In 1953 at the age of 21, Tibor won a full scholarship to The Julliard School in New York City. But because he was considered a “stateless person,” he couldn’t obtain a visa to come to the U.S. Then Carel van Creveld, who was married to Tibor’s first cousin, Dora, intervened. He arranged for the U.S. Consul in Paris to attend a Christmas concert where Tibor would be playing. “I had a solo,” Tibor remembers, “The Four Seasons by Vivaldi and it was a big success.” Such a success that he was issued a visa and bartered his way to New York City playing concerts on the S.S. Liberte’ ocean-liner in exchange for a second-class cabin.