In memoriam: Van Cliburn (1934-2013)

Van Cliburn, one of America's premier pianists, died on February 27, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas, following a long bout with bone cancer.  He was 78 years old.

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The Van Cliburn phenomenon

Cliburn's long and celebrated concert career kicked off after he won after winning the 1958 International Tchaikovsky Competition held in Moscow at the age of 23.  This happened amid growing tensions between the then Soviet Union and the United States over the looming space age.  Van Cliburn's convincing albeit controversial victory pushed him into the vanguards of international fame, making him one of the few classical musicians to enjoy rock star status.

By transcending the great racial divide, Cliburn's popularity reached unprecedented levels and propelled him to a status previously unheard of in the music world.  He was the only musician to have a ticker-tape parade in Mahattan and his recording of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no. 1 became the first ever classical album to become Platinum.

Van Cliburn and the Philippines: The cultural connection

Van Cliburn became a familiar figure to the Filipinos back in the Martial Law era.  He frequently appeared in many cultural events upon the invitation of then First Lady Imelda Marcos and was warmly received by the music-loving Filipino audience.

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Cliburn is also remembered for performing in a fund-raising concert for the Young Artists Foundation, an arts foundation which provided support to then aspiring musicians Cecile Licad and Rowena Arrieta, and Noel Velasco. He also performed in several other fund-raising concerts; of note was the concert in Araneta Coliseum which drew rave reviews despite not having the benefit of a rehearsal.

Retirement and legacy

Cliburn announced his retirement in 1974, following the death of his father, and completely stopped touring in 1978.  This, however, did not prevent him from helping in the cause of discovering and supporting young musicians.  He was a staunch supporter of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, an eponymous non-profit enterprise which offers promising concertists a shot at winning cash prizes, a Carnegie Hall debut, and a two-year tour promoted by the competition.

"An artist can be truly evaluated only after he is dead. At the very 11th hour, he might do something that will eclipse everything else." - Van Cliburn