Throughout the last half of the 20th century, many great people contributed their time and efforts to making Fort Worth the great city that it is today. And while attempting to find one person or group solely responsible for our prosperity would be at best an exercise in futility, there were certainly several historic events that set the wheels in motion.
One such event was The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. This quadrennial competition is one that not only captures the attention of the international music scene; it transforms the city, bringing the world's leading classical musicians to North Texas.
As the Van Cliburn Foundation's Interim President and CEO Alann Bedford Sampson said, "The milestone of these first 50 years is a testament to the enduring value of the music explored and performed by Cliburn laureates and artists. Our celebration honors Van Cliburn, who inspired the founding of this endeavor, and pays tribute to the patrons, volunteers and partners who have made this possible."
The origin of this competition is as remarkable as the man who made it all possible. At a time when our nation was feeling the unmistakable weight of the Iron Curtain, one man set out on a journey that would change history.
In 1958, at the height of the Cold War, relations between the United States and the Soviet Union were frosty at best. The Eastern Bloc had spent considerable time and resources to prove its superiority to Europe as well as the rest of the Western world. In 1956, the Russians had swept the Winter Olympics, winning more gold medals than any other nation. The following year, the unexpected launch of the Sputnik satellite had bested the United States in the space race.
It seemed the Soviet Union was an unstoppable force in its quest to display its prowess. Upon the arrival of the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958, it seemed that the Republic was gearing up for yet another inevitable victory, training its talented young musicians for 18 months at a seemingly breakneck pace.
Yet these tireless efforts were no match for the unmitigated talent of one young man from Kilgore, Texas. Van Cliburn's performance and subsequent victory was not only a musical milestone; it was one of monumental socio-cultural significance.
Following his performance, the elite Moscow audience rose to their feet and chanted, "First prize! First Prize!" The composers and foreign members of the jury all gave their full support.
The patriarch of the Russian piano school, Alexander Goldenweiser, called Van Cliburn "a new Rachmaninov." Even Nikita Khrushchev himself fell under the spell of Cliburn's charm, giving the Ministry of Culture permission to award the first prize to him.
For Khrushchev, a man who was better known for banging his shoe in defiance, now tipped his hat in deference to the obvious brilliance that the land of the free had to offer. This acknowledgement was not only a milestone for the competition; it was a testament to the remarkable skill and irresistible charm of Van Cliburn.
Upon his return to the United States, Van Cliburn was greeted with a ticker tape parade in New York City, the first and only time this honor was bestowed upon a classical musician. He had achieved fame the world over, not only for his talent as a musician but also for his ability to warm the hearts of the otherwise frigid Muscovites.
Time magazine proclaimed him, "The Texan who conquered Russia," and this sentiment is still felt to this day. In 2003 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then President George W. Bush. The following year, he was honored with the Russian Federation Order of Friendship Medal, the highest award to non-Russian citizens.
President Vladimir Putin, who presented him with the award, later wrote that it was the "cultural cooperation and direct dialogue between our citizens that helped in many respects to thaw the ice of the Cold War."
Following the success of his performance in Moscow and the subsequent performances that followed, Cliburn's star continued to shine.
In 1958 at a dinner hosted by the National Guild of Piano Teachers, Founder and President Dr. Irl Allison announced the formation of a piano competition named in Van Cliburn's honor.
In 1962, under the guidance and leadership of music teachers and volunteers, the first Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was held at Texas Christian University.
Since then, more than 38 countries have been represented, and a jury of the world's finest musicians, conductors and pedagogues are selected to evaluate the musicians and their respective performances.
At its very core, the competition and the foundation as a whole aim to showcase the outstanding abilities of a new breed of talent and afford them a platform to launch their career.
Not only does the winner receive significant cash prizes, but also shares hundreds of concert engagements throughout the nation for three years following each competition, all coordinated by the Van Cliburn Foundation.
Additionally, IMG Artists sponsors the musicians on an international tour. The emphasis on musical excellence continues at the elementary school level with the Musical Awakenings program. Originated in 2000, this program allows more than 30,000 second-, third- and fourth-grade students an interactive musical experience at a young age, thus affording each of them the opportunity to broaden his or her artistic horizons.
Each interactive performance lasts about 45 minutes and features a guest performer and narrator for each segment. At the conclusion, students are encouraged to ask questions and interact with the musician. A grand piano is brought into the schools for each musician to demonstrate his or her abilities.
Even after half a century of unparalleled success, Cliburn reflects on the event with a sense of humility and appreciation one does not often expect from a world-renowned musician.
"Looking back at the tremendous talent that has been discovered and encouraged under these auspices," he said, "I am humbled to think of the music making that is yet to come. The great beauty of this art inspired the world, and our profound gratitude rests with the kind and knowledgeable individuals who have labored so tirelessly for this cause."
To celebrate the anniversary, the Foundation will hold its 50th Anniversary Gold Medalist Concert at Bass Performance Hall on Sept. 6. The concert will feature Ralph Votapek, André-Michel Schub, Alexander Kobrin and Haochen Zhang with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Miguel Harth-Bedoya will be conducting. This definitive celebration of the Cliburn's 50th Anniversary will feature four gold medalists together on stage for an extraordinary concert.
PBS will also nationally broadcast The Cliburn: 50 Years of Gold on Sept. 28, and a 50th anniversary commemorative book will be published next year.
Although the foundation has done so many great things for the city, it has never been content to rest upon its laurels. Of all these contributions, perhaps none is more commendable than its steadfast dedication to the next generation of musicians.
This sense of community spirit, coupled with the encouragement and education of tomorrow's brightest stars, is perhaps the most important performance of Cliburn's career.
Rachmaninov once said, "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and all the people who have dedicated themselves to its mission ensure that the music will continue for many lifetimes to come.
