Publisher’s Weekly reviews Chopin and Beyond-My Extraordinary Life in Music and Beyond

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY CALLS CHOPIN AND BEYOND ……“An Inspirational Narrative”

Chopin and Beyond: My Extraordinary Life in Music and the Paranormal 
Bryon Janis with Maria Cooper Janis, Wiley, $26.95 (288p) ISBN 978‐0‐470‐60444‐1

Classical pianist Janis discusses more than just music in this intriguing autobiography. Born in Pennsylvania in 1928, Janis, a musical child prodigy, portrays himself as an attentive diamond in the rough refined by remarkable family sacrifices and influential patrons, including his mentor Vladimir Horowitz. A Carnegie Hall debut at 20 marks the prelude to a glamorous life of meeting celebrities and royalty while performing, recording, and touring Europe, Israel, and the Soviet Union. Only when arthritis slows his busy pace and threatens his career does Janis allow self‐doubt to cloud an otherwise inspirational narrative. Throughout, Janis balances daily living against his developing inner consciousness. Each milestone‐‐musical, personal, or romantic‐‐exacts its emotional toll and pushes Janis to explore the affinities between his artistic sensitivity and the paranormal. As retold here, those experiences encompass the superstitious (Janis often bows to an imagined co‐performer after playing a concert), the spooky (a closed piano plays on its own), and the mysterious (a death mask of Chopin sheds tears), among others. Janis and his wife, coauthor Cooper Janis, are not effusive about these incidents. References to synchronicity and Jung, experiences with Janis's friend psychic Uri Geller, and recommended readings at book's end allow readers to appreciate Janis's conviction while coming to their own conclusions. (Dec.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)
Byron Janis is a living legend of the classical music world that went from child piano prodigy at 4, overcoming a rigid and numbed finger due to an accident at the age of 11, becoming the first student of Vladimir Horowitz at 16, debuting at Carnegie Hall at 20. Today he gives lectures and performances, along with teaching master classes and composing, and writes regularly for the Wall Street Journal. His wife Maria Cooper Janis, the daughter of actor Gary Cooper, is a talented painter, a researcher in parapsychology and has collaborated on three television specials. They live in New York City.

NOTE: For press information and to schedule interviews, limited public appearances and engagements, please contact Bettina L. Klinger, President, KlingerVision, (212) 592-1385 or email bklinger@klingervision.com

Byron Janis: Passion, Perseverance and Virtuosity featured in a New Book and Documentary

Byron Janis: Passion, Perseverance and Virtuosity featured in a New Book and Documentary

New York, New York, October 1, 2010 - By any measure, Byron Janis has an extraordinary musical career. His discovery of four long-lost Chopin manuscripts made headlines around the world, and he has been honored countless times for his breathtaking performances of some of the most exciting and challenging works in the standard classical piano repertoire.

As one of the world’s greatest concert pianists, he reveals how the “other world” transformed his life and career. Now for the first time, Janis retraces this remarkable journey in CHOPIN AND BEYOND: My Extraordinary Life in Music and the Paranormal (Wiley, ISBN: 978-0-470-60444-1; December 2010; $26.95 / Cloth). He shares something even more extraordinary; the otherworldly experiences that have shaped his life and music in surprising and profound ways.

In CHOPIN AND BEYOND, Janis includes lively anecdotes of famous performing artists and notable outstanding figures from Vladimir Horowitz to Greta Garbo and Pablo Picasso. He recounts the paranormal experiences that deepened so many of his personal and musical associations, amongst them Chopin; how they seem to affect his miraculous survival under potentially life threatening circumstances, and much more.

Like the best music, CHOPIN AND BEYOND will open your mind to explore the wonder and possibilities of a different world.

In addition to this book, PBS will air a Peter Rosen documentary The Byron Janis Story beginning in October, National Disabilities Month, “dedicated to all those who have overcome adversity.” A DVD of this is available on Amazon for $19.99. In conjunction with this program, Byron has released a CD that includes remastered pieces, never before released recordings and two recordings from the 1960 cultural exchange he never knew existed.

