Holy crap, it has to be Van Cliburn. For those who don't know his ...

... story, you need to. The year was 1958 -- the heart of the Cold War. Lo and behold, this young guy from Texas shows up at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and wins the whole thing. Playing Tchaikovsky better than the Russians is a really big deal.

Back in Fort Worth later that year (at a dinner in Cliburn's honor), a donor publicly pledged a $10,000 stake to establish an international piano competition in Cliburn's name. The first Cliburn was held in 1962. These days I think it's the second greatest piano prize in the world -- behind, of course, the Fryderyk Chopin International Competition in Warsaw.

In response to this post by DJ Golf

Posted: 07/12/2021 at 08:19AM

Your pick for greatest musician born on this date? -- DJ Golf 07/12/2021 06:32AM

Oscar Hammerstein II ** -- Major Kong 07/12/2021 11:52AM

Oscar... --BTW, I enjoy the heck out of these, DJ! ** -- Riverguy 07/12/2021 10:18AM

BTW, today we have another of the best guitarists you've never heard of -- DJ Golf 07/12/2021 09:43AM

Van Cliburn -- Merlin Hokie 07/12/2021 09:14AM

Oscar is my pick today. ** -- santafe 07/12/2021 09:00AM

Oscar. Most of you are too young to understand the impact that he had. ** -- IB4TECH 07/12/2021 08:52AM

Christine...some great Fleetwood Mac tunes, plus her back-up vocals show up -- Tuckahokie 07/12/2021 08:50AM

At first, I though Walter Egan was all of Steely Dan mashed into one guy. ** -- dolph 07/12/2021 08:39AM

Holy crap, it has to be Van Cliburn. For those who don't know his ... -- VToncologyNurse 07/12/2021 08:19AM

The Roanoke Symphony had a contract with Van Clyburn to feature the winner -- DonHo-kieHi 07/12/2021 7:51PM

My son is a classical violinist and is very good, got a scholly -- YardBird 07/12/2021 10:30AM

Maybe, but Oscar was great on his own and mentored Stephen Sondheim ** -- Flemington Hokie 07/12/2021 09:09AM

And by the way, Stevie Nicks carried Fleetwood Mac. Christine was ... -- VToncologyNurse 07/12/2021 08:22AM

Christine sang 5 of Fleetwood Mac's 9 top-ten hits. Stevie & Lindsey 2 each ** -- DJ Golf 07/12/2021 09:29AM

Yep, that's true. But most of Mac's best "artistic" songs were Stevie's. -- VToncologyNurse 07/12/2021 09:51AM

I always thought the best Fleetwood Mac songs were Lindsey Buckingham's ** -- DJ Golf 07/12/2021 10:29AM

I meant the singing. I like Stevie's voice, it's kind of unusual. ** -- VToncologyNurse 07/12/2021 12:31PM

That's nice but you should have posted it on May 26 -- MAHokie69 07/12/2021 10:28AM

Friend in grad school hosted Buckingham/Nicks when he was concert chair -- Flemington Hokie 07/12/2021 12:00PM

Was that pre-FM? ** -- MAHokie69 07/12/2021 12:11PM

Yep. Fleetwood and McVie invited Lindsey after hearing the album -- Flemington Hokie 07/14/2021 12:34PM

And I know those who know the album cover will give me grief so... -- Flemington Hokie 07/12/2021 12:05PM

So is a lyricist a musician? Hammerstein was one of the best. Cliburn -- UTPr0sim 07/12/2021 08:17AM

Gotta go with Oscar but -- MAHokie69 07/12/2021 08:09AM

Van Cliburn. ** -- Femoyer Hokie 07/12/2021 08:00AM

Christine McVie ** -- Brown Water 07/12/2021 07:35AM

Cliburn (DonHoKieHi’s bud) 51%, Hammerstein 49% ** -- PhotoHokieNC 07/12/2021 07:21AM

Yep, times 2 ** -- DonHo-kieHi 07/12/2021 07:45AM

Petrucci if we are truly talking musicianship -- Happy Dog 07/12/2021 07:04AM

Nah, VTonco is right about Cliburn. He beat the Soviets ** -- Flemington Hokie 07/12/2021 09:11AM

Holy crap, it has to be Van Cliburn. For those who don't know his ...

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