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Who Was Byron Janis? Know More About The Classical Pianist As He Passes Away At 95
The world-famous classical pianist Byron Janis passed away last Thursday. He was ninety-five.
The American artist passed away on March 14. He was regarded as one of the finest pianists of all time and was well-known for performing in Russia during the Cold War between the US and Russia. On Sunday, Byron’s wife, Maria Cooper Janis, who is filmmaker Gary Cooper’s daughter, verified his passing on social media and his website.
Who Was Byron Janis?
Born Byron Yanks on March 24, 1928, outside of Pittsburgh, the classical artist showed promise as a child piano prodigy. He made his orchestral debut with Arturo Toscanini’s NBC Symphony Orchestra at 15. At 16, he became the first pupil to study with Vladimir Horowitz at the Pittsburgh Symphony, according to his official website biography. At eighteen, he became the youngest performer ever to land a record deal with RCA Victor. He debuted at Carnegie Hall at the age of 20.
During his career, Byron recorded well-known composers such as Chopin, Liszt, Mozart, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff concertos. His performances were issued on a few albums. In addition, he wrote some of the most famous background scores, such as the soundtrack for The Hunchback of Notre Dame on Broadway. In an August 2017 NPR interview, Byron talked candidly about his passion for music. He said, “Music is and was my life. Luckily, I had a gift from birth. I have a strong enthusiasm for songwriting. It was really hard at times, and I thought I would give up, but I kept going. No, no, no, keep going, come on,” I said to myself. You’re capable of doing it. It seemed to be a case of thought over the matter. It also functions.”
When Byron was selected to participate in the 1960 Cultural Exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union, he notably rose to fame as an artistic hero during the Cold War. In 1962, he went on tour in the Soviet Union. Years later, in an October 2017 interview with Vantage Music, Byron discussed the moment’s significance. “What I did was important because it demonstrated how people’s feelings could be altered by music,” he stated.
“By halftime, the crowd was standing and cheering. They came to the stage at the concert’s end, and some of them were crying,” he went on. “I sensed they were crying because they understood their so-called enemy was a fellow human being. Seeing the shift from animosity to admiration was astounding.”
Byron had several accolades to his name
Cooper Janis posted a picture of the deceased pianist and a letter addressed “To Our Musical Family.” She wrote, “I appreciate all of your love and support over the years.” It is with great sadness that I and the entire world mourn the loss of my 58-year spouse, Byron. In the statement, it was said that “Byron understood that Music has many powers, including that of bridging barriers that seem insurmountable. Let us remember and practice this to honor his legacy in today’s fractured world.” He had one child, Stefon, with June Dickson Wright during their first marriage, but he passed away in 2017.
Throughout his career, the pianist and composer also struggled with his health. In 1973, he was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in both hands and wrists. After Nancy Reagan made his condition following a 1985 White House performance and named him the National Ambassador to the Arts of the Arthritis Foundation, he finally became vocal about the subject.
Byron was bestowed with numerous distinguished distinctions, such as the Grand Prix du Disque, the French Legion d’Honneur for Arts and Letters, and the Stanford Fellowship from Yale University. He was also entered into the Congressional Record for his accomplishments in Music and diplomacy.
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