Van Cliburn
Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. (/ˈklaɪbɜːrn/; July 12, 1934 – February 27, 2013)[1] was an American pianist. At the age of 23, Cliburn achieved worldwide recognition when he won the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958 during the Cold War.[2]
For the eponymous piano competition, see Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Van Cliburn
Harvey Lavan Cliburn Jr.
Van Cliburn
July 12, 1934
Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
February 27, 2013 (aged 78)
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
1946–2013
Cliburn's mother, a piano teacher and an accomplished pianist in her own right, discovered him playing at age three, mimicking one of her students, and arranged for him to start taking lessons.[2] Cliburn developed a rich, round tone and a singing-voice-like phrasing, having been taught from the start to sing each piece.[2] Cliburn toured domestically and overseas. He played for royalty, heads of state, and every US president from Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama.[3]
Early life[edit]
Harvey Lavan Cliburn Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the son of Rildia Bee (née O'Bryan) and Harvey Lavan Cliburn Sr.[4] When he was three, he began taking piano lessons from his mother, who had studied under Arthur Friedheim,[5] a pupil of Franz Liszt.[2] When Cliburn was six, his father, who worked in the oil industry,[6] moved the family to Kilgore, Texas.
At 12, Cliburn won a statewide piano competition, which led to his debut with the Houston Symphony Orchestra.[7] He entered the Juilliard School in New York City at 17[7] and studied under Rosina Lhévinne,[7] who trained him in the tradition of the great Russian romantics. In 1952, Cliburn won the International Chopin Competition at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City. At 20, Cliburn won the Leventritt Award[7] and made his debut at Carnegie Hall.[8]
Personal life[edit]
In 1996, Cliburn was named in a lawsuit by his domestic partner of 17 years, mortician Thomas Zaremba.[27] In the suit, Zaremba claimed entitlement to a portion of Cliburn's income and assets and asserted that he might have been exposed to HIV, causing emotional distress. Cliburn denied the allegations, with his attorney, Dee Kelly, stating that "Van Cliburn categorically denies the charges."[28] Cliburn's defense team further maintained that the claims were not only false, but that they amounted to extortion.[29] Zaremba's attorney, Mike McCurley, acknowledged that Zaremba did not have AIDS and further admitted that "he had no reason to believe that Cliburn has HIV."[30] The claims were dismissed by a trial court and rejected by an appellate court,[31] on the basis that palimony suits were not permitted in the state of Texas unless the relationship is based on a written agreement.
Cliburn was known as a night owl. He often practiced the piano until 4:30 or 5:00 AM, then slept until around 1:30 PM.[32] "You feel like you're alone and the world's asleep, and it's very inspiring."[33]
Death[edit]
On August 27, 2012, Cliburn's publicist announced that the pianist had advanced bone cancer, had undergone treatment and was "resting comfortably at home" in Fort Worth, where he received around-the-clock care.[34][35] Cliburn died on February 27, 2013, at the age of 78.[36]
Cliburn was a member of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth and attended regularly when he was in town.[37] His services were held on March 3, 2013, at the Broadway Baptist Church, with entombment at Greenwood Memorial Park Mausoleum in Fort Worth.[13] His obituary lists as his only survivor his "friend of longstanding", Thomas L. Smith.[13]