In 1973, Maestro John Giordano had just completed his first season as music director and conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra - a position he held for the next 27 years - when he was called on to serve as jury chairman for the Fourth Cliburn Competition.

For 11 quadrennial competitions and over 40 years, he performed that role with dignity and excellence, as an integral and invaluable part of the Cliburn family.

He helped launch the careers of many, many young pianists, among those the seven who return this spring to pay tribute to him as he now becomes the Cliburn's first jury chairman emeritus.

Performing will be Haochen Zhang, 2009 gold; Joyce Yang, 2005 silver; Stanislav Ioudenitch, 2001 gold; Jon Nakamatsu, 1997 gold; Simone Pedroni, 1993 gold; Andre-Michel Schub, 1981 gold; and Vladimir Viardo, 1973 gold.