In 1958, the 23-year-old American pianist Van Cliburn won the Tchaikovsky International Competition and became an idol in the Soviet Union and the United States at the same time. With this victory, he proved that music has no boundaries, that art is above political contradictions. In a way, Van Cliburn has become a symbol of the warming relationship between the two superpowers.
Van Cliburn before his first trip to Moscow
Van Cliburn (full name - Harvey Laban Cliburn) was born in 1934 in the United States in Shreveport, Louisiana. However, soon his whole family moved to Texas (and the musician eventually considered this land to be his small homeland).
The first lessons in music for a boy from the age of three were given by his mother - she herself was a pianist. When the gifted young man turned seventeen, he managed to enter the prestigious Juilliard School, where the famous Rosina Levina became his music teacher (by the way, she was educated at the Moscow Conservatory). In 1954, Van Cliburn graduated from a training course, won the Leventritt Competition and got the opportunity to play with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Then the young pianist traveled around the country with concerts for about four years. His performances were undoubtedly talented, but this was not enough to gain really great popularity.
The phenomenal success of an American pianist
In 1958, Van Cliburn’s teacher Rozina Levina helped him get a scholarship for his trip to the first Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow. And this largely predetermined the further biography of the musician.
The performance by Van Cliburn at this competition of the works of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov completely amazed both the audience and the respected jury. As a result, he was unanimously awarded first place. And this despite the fact that the competition was held at the height of the Cold War, and the pianist arrived from the United States. He received his winner’s medal from the hands of Dmitry Shostakovich himself.
When Van Cliburn returned to his home country, he was given a grand ride in a convertible without a roof in New York. At the same time, numerous fans showered the happy musician with flowers and confetti.
In 1958, RCA Victor signed a contract with the pianist and released his album with the recording of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto. Soon this album received platinum status and was awarded the Grammy Award.
From 1960 to 1972, Cliburn toured the USSR as many as four times, and always these tours had a huge stir - Soviet spectators adored this lanky Texan. And he, in turn, also had a warm attitude towards the Soviet Union and its inhabitants.
Of course, among the fans of the pianist were not only ordinary listeners, but also the powerful of this world. During his career, Van Cliburn spoke for several US presidents - from Harry Truman to Barack Obama, as well as for the heads of state of Asia, Latin America and Europe.
