-wide prowess, including the comprehensive and personalized career management packages awarded to the Competition medalists; robust international publicity efforts; and multiple leading-edge concert series.
FROM JACQUES MARQUIS, CLIBURN PRESIDENT AND CEO
“The Cliburn Agency is a compelling expansion of the Cliburn’s brand and impact. Our core mission is to support artists and continuously advance classical music. The management and promotion of exceptional musicians—particularly those with a specific fervor and dedication for expanding audiences and breaking down barriers—is the next step in realizing that mission. Through this new program, the Cliburn develops another powerful way to meet the moment and find new ways to expand classical music’s reach as a source of commonality and shared experience in today’s world.”
We’re pleased to release several new scores, including our first two for 8 hands at 2 pianos. We look forward to hearing what you do with these!
Mozart’s sublime “Ave verum corpus,” arranged for solo piano.
Mozart’s “Ave verum corpus.” Dedicated to Liz’s daughter, this arrangement for piano duet is beautiful (and less challenging).
Bach/Gounod “Ave Maria.” This arrangement is inspired by stained glass windows and has been one of the most requested scores at recent Anderson & Roe performances.
Capriccio on Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5. Listen to a live performance of the virtuoso work at the link.
Nocturne on Neptune, inspired by Gustav Holst’s “Neptune” and the astrological writings that influenced it.
Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag with a second piano overlay. Party time.
Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise” arranged for 4 pianists on 2 pianos. The arrangement was commissioned by the Geneva Tuesday Quartette for their 100th anniversary(!) and is based on our version for piano duet.
Dvořák’s Slavonic Dance Op. 42, No. 5 (in its original form for piano duet) with an overlay for a second piano duet. A wild, fun, and virtuosic showpiece!
Opinion columnists seem to despise the standing ovation these days: “The Standing Ovation is a Filthy American Habit,” “Ovation Inflation,” “Standing Ovations: an Epidemic,” etc. Thankfully, our recent Montana tour offered a rebuttal, with audiences gloriously demonstrating the impact of an enthusiastic, engaged crowd.
The glare of stage lights makes this an imprecise calculation, but by my count we received at least 20 standing ovations over four performances. Granted, these weren’t all full-audience standing Os.
Individuals stood to applaud throughout the programs, such as the two people who jumped and cheered after our intentionally elusive cover of Radiohead’s “Pyramid Song” in Big Sky. There were partial standing ovations after the first halves of the concerts as well as the world premieres. In Bozeman, an entire crowd stood up in unified, slow-motion conviction after our “Hallelujah Variations.” And in one memorable case, an audience member reacted to an encore with such enthusiasm she nearly had to be escorted out. We felt like rock stars!
As a touring artist, I’ve learned to take most compliments in stride, but this hit differently. The standing ovations weren’t just about praising our performances; they also demonstrated the genuine engagement of our listeners, signaling their active participation in the proceedings. It’s like they were saying, “We’re in this with you!”
Live performances serve our primordial need to share in something greater than ourselves, and these audiences were committed to the cause. Their attentiveness energized us, which we re-directed toward the music, which re-energized the audience, which gave us new inspiration, spiraling so forth. The concerts accumulated a thrilling energy no recording could replicate.
Here's the thing: engagement comes in many forms, whether it’s through applause, silence, or even shrieks of delight (Mozart prided himself on applause *during* performances of his music). Our Montana tour was a reminder that music isn’t just about what happens on stage; it’s about the connection we share with our audience. And in Montana, that connection ran deep.
-Greg
We're delighted to announce a very special #TwoPianoTuesday livestream series:
Launching Tuesday, April 4, the five-episode series will take you inside the unforgettable drama and riveting artistry of the historic 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
As official correspondents for the competition, we were waiting in the wings to cheer on and interview all of the competitors as they walked off stage. The result was ten hours of unfiltered reactions, poignant emotions, and compelling insights. We have curated and edited together this footage to premiere, along with new commentary and performance montages (culled from 60 hours of performance footage), on five Tuesdays this April and May. Join us for exclusive content you won't find anywhere else!
Check out the trailer for a taste of what's to come:
Each of the five episodes will be streamed live (Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. EDT) and available on-demand on four sites: our Anderson & Roe YouTube & Facebook channels as well as the Cliburn's YouTube & Facebook channels.
Streaming live Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. EDT
April 4 – Competition Trends
April 11 – Uladzislau Khandohi, Ilya Shmukler, & Clayton Stephenson: The Finalists
April 25 – Dmytro Choni: Bronze
May 2 – Anna Geniushene: Silver
May 9 – Yunchan Lim: Gold
The first episode, "Competition Trends," is chock-full of content and not to be missed. We will discuss the immense challenges these competitors faced, repertoire programming in wartime, Sir Stephen Hough’s dynamic commissioned work, and much more.
We can't wait to share these powerful stories with you all!
Coupon codes: enter 15percent to save 15% on score orders of $30 or more and 25percent to save 25% on orders of $50 or more.
