Byron Janis

Click to see Byron Janis’s abbreviated biography

Byron Janis is renowned Internationally as one of the world’s greatest concert pianists. The year 1988 marked the 40th anniversary of his highly acclaimed New York Carnegie Hall debut recital, which launched his brilliant career. He celebrated at a State Dinner in the White House where he was honored by President Reagan.

In 1960, He was chosen as the first American artist to be sent to the Soviet Union, opening the Cultural Exchange between the USSR and the United States. He has made many recordings and was asked by the French in 1978 to make a Television Special on the life of Frederic Chopin. This was shown on PBS in the United States, as well as in different countries around the world.

Amongst his honors are the French Legion d’Honneur for Arts and Letters, the Grand Prix de Bisques, the H. Cohen International Award, and the Distinguished Pennsylvania Artists Award (past recipients Include James Michener, Marion Anderson, Jimmy Stewart, and Bill Cosby). In 1995, Janis was awarded The Cannes Classical Award for the category BEST REISSUE for his Prokofiev/Rachmaninoff recording.

His television appearances include the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Good Morning America, the Today Show. Entertainment Tonight, NBC Evening Weekend News, and Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt.

Since 1985, when he become Ambassador for the Arts for the Arthritis Foundation, Mr. Janis has played in many fund raising concerts on its behalf, and Is now one of their major national spokesmen.

In recent years, he has also turned his talents to composing. He wrote the musical theme for the Global Forum on Human Survival that was held at Oxford, England, April 1988, and for the PBS Special that featured the conference, and for the documentary film which was aired around the world. The music has since been turned Into a song. “The One World”, in collaboration with Sammy Cahn as lyricist.

Mr. Janis serves as Chairman of the Global Forum Arts and Culture Committee, the entity in the organization that provides the mechanism that allows world artists to Interface with other leadership groups in the Global Forum – legislators, spiritual leaders, business leaders, scientists, academicians – and thus, to broaden their approach to the global crisis.

The talent of Byron Janis as a composer was again exhibited in the music that he created for a major special on Gary Cooper that aired in November, 1989 on Turner Network Television and has written the score for a musical “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”.

Mr. Janis is on the Faculty of the Manhattan School of Music, and is also the national head of the Visual and Performing Arts in America, for Tel-Aviv University. He serves on the Board & Music Advisory Committee for Pro Musicis, an international organization devoted to helping young artists.

In 1997 Mr. Janis received an Honorary Doctorate from the prestigious Trinity University of Hartford Conn.
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