Van Cliburn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Van Cliburn
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Cliburn in 1966
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Harvey Lavan Cliburn Jr. |
| Also known as | Van Cliburn |
| Born | July 12, 1934 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | February 27, 2013 (aged 78) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Classical music |
| Occupations | Pianist |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1946–2013 |
| Labels | RCA Victor Red Seal |
Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. (July 12, 1934 – February 27, 2013) was an American pianist. He became famous worldwide at age 23. This happened when he won the first ever International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958. This was during the Cold War.
Van Cliburn's mother was a piano teacher. She was also a very good pianist herself. She noticed him playing the piano at age three. He was copying one of her students. She then arranged for him to start lessons. Cliburn learned to play with a rich, full sound. He also played as if he was singing each piece. This was because he was taught to sing every piece from the very beginning.
Cliburn traveled and performed a lot. He played for kings, queens, and leaders of countries. He also played for every US president from Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama.
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Van Cliburn's Early Life
Cliburn was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. His parents were Rildia Bee and Harvey Lavan Cliburn Sr. He started piano lessons with his mother when he was three. His mother had studied with Arthur Friedheim. Friedheim was a student of the famous composer Franz Liszt. When Cliburn was six, his father moved the family to Kilgore, Texas. His father worked in the oil business.
At age 12, Cliburn won a piano competition for his whole state. This led to him playing with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. When he was 17, he went to the Juilliard School in New York City. He studied with Rosina Lhévinne. She taught him in the style of the great Russian romantic composers. In 1952, Cliburn won the International Chopin Competition. This was held at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City. At 20, Cliburn won the Leventritt Award. He then played his first concert at Carnegie Hall.
Cliburn's Amazing Career
Winning in Moscow: A Cold War Story
The first International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958 was very important. It was meant to show that the Soviet Union was better culturally. This was during the Cold War. The USSR had already launched Sputnik in 1957. This was a big win for their technology.
Cliburn played in the competition finale on April 13. He performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. His performance earned him an eight-minute standing ovation. After the applause, Van Cliburn spoke a little in Russian. Then, he went back to the piano. He surprised everyone by playing his own version of the popular song "Moscow Nights." This made the Russian people love him even more.
When it was time to pick a winner, the judges had a problem. They felt they needed to ask the Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, for permission. They wanted to give the first prize to an American. Khrushchev asked, "Is he the best?" The judges said, "Yes." Khrushchev then said, "Then give him the prize!" Cliburn and Khrushchev stayed friends for a long time.
Cliburn returned home to a huge welcome. He had a ticker-tape parade in New York City. This was the only time a classical musician has received this honor. Time magazine put him on its cover. The headline said, "The Texan Who Conquered Russia." His win in Moscow made Cliburn famous all over the world.
Becoming a Star: Cliburn's Success
When Cliburn came back to the United States, he played a concert at Carnegie Hall. He performed with the Symphony of the Air. Kirill Kondrashin conducted the orchestra. Kondrashin had also led the Moscow Philharmonic during Cliburn's winning performances in Moscow. A recording of Cliburn playing Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto from this concert was released. It was put out by RCA Victor.
Cliburn was also invited to play on Steve Allen's TV show. This was on May 25, 1958. Later, he went to the White House to meet President Eisenhower. They talked about relations with the USSR.
RCA Victor signed Cliburn to a special contract. His recording of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 won a Grammy Award in 1958. It became a "gold record" in 1961. It was the first classical album to become "platinum" in 1989. This means it sold a lot of copies. It was the best-selling classical album in the world for over ten years. Eventually, it sold enough to be "triple-platinum." In 2004, this recording was made even better.
Cliburn also recorded other famous classical pieces. These included the Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor. He also recorded the Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor. Other recordings included Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. He also played Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 and No. 5 "Emperor". And he recorded Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3.
In 1958, a piano competition was created in Cliburn's honor. It was called the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The first competition was held in 1962 in Fort Worth. Until he passed away, Cliburn helped lead the Van Cliburn Foundation. He also hosted the competition every four years.
