Van Cliburn – Harvey Lavan Cliburn (1934–2013) – was the historic winner of the first edition of the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958. Just as the Cold War was reaching its peak, his playing transcended the ideological divide between the two sides, embodying the universality of music. This victory marked the beginning of an immense career. His newfound notoriety propulsed him onto the world's most prestigious stages concert after concert. He returned to perform numerous times in the USSR between 1960 and 1972.

Photo: Van Cliburn, Courtesy of the Van Cliburn Foundation