Byron Janis

Even beyond his place among the giants of his generation of pianists, Byron Janis played a crucial role well beyond the performing world. He was involved in national and international politics, playing a major role in global relationships with the Soviet Union and Cuba, and was frequently invited by U.S. presidents to perform at the White House. He was renowned for his Chopin interpretations, including the performance of manuscripts that he discovered. Janis served as a National Ambassador to the Arts for the Arthritis Foundation; he was also the subject of a documentary, a co...