More than a music documentary, it is about the passion and perseverance of overcoming physical challenges to his hands that, for a pianist, could have ended a career before it even began.

The film traces the stormy career of Janis, who despite battling arthritis and other physical impediments, is recognized as one of the “greatest pianists of the 20th century.” The fact that he was able to perform on the world stage at such a high artistic level for so many years is called “ a miracle” by some of the doctors interviewed in the film.

Byron Janis’ life is one of inspiration, not only in the world of music, but as a cultural ambassador for the USA. He is a national spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation since 1985 when Nancy Reagan made the announcement after a White House performance. This film presents an intimate portrait of the courage of a man with a great gift, the determination to honor and build on the gift “in spite of,” and to give back to others the indomitable spirit of music.


About the Author(s):

Byron Janis is a living legend of the classical music world that went from child piano prodigy at 4, overcoming a rigid and numbed finger due to an accident at the age of 11, becoming the first student of Vladimir Horowitz at 16, debuting at Carnegie Hall at 20. Today he gives lectures and performances, along with teaching master classes and composing, and writes regularly for the Wall Street Journal. His wife Maria Cooper Janis, the daughter of actor Gary Cooper, is a talented painter, a researcher in parapsychology and has collaborated on three television specials. They live in New York City.

NOTE: For press information and to schedule interviews, limited public appearances and engagements, please contact Bettina L. Klinger, President, KlingerVision, (212) 592-1385 or email bklinger@klingervision.com

THE BYRON JANIS STORY” SHOWCASES PITTSBURGH NATIVE’S TENACITY AGAINST INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS

“THE BYRON JANIS STORY” SHOWCASES PITTSBURGH NATIVE’S TENACITY AGAINST INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS:


POIGNANT STORY OF MUSIC AND TALENT PRESENTED BY WQED PITTSBURGH AND DISTRIBUTED NATIONALLY IN OCTOBER 2010


PITTSBURGH — He was a child prodigy—a celebrated pianist born and raised in Pittsburgh whose extraordinary talent brought him to perform for world leaders and kings and queens. He captured international acclaim, countless musical awards and accolades. He married the daughter of one of America’s most revered screen stars. He had it all.


Then fate dealt his career a tragic turn and his ability to perform again was nearly torn from his hands—the hands that made music and brought joy and excitement to millions were silenced.


“PREMIERING ON WQED-TV ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28 AT 8PM, WITH ENCORE AIRINGS ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31 AT 5PM AND THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11 AT 8PM, “The Byron Janis Story” is a new documentary about the living legend of the classical music world. A serious injury at age eleven nearly ended his career before it began. Crippling arthritis threatened to cut it short in his prime.


But the story of the man and his music does not stop with the challenges nor did the music stop forever. “The Byron Janis Story” also portrays the man who took his disability and turned it into an inspiration for others. Besides giving back as the national spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation of America and also performing professionally on concert stages worldwide, Janis still gives lectures and performances, teaches master music classes, composes, and writes a regular classical music column for the Wall Street Journal.


The documentary also briefly and tenderly profiles the relationship with his wife, Maria Cooper Janis, daughter of actor Gary Cooper, who not only stood beside him during the challenging times, but also managed to maintain her own career as a gifted and talented painter.


Janis was the first American artist sent to the Soviet Union during the Cold War as part of the U.S/Soviet Cultural Exchange Program and he was the first student of legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz. “The Byron Janis Story” paints a vivid and touching portrait of a musical genius, gifted teacher and sensitive human being.


“The Byron Janis Story” is produced by internationally-acclaimed producer, Peter Rosen, presented by WQED Pittsburgh and distributed nationally through American Public Television (APT).


Click here to watch a trailer from “The Byron Janis Story.”


