We present the Cleveland International Piano Competition, one of the most prestigious competitions in the world. It’s nice to meet you!
You’re probably wondering who we are. So, we’ve put together a short FAQ to share a bit about our new identity.
Why did you change your name?
The Cleveland International Piano Competition is our signature event, and we know how important its reputation is both in Cleveland and abroad. But we offer much more than the Competition – we bring world-class pianists here to perform, we have year-round education and outreach programming. We even had a summer competition preparatory camp this year!
We found that with our old name, people would often get confused about how these programs related to “the Competition.” So we wanted a new identity that would allow us to continue presenting our signature event – the Cleveland International Piano Competition – in addition to innovative concerts and programs that bring piano to all Cleveland audiences.
Why did you choose “Piano Cleveland” as your new identity?
Piano is who we are. We care deeply about how piano music can transform people’s lives, both as performers and listeners. We will always honor our classical music heritage, but our new identity also opens doors to other genres that can be equally powerful for music lovers.
Cleveland is not only where we reside – it is where our history and our future meet. We know how important it is to invest in our city and in our communities to ensure that Clevelanders of all backgrounds can fall in love with the piano. Only then can we reach our goal of Cleveland becoming an international piano destination.
What about the Cleveland International Piano Competition? Will the name or focus of that event change?
The Cleveland International Piano Competition will remain the same high-caliber musical event with the same name. We are in the process now of choosing our 24 elite contestants from all over the world, and we look forward to seeing you there this summer!
What else do you do besides the Competition?
One of our main goals is to engage music lovers in piano music regardless of their background and previous knowledge. Our Listening Series, beginning in March of this year, is one example, as participants will learn about how to listen to piano music in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
We also host year-round community engagement and education programming. Our roster of musicians perform in senior living facilities and community centers around the greater Cleveland area. Plus, our PianoKids Trio brings active musical experiences to kids in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District every year.
As for the future? We can’t wait to share with you some of our upcoming projects, from Piano Festivals that celebrate piano in all of its forms, to creative educational initiatives in the Cleveland schools to new community partnerships with organizations that share our vision for bringing music to Cleveland communities. Stay tuned!
What is most exciting about your new identity?
Piano is unique in that it is incredibly versatile: you can play almost every kind of music on the piano, and anyone can create a melody without any practice. We are excited that as Piano Cleveland, we can celebrate this versatility in creating programming that helps bring piano to all audiences and communities in Cleveland.
Our new identity also allows us to combine two key parts of who we are: a local, community-based organization who is a leader in the international piano world. Nothing is more exciting to us than bringing the world to Cleveland, and Cleveland to the world.
More questions? Look around our website or reach out to [email protected], as our staff would be happy to chat with you about the exciting future ahead!