American pianist, born, 12 July 1934 in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, died 27 February 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. He won the first quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow at age 23.
Van Cliburn received the John F. Kennedy Center Honors in 2001.
In the early days of the Cold War, in 1958, Cliburn became the first American to win the Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, in Moscow.
He was awarded the 2010 National Medal of Arts for his contributions as a pianist in the history of music, and as an ambassador for American culture. Since his historic 1958 victory at the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, he has reached across political frontiers with the universal message of beautiful music.
His publicist was his close friend, Mary Lou Falcone.
Son of Rildia Bee Cliburn.
