Byron Janis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Byron Janis
Janis (1962)
Born	Byron Yanks 24 March 1928 McKeesport, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	14 March 2024 (age 95)
Occupation	American classical pianist
Years active	1940–2024
Spouse(s)	June Dickson Wright ​ ​ (m. 1953; div. 1965)​ Maria Cooper ​ ​ (m. 1966)​
Children	1
Family	Gary Cooper (father-in-law) Veronica Cooper (mother-in-law)

Byron Janis (born March 24, 1928 – died March 14, 2024) was a famous American classical pianist. He played the piano beautifully and made many recordings. His music included pieces from well-known composers like Bach, Mozart, and Rachmaninoff. He is even featured in a special collection called Great Pianists of the 20th Century.

About Byron Janis

Byron Janis was the younger of two children. His parents were Hattie Horelick and Samuel Yankilevitch. His father shortened their family name to Yanks after moving to America.

When Byron was very young, he showed a special talent for music. He had perfect pitch, which means he could tell musical notes apart easily. He first showed this skill on a toy xylophone in kindergarten!

Early Music Training

Byron started piano lessons with Abraham Litow when he was very young. He was only 8 years old at the time. In 1936, Byron moved to New York with his mother and sister. There, he studied with famous piano teachers, Josef and Rosina Lhévinne. A year later, he began learning from their assistant, Adele Marcus. She taught him for six years.

Byron Yanks had his first big piano performance in 1937. It was at the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh. A year later, a music supporter named Samuel Chotzinoff suggested he change his name. He became Byron Jannes, and later changed the spelling to Janis.

Studying with a Master

In 1944, when Byron was 15, he played a concert in Pittsburgh. He performed Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. A very famous pianist named Vladimir Horowitz heard him play. Horowitz was so impressed that he offered to teach Byron. Byron was Horowitz's first student. He studied with Horowitz from 1944 to 1948.

Horowitz told Byron that performing often would help him become more confident. So, Byron waited to make his big debut at Carnegie Hall until 1948. This helped him gain more stage experience.

Byron Janis as a Composer

Byron Janis was not just a pianist; he also wrote music! He composed music for different things. He wrote for musical theater, including a show based on The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in 1993. He also wrote music for television shows. He even worked with another composer, Cy Coleman, on several pieces.

Amazing Discoveries

In 1967, Byron Janis made an exciting discovery by accident. He found two old music papers (manuscripts) by the famous composer Chopin! These papers contained versions of Chopin waltzes that no one knew about. He found them at a castle in France called Chateau de Thoiry.

A few years later, he found the same two waltzes, but in different versions, at Yale University. These special discoveries were later published together in a book.

Facing Challenges

In 1973, Byron Janis developed severe arthritis. This condition caused pain and stiffness in both of his hands and wrists. It was a big challenge for a pianist.

In 1985, he bravely spoke about his difficulties in public for the first time. He became the First Ambassador for the Arthritis Foundation. This means he helped raise awareness and support for others with arthritis. In 2012, he received a special award for his work in helping people with arthritis.

His Life Story

Byron Janis and his wife, Maria Cooper, wrote a book together. Maria is the daughter of the famous actor Gary Cooper. Their book is called Chopin and Beyond: My Extraordinary Life in Music and the Paranormal. It was released in 2010.

Byron also hosted a DVD called A Voyage With Byron Janis. In it, he takes viewers on a musical journey through Chopin's life. A famous director, Martin Scorsese, is even working on a movie about Byron Janis's life. The movie is based on Byron's autobiography.

Awards and Honors

Byron Janis received many important awards and honors throughout his life. These awards recognized his amazing musical talent and his contributions to the arts:

• Commander of the French Légion d'Honneur for Arts and Letters (a high honor from France)
• Grand Prix du Disque (a major award for recordings)
• Stanford Fellowship (the highest honor from Yale University)
• Distinguished Pennsylvania Artist Award (an award from his home state)

He also received an honorary doctorate degree from Trinity College. He was given the gold medal from the French Society for the Encouragement of Progress. He was the first musician to receive this honor since it began in 1906.

Byron Janis was invited to perform at the White House six times by four different Presidents. He was also honored in the Congressional Record of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. They praised him as "a musician, a diplomat and an inspiration." His struggles with arthritis were also shown in a PBS documentary called The Byron Janis Story.

See also

In Spanish: Byron Janis para niños