Cliburn visited the Soviet Union many times. His performances there were often recorded and shown on TV. In 1962, Nikita Khrushchev and Andrei Gromyko (the Soviet Foreign Minister) were seen clapping for him. The Wall Street Journal said that Cliburn's love for the Soviet people was very clear. And their love for him was also strong. This was even during a time of tension between the two countries.
On May 26, 1972, Cliburn played a concert at Spaso House. This is where the United States Ambassador to Russia lives. President Richard Nixon and other officials were in the audience.
Cliburn's Comeback Performances
Cliburn continued to perform and record through the 1970s. But in 1978, he took a break from public life. This was after his father and his manager passed away. In 1987, he was asked to play at the White House. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev were there. After that, he was invited to open the 100th anniversary season of Carnegie Hall.
In 1994, he went on a tour to 16 cities. It started with him playing the Tchaikovsky concerto at the Hollywood Bowl. Also in 1994, Cliburn appeared in the cartoon Iron Man. He played himself in one episode. In his late seventies, he gave a few performances. People loved them. He played for kings, queens, and leaders from many countries. He also played for every U.S. president from 1958 until he died.
Honors and Awards for Van Cliburn
Cliburn received many important awards. He received the Kennedy Center Honors on December 2, 2001. President George W. Bush gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom on July 23, 2003. This is one of the highest awards for civilians in the U.S. On September 20, 2004, he received the Russian Order of Friendship. This is the highest civilian award in Russia.
He also won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. He played at a surprise birthday party for United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. President Barack Obama gave him a National Medal of Arts on March 2, 2011.
Cliburn's 1958 piano performance in Moscow is very special. It was when he won the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. This recording has been added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress. This means it will be kept safe for a very long time.
Van Cliburn's Personal Life
Cliburn was known for being a night owl. He often practiced the piano until 4:30 or 5 in the morning. He would then wake up around 1:30 in the afternoon. He said, "You feel like you're alone and the world's asleep, and it's very inspiring."
Van Cliburn's Death
On August 27, 2012, it was announced that Cliburn had advanced bone cancer. He had been getting treatment and was resting at home in Fort Worth. He received care around the clock. Cliburn passed away on February 27, 2013. He was seventy-eight years old.
Cliburn was a member of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth. He went there regularly when he was in town. His funeral services were held on March 3, 2013, at the church. He was buried at Greenwood Memorial Park Mausoleum in Fort Worth.
Van Cliburn's Legacy
The Wall Street Journal said that Cliburn was a "cultural hero" when he died. They said he became incredibly famous for a classical musician in the U.S. The Associated Press called him "the rare classical musician to enjoy rock star status." They mentioned the 1958 Time magazine cover story. It compared him to Horowitz, Liberace, and Presley all in one.
A year after Cliburn's death, a free concert was held in his honor. It was on February 27, 2014, in downtown Fort Worth. Jacques Marquis, the Cliburn Foundation president, said it was "part of the Cliburn ideology of sharing the music with the larger audience."
A big part of Cliburn's legacy was how much he was loved in the Soviet Union. This was during and after the Tchaikovsky competition. Life magazine wrote in 1958 that people were incredibly excited about him. They loved him and didn't hide it. "In the early rounds, Van was the big crowd-pleaser. Fans called him Vanyusha. Girls followed him to the hotel. Soviet record companies begged him to record anything. In the finals, when he finished the Rachmaninoff Third Concerto, the excited audience in Moscow chanted 'first prize—first prize'."
Mark MacNamara wrote that Cliburn was a kind person. He was 23, tall, and from Shreveport. He seemed truly unaware of any problems or bad feelings. Cliburn had amazing talent. He also had a heart that loved people and music. This is a legacy that will last.
As of the most recent International Tchaikovsky Competition (2019), Van Cliburn is still the only American to win the piano competition. Three Americans have won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in its 58-year history.
Cliburn's Lasting Impact on Music
Cliburn gave a lot to society. One of his greatest gifts was the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
For many young pianists, Cliburn is a symbol of talent and inspiration. He was a friend to the arts. He showed how powerful a love for music can be. His impact on the tensions of the Cold War was truly special and unique.
In Spanish: Van Cliburn para niños
