Adopt-A-Competitor
Elementary students are also given the opportunity to experience
the Competition, right in their own school, thru the
Adopt-A-Competitor program. Participating Cliburn competitors are
assigned to a school where they are "adopted" by fourth and fifth
grade students. The Competitors present concerts and visit with
students in the days just before the start of the Competition.
Teachers prepare their students with information and materials
provided by the Cliburn about their competitor and the Competition
prior to the visit. Competitors are welcomed at each school with
encouraging signs, banners, and posters created by the school.
Students experience the thrill of great classical music and the
magic of meeting a piano virtuoso. After performing for the
students, the competitors visit with the children in their
classrooms where the students have the opportunity to ask questions
and get to know the competitor better. Because so many of the
competitors come from countries outside the United States, children
learn about new cultures, customs, and geography. The visit creates
a special bond between the students and their adopted competitor.
The students then track the progress of their competitor as they
advance throughout the following three weeks of the Competition.
Since the inception of the project in 1997, children have had the
thrill of following someone who has made it into the Final Round,
as three gold medalists and four finalists have participated in the
Adopt-A-Competitor project in the previous four Competitions.
Click here to download the
Adopt-A-Competitor Teacher Guide.
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