Byron Janis

FIRSTS OR DISTINCTIONS

First American pianist sent to USSR to open the Cultural Exchange Program — 1960

First pianist to appear on front page of the New York Times twice in 7 years — in 1960 for his extraordinary success for opening the Cultural Exchange between the United States and Soviet Union and in 1967 for his discovery of two Chopin Waltzes in France

First American pianist to record in Russia

First American pianist to win Grand Prix du Disque for his recording of Rachmaninoff 1st and Prokofieff 3rd concertos

First American to win Harriet Cohen International Music Award — the Beethoven Medal, 1962 — for best performance of two Beethoven Sonatas, the “Waldstein” and Opus 109

Inaugurated the American Week at the Brussels World’s Fair

First Russian performance of Copland Sonata and Gershwin Piano Concerto

First performance of Gershwin Piano Concerto in Buenos Aires, Argentina

First pianist to perform all Five Rachmaninoff Concertos in two evenings

The prestigious British publication Classical CD Magazine has chosen Byron Janis’ recording of the Rachmaninoff 3 as the best recording of this concerto.