Voting Station

Van Cliburn

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Musician

The Resume

    (July 12, 1934-February 27, 2013)
    Born in Shreveport, Louisiana
    Birth name was Harvey Lavan Cliburn
    Classical pianist
    Won the first International Tchaikovsky Competition, held in Moscow (1958)
    Recorded a best-selling version of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 (1958)
    Established the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (1962)
    Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2003)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a child prodigy.
    His fame after winning the Tchaikovsky Competition was due to Cold War politics more than Americans' interest in classical music.
    He lived with his mother until her death at age 97.
    He was considered a notoriously difficult interview subject.
    His former partner, mortician Thomas Zaremba, sued him for palimony and alleged that Cliburn may have exposed him to AIDS during their 16-year relationship.

Why he might not be annoying:

    The judges at the Tchaikovsky Competition felt obligated to ask Premier Nikita Khruschev permission to award first place to an American.
    Khruschev asked, 'Is he the best?' Told he was, the Soviet leader replied, 'Then give him the prize.'
    He was the first (and as of 2009 only) classical musician given a ticker-tape parade in New York City.
    Russian composer Aram Khachaturian said that he played Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto better than Rachmaninoff.
    He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Order of Friendship, the highest civilian awards of the US and Russia.
    Condoleeza Rice praised 'the power of his music to build bridges across the cultural and political divide.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 22 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 21 Votes: 52.38% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 108 Votes: 64.81% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 56 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 72 Votes: 63.89% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 26 Votes: 38.46% Annoying