Van Cliburn Quotes

United States, Pianist
July 12, 1934 – February, 27, 2013.

Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. (; July 12, 1934 – February 27, 2013) was an American pianist who, at the age of 23, achieved worldwide recognition when he won the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow in 1958 (during the Cold War).

Also known as Musician

Music is like painting in sound. You take it into your inner heart and never lose it. It's eternally mysterious.

Van Cliburn
- Music
- Heart
- Painting
If you hold onto the beauty and inspiration and the clarity that is music, you will have an anchor, you will not be too far swayed by what the world is

Van Cliburn
- World
- Music
- Inspiration

An artist can only be evaluated after he's dead. At the 11th hour he might do something that will eclipse everything else.

Van Cliburn
- Artist
- Dead
- Eclipse
The brick of my life is music, but the mortar is faith.

Van Cliburn
- Life
- Music
- Faith
An artist can be truly evaluated only after he is dead. At the very 11th hour, he might do something that will eclipse everything else.

Van Cliburn
I'm not a success, I'm a sensation.

Van Cliburn
- Success
- Sensation
But classical music is not entertainment, and I feel viciously strong about that. Classical music is forever. Entertainment is something that is here today, and may be gone tomorrow.

Van Cliburn
- Music
- May
- Today
Everything I chose, I had already played in concert. For the competition, I wanted to pick pieces I know that people like.

Van Cliburn

I have never known anyone from Texas, no matter how far they go or what they do, who isn't proud of being from Texas.

Van Cliburn
- Proud
- Never
- Texas
The Steinway piano - with its beauty and power - is the perfect medium for expressing the performer's art, drama and poetry.

Van Cliburn
- Art
- Power
- Perfect