A Surprise in Texas
Every four years, the world’s finest young pianists gather in Fort Worth, TX, to test their skill, their passion, and their determination in three grueling weeks of rehearsals and performances. The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition ignites the musical world, introducing new names, breathtaking music, and the thrill and emotion of competition to a worldwide audience.
For the last two competitions (the Twelfth and Thirteenth Cliburns in 2005 and 2009), streaming online video footage has made real-time performances more available than ever. Behind-the-scenes footage, however, is rare and precious, and many audience members can only dream about the preparation that goes into those few moments of spellbinding music on the stage of Bass Performance Hall.
A Surprise In Texas is an astounding film by Emmy Award®-winning director/producer Peter Rosen that chronicles the Thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition as contestants journey through every aspect of the competition. In May 2009, 29 contestants from 14 different countries arrived in Fort Worth; three weeks later, only four of them stood on stage. Rosen captures the highs and lows, the seemingly pedestrian moments – cooking dinners, jumping rope or playing ping pong to release tension – that illuminate the transporting moments of beauty all the more.
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Mr. Rosen’s film has previewed at film festivals in Dallas and Beverly Hills to enthusiastic reviews from music aficionados and filmmakers alike, and it’s sure to capture the spirit of this extraordinary competition for every viewer.
There is special focus on Nobuyuki Tsujii, the gold medal-winning pianist blind since birth, who tied for first place with 19-year-old Haochen Zhang. Mr. Tsujii (or “Nobu,” as he’s now known throughout the music world) inspired jury and audience alike, and Mr. Rosen has captured the magic and fearlessness of this pianist beautifully on film. On May 14, 2010, A Surprise in Texas will be released in select theatres in North Texas. Steinway Hall – Dallas/Fort Worth/Plano has provided a Steinway piano to every theatre for each first screening event in North Texas, with guest pianists from The Van Cliburn's Musical Awakenings Program performing.