Today’s guest, Annette Morgan, is a former student of Rildia Bee O’Bryan Cliburn. In today’s interview, Mrs. Morgan shares her experiences in Mrs. Cliburn’s studio as well as the story of Van Cliburn’s rise to fame after he won the first Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, in 1958.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Ann Saslav, a well-respected pianist herself, who was the catalyst for Annette Morgan’s presentation to East Texas Music Teachers Association and for today’s interview.
Ann Saslav interview with Tyler Morning Telegraph
Mrs. Cliburn, piano teacher
Rildia Bee O’Bryan was born October 14, 1896. She was a student of Arthur Friedheim who was a student of Franz Lizst. She could have has a successful musical career but she gave up that opportunity at the request of her parents who were concerned about a young woman traveling the country.
Mrs. Cliburn was a very positive teacher but she was also a very disciplined teacher. She expected her students to be disciplined as well.
She hosted two music club gatherings in her studio each month where students would perform for their peers. She would accompany the solos of her students, which made them feel more confident in their playing.
Mrs. Cliburn expected her students to learn the rudiments of music theory and sight reading. She expected them to master and memorize their pieces. As her students advanced she would teach them all the standard classical piano literature.
She assigned exercises and etudes to teach a specific musical concept and prepare students to literature that also used that concept.
She expected a beautiful tone, originating from the upper body with fingers curved and relaxed but firm. With a strong technical foundation in place, she also taught her students to incorporate musical expression. She would encourage her students to imagine they were singing the musical line and then transfer that musical line to the piano.
Mrs. Cliburn never compared her students to her son, Van. She expected them to be and do their best without comparison to anyone else.
The Legacy of Van Cliburn
Mrs. Cliburn first noticed her son’s talent when she heard him playing a previous student’s piece by ear. She thought it was her student still playing and she went to tell him it was time to go home. It was not her student, it was three-year-old Van Cliburn.
Van studied piano with his mother until he graduated from Kilgore High School and began his studies at Juilliard with Mrs. Rosina Lhevinne.
During a turbulent time, with tensions rising between the United States and Russia, Van Cliburn received word from Mrs. Lhevinne about the first-ever International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition. She encouraged and urged Van to compete.
He was as excited to visit Russia, a country he was so intrigued by and whose music he so loved, as he was to meet other musicians from around the world. He began training at the piano that would rival that of an Olympic athlete. Ten to twelve hours a day of serious training for the next several weeks.
With the financial assistance of Juilliard and the US State Department, Van Cliburn was able to make the flight to Moscow.
There were thirty-six contestants in the first round of competition, twenty performers advanced to the second round, and only nine moved on to the final round. The applause the followed Cliburn’s performance in the second round of competition did not subside for fifteen minutes. The jurors, who were supposed to be impartial, were also applauding such a wonderful performance.
For the final round of competition, Van Cliburn performed the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, B-flat minor and the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3, D minor.
The Russian people were thrilled and astounded that a young American would have the same passion for their music that they had. The fact that an American won this Russian competition made news around the world. Cliburn did not view the win as his alone, he saw it as a win for classical music and for all classical musicians.
Van Cliburn came home to a ticker-tape parade in New York City.
He performed for every American President from Harry S. Truman through Barack Obama. He received many accolades, honors, and awards. The Van Cliburn International Competition began in 1962 and was named in his honor.
Throughout his life, Van Cliburn was an advocate for classical musicians, establishing scholarships and making anonymous donations of money and pianos. He also set up a geology scholarship in his father’s name at Kilgore College.
Howard Reich biographical book, “Van Cliburn”
Van Cliburn celebrates his mother’s 92nd birthday
Van Cliburn performs the National Anthem (My Van Cliburn story is that I was able to hear him in person play the National Anthem at the inaugural race at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.)
Mrs. Morgan's Musical Journey
Annette spent the whole interview sharing the teaching of Mrs. Cliburn and the success of Van Cliburn and the importance of his win to our country during such a turbulent time in history. She never brought attention to herself, which makes me admire her even more.
However, I do want to share her musical journey:
Annette Morgan studied and graduated high school at Interlochen Arts Academy and was awarded the Piano Achievement Award there.
After high school, Annette graduated from the Eastman School of Music and pursued graduate studies at Juilliard.
She married her husband, David, and settled back in Kilgore where she enjoyed a fulfilling career assisting students at Kilgore College.
Many thanks to Annette Morgan for taking the time to share her experience with our music teachers association and this podcast audience.
This photo of Annette Morgan and Shelly Davis after the East Texas Music Teachers Association presentation about Van Cliburn.
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