Cliburn Competition names new boss

The contest has been in temporary hands since 2009 when Richard Rodzinski moved on to run the Tchaikovsky in Moscow. The last interim fled in November. Three weeks ago, the founder died. Now they have, at last, a successor. Read on:

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 20, 2013-Carla Kemp Thompson, chairman of the Van Cliburn Foundation Board of Directors, announced today that Jacques Marquis has been named president and CEO for the Cliburn, effective immediately.

Mr. Marquis joined the Cliburn in early September 2012 as interim executive director. With two decades of experience and an extensive network of national and international contacts, he has eagerly tackled the challenge of integrating a remarkable 50-year Cliburn history with the board’s strategic vision. As president and CEO, Mr. Marquis is committed to empowering the Cliburn’s professional team, and to inspiring thousands of volunteers and supporters, and millions of fans of piano music toward the goal of advancing the Cliburn’s position as the champion of classical music worldwide.

“Jacques Marquis has been truly effective as interim executive director during a period of leadership transition,” said Mrs. Thompson. “He brings valuable skills sets and experience to the Cliburn, and his energy and enthusiasm have already invigorated the organization. Jacques’ knowledge of music and artistry, combined with his years of competition management and his core belief in the tenets that Van Cliburn held dearly, make him ideal to lead the organization as its new president and CEO. We look forward to Jacques and his family becoming a vital part of Fort Worth.”

Mr. Marquis said, “It is an honor and a privilege to work for this prestigious organization, particularly at this pivotal time with the exceptional journey ahead. We prepare for the Fourteenth Cliburn Competition this May with a renewed commitment to Van Cliburn’s vision of artistic excellence and his dedication to sharing music with the largest audience possible. I am thankful to Carla Thompson and the Cliburn board for their bold long-term vision and for their support. My family and I are grateful to the people of Fort Worth for welcoming us so warmly, and we look forward to being a part of this engaging community.”

JACQUES MARQUIS
Jacques Marquis brings to the Cliburn outstanding expertise and a wealth of international piano competition experience, informed by his formal education and 20 years of working in the industry. A bilingual executive with degrees in business administration and music, he is recognized as a dynamic and visionary leader, highly skilled in team management, fundraising, operations, and finance.

As executive and artistic director of Jeunesses Musicales Canada (JMC) from 2002 to 2012, Mr. Marquis contributed to answering their dual mandate: promoting classical music, especially among youth, and supporting the career development of the country’s finest young artists, both at home and abroad. By the end of his tenure, JMC was producing 800 concerts and 700 workshops annually.

In 2002, he was instrumental in helping establish the Montreal International Musical Competition and functioned as its executive and artistic director. In that role, he was responsible for 11 editions of the competition-five voice, three piano, and three violin.

Working for the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal from 1994 to 2002 (current artistic director Yannick Nézet-Séguin), he first served as artistic administrator before rising to chief operating officer in the late 1990s.

Mr. Marquis has served extensively on boards in his native Canada and internationally, among them Jeunesses Musicales International, the World Federation of International Music Competitions, and the Université du Québec à Montréal.

A graduate of the Université de Montréal with a Bachelor’s degree in music (piano), Mr. Marquis earned a second degree in business administration, specializing in management, from the Université du Québec à Montréal.