Harvey Lavan Cliburn Jr., an American pianist of extraordinary gifts who set off seismic waves in the political landscape by winning the 1958 Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow at the height of the Cold War, has passed away at the age of 78. The cause was bone cancer. Cliburn, known among friends and admirers as "Van," died in his home in Fort Worth, Texas, where an international piano competition in his name celebrated its 50th anniversary last fall.

Van Cliburn: A Russian Was Supposed to Win - WSJ.com

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'Government is like a baby:
An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and
no sense of responsibility at the other'
- Ronald Reagan

His funeral is this coming Sunday.

He was reported as being very fan friendly, always spending time answering Qs from any group of folks that he was around. Ppl felt as though even in a group - it was like he was talking to you one-on-one.

Sounds like a fine man to me.