This is the first version of my documentary about classical pianist Van Cliburn for Iowa National History Day.
Van Cliburn was raised in Texas where he learned to play and love the piano. During his time in college, he signed up to participate in the first quadrennial Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow. This was during the height of the cold war (1958) so when he won it demonstrated a huge significance in the easing of cold war tensions. Van Cliburn became very popular in the years after the competition both musically and politically. He later died in 2013.
Special Thanks to Maggie Estes