S.R. No. 958
1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION
1-2 WHEREAS, The members of the Texas Senate are proud to
1-3 honor Van Cliburn for his outstanding accomplishments as a concert
1-4 pianist and for the many significant contributions he has made in
1-5 the field of music education through the provision of scholarships
1-6 and the cultivation of international musical competition; and
1-7 WHEREAS, During an extraordinary career that has brought
1-8 him well-deserved acclaim throughout the world, Mr. Cliburn has
1-9 maintained his ancestral ties to Texas, which include a maternal
1-10 grandfather, Judge William Carey O'Bryan, who was a member of the
1-11 Texas House of Representatives and who, with his talented wife,
1-12 Sirrildia McClain O'Bryan, later became a trusted advisor to
1-13 Governor Pat Neff, United States Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark,
1-14 and Congressman and longtime Speaker Sam Rayburn; and
1-15 WHEREAS, The son of Harvey Lavan Cliburn and
1-16 Rildia Bee O'Bryan Cliburn, he was destined for fame at an
1-17 early age and began studying piano as a three-year-old with
1-18 his mother, an accomplished pianist in her own right, and
1-19 played in public for the first time at age four; and
1-20 WHEREAS, At age 12, the accomplished youth captured
1-21 first-place honors at a statewide competition for young Texas
1-22 pianists, and the following year he made his first appearance
1-23 at Carnegie Hall after winning the National Music Festival Award;
2-1 and
2-2 WHEREAS, He entered The Juilliard School when he was 17 and,
2-3 after garnering numerous accolades as a student, went on to receive
2-4 the prestigious Edgar M. Leventritt Foundation Award in 1954,
2-5 which granted him the opportunity to perform with major orchestras
2-6 across the country; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Mr. Cliburn skyrocketed to worldwide fame at age
2-8 23 as the winner of the First Tchaikovsky International Piano
2-9 Competition, held in Moscow in 1958, and upon his return to
2-10 America became the only classical musician honored with a
2-11 tickertape parade in New York City; and
2-12 WHEREAS, Over the years, he has thrilled and delighted
2-13 audiences with inspiring concert hall performances, particularly
2-14 in the United States and Russia, and his numerous recordings,
2-15 including his classic Piano Concerto Number 1 by Tchaikovsky,
2-16 which was the first classical album to sell one million copies,
2-17 have introduced countless fans to the joy and beauty that is
2-18 classical music; and
2-19 WHEREAS, A frequent guest at the White House, he
2-20 has performed for every American president since
2-21 Franklin Delano Roosevelt and has entertained royalty
2-22 and heads of state from around the world as well; and
2-23 WHEREAS, Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Cliburn
2-24 has recognized the need to nurture the careers of aspiring young
2-25 artists, and toward that goal has established scholarships at
3-1 Louisiana State University and Texas Christian University as
3-2 gestures of goodwill in behalf of his native and adopted states;
3-3 and
3-4 WHEREAS, His altruism extends also to many renowned
3-5 institutions that have been beneficiaries of his scholarships,
3-6 including the Franz Liszt Academy in Hungary, the Moscow and
3-7 Saint Petersburg conservatories in Russia, The Juilliard School,
3-8 the Cincinnati Conservatory, and the Interlochen Arts Academy,
3-9 where he serves on the board of trustees; and
3-10 WHEREAS, In Texas, Mr. Cliburn has generously given
3-11 his name, talent, and energies to establish the Van Cliburn
3-12 International Piano Competition; since it was first held in
3-13 1962, this prestigious Fort Worth event has remained a legacy
3-14 to its founder's outstanding commitment to developing young
3-15 artistic talent; and
3-16 WHEREAS, Now held on a quadrennial basis, and anticipating
3-17 this spring its ninth competition, this internationally acclaimed
3-18 event will bring 35 young artists from 17 countries to Texas,
3-19 showcasing the world's talent in a series of performances to be
3-20 held from May 22 through June 6, 1993; and
3-21 WHEREAS, The Van Cliburn Foundation, established by prominent
3-22 Texas musicians in 1961, has provided generous support to the piano
3-23 competition throughout its history and has contributed also to many
3-24 other charitable activities toward the promotion of Texas art and
3-25 culture; and
4-1 WHEREAS, Richard Rodzinski, the executive director of
4-2 the foundation, and its board of directors chaired by
4-3 Ms. Susan Tilley and vice-chaired by Mr. Heywood Clemons,
4-4 and including Mrs. Harry Bartel, Mrs. Perry R. Bass,
4-5 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bass, Mr. William Biggs, Mrs. Charles Jacobs,
4-6 Mr. Lewis Kornfield, Jr., Mrs. L. Edward Martin II,
4-7 Dr. James Moudy, Mr. Paul Ray, Sr., Mrs. John Roach II,
4-8 Mrs. Barclay Ryall, Mrs. Gordon Smith, Mr. Rice Tilley, Jr.,
4-9 Mrs. Robert Watson, and Mr. Herschel Winn have devoted countless
4-10 hours to making the competition a world-class event as befits an
4-11 assemblage bearing Mr. Cliburn's name; and
4-12 WHEREAS, In recognition of his outstanding concert career and
4-13 the many significant contributions he has made in the development
4-14 of young talent, Mr. Cliburn has been awarded honorary degrees by
4-15 Texas Christian University, Baylor University, Loyola University,
4-16 and Michigan State University, among others in this country, as
4-17 well as a master of fine arts degree from the Moscow Conservatory;
4-18 and
4-19 WHEREAS, Mr. Cliburn's many noteworthy accomplishments as a
4-20 pianist and his abiding commitment to nurture the careers of
4-21 aspiring young artists have greatly benefitted the residents of
4-22 our state and nation, and he is indeed deserving of special praise
4-23 and recognition for his exceptional efforts; now, therefore, be it
4-24 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
4-25 73rd Legislature, hereby honor Van Cliburn for his outstanding
5-1 musical career and for the many contributions he has made to
5-2 music education; and, be it further
5-3 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
5-4 prepared for Mr. Cliburn as an expression of highest regard by
5-5 the Texas Senate.
5-6 Moncrief
5-7 Truan
5-8 Nelson
5-9 Harris of Tarrant
5-10 Armbrister Leedom Shapiro
5-11 Barrientos Lucio Shelley
5-12 Bivins Luna Sibley
5-13 Brown Madla Sims
5-14 Carriker Montford Turner
5-15 Ellis Parker Wentworth
5-16 Haley Patterson West
5-17 Harris of Dallas Ratliff Whitmire
5-18 Henderson Rosson Zaffirini
5-19 Bullock, President of the Senate
5-20 ______________________________ _______________________________
5-21 Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
5-22 ______________________________ _______________________________
5-23 Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
5-24 _______________________________
5-25 President of the Senate
6-1 I hereby certify that the
6-2 above Resolution was adopted by
6-3 the Senate on May 18, 1993.
6-4 _______________________________
6-5 Secretary of the Senate