Pianist van Klibern is sick with bone cancer

The world famous American pianist Van Klibern was diagnosed with bone cancer in an advanced stage. This was announced by his spokesman Mary Lu Falcon.

According to her, the 78-year-old Klibern is in a vigorous mood. The pianist, added Falcon, was provided with first-class care in his house in Fort Wort (Texas), ITAR-TASS reports.

Van Klibern is one of the outstanding American pianists. He began to engage in piano at the age of three, and at 13 he gave his first solo concert, accompanied by the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

He received world fame after a sensational victory at the first international competition named after Tchaikovsky in Moscow in 1958. The young pianist then won the sympathy of both the jury and the public.

Van Klibern is the owner of a number of honorary awards in the field of music, numerous scholarships are awarded on his behalf.

Throughout his musical career, he repeatedly spoke to the presidents of the United States, representatives of royal families and leaders of the countries of Europe, Asia and South America.

He is the owner of the Kennedy Center, the laureate of the prestigious Grammy Award, the gentleman of the Order of Friendship received by him from the hands of Vladimir Putin, the holder of the Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of the Arts that the US President Barack Obama awarded him.