WQED PITTSBURGH, honored with the 2007 and 2006 Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Award for Station Excellence, was founded in 1954 as the nation’s first community-supported public media services company. WQED creates, produces and distributes quality programs, products and services to engage, inform, educate and entertain the public within its community and around the world. WQED Pittsburgh is one of the first broadcasters in the country to be fully high-definition (HD) in its studio and field production capabilities. It is the parent company of WQED-TV (PBS); WQED: The Neighborhood Channel; WQED: The Create Channel; WQEX-TV (A ShopNBC affiliate); Classical WQED-FM 89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; local and national television and radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org); and The WQED Education Department.


AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION (APT) has been a leading distributor of high-quality, top-rated programming to America’s public television stations since 1961. In 2009, APT distributed 56 of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles. Among its 300 new program titles per year are prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs, dramatic series, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies, including For Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots, A Ripple of Hope, Rick Steves' Europe, Newsline, Globe Trekker, Simply Ming, America's Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Lidia's Italy, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, Murdoch Mysteries, Doc Martin, Rosemary and Thyme, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, The Great American Songbook and John Denver: The Wildlife Concert. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. In 2006, APT launched Create™ – the TV channel featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming. For more information about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.

NOTE: For press information and to schedule interviews, limited public appearances and engagements, please contact Bettina L. Klinger, President, KlingerVision, (212) 592-1385 or email bklinger@klingervision.com

The Byron Janis Project: Passion, Perseverance and Virtuosity Fact Sheet

he Byron Janis Project: Passion, Perseverance and Virtuosity Fact Sheet 
September 29, 2010

The legendary Byron Janis, internationally renowned as “one of the world’s greatest pianists,” returns to the spotlight.

PBS will air a Peter Rosen documentary The Byron Janis Story starting in October, “dedicated to all those who have overcome adversity.”

Overcomes devastating accident, age 11, to little finger leaving it permanently numb.

Autobiography Chopin and Beyond: My Extraordinary Life in Music and the Paranormal published in November, speaks of a life full of international glamour and triumphs despite adversity.

Chosen by US Government to open first Cultural Exchange US/USSR, 1960.

Painful psoriatic arthritis strikes both hands and wrists, kept secret for 12 years until a White House performance in 1985 when Nancy Reagan announced his becoming a national spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation.

Both instances compel Janis to re-teach himself to play, doctors consider it a miracle.

Amongst countless honors, recently written into Congressional Record honoring him as “musician, diplomat and inspiration.”

Reveals for the first time many spiritual and amazing experiences in the world of the paranormal.

Married to Maria Cooper, a talented painter and daughter of Gary Cooper, has collaborated on TV projects and is a researcher in parapsychology.

NOTE: For press information and to schedule interviews, limited public appearances and engagements, please contact Bettina L. Klinger, President, KlingerVision, (212) 592-1385 or email bklinger@klingervision.com

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, Dorothy and Lewis B. Culllman Center presented “Byron Janis: An Evening of Song with Pianist as Composer.” This was the first time Mr. Janis’ compositions were performed in public and were accompanied by the following vocalists: Robert Cuccioli, Maya Days, Sami Gayle, Shuler Hensley, Joanne Lessner and Karen Mason.

Weekend At the Juvenile Arthritis Conference and BOD Dinner.

I arrived at the JA Conference and attended the Board of Directors dinner on Friday evening, July 8th where I caught up with old friends David Shuey, Chair of the Board and Dr. John Klippel, President and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation. Dr. Klippel was surprised to learn that I was an avid baseball fan. And, of course coming from Pittsburgh, the Pirates are my favorite team.

Juvenile Arthritis Conference in Washington DC: A Guest Post

I attended my first Juvenile Arthritis Conference last weekend in Washington, DC. What amazed me more than anything were the children that I met and spoke to. I was especially surprised to see some of them running and jumping much like any other child you’d see. Watching all these children, it was hard to believe any of them had any form of arthritis. In speaking with someone from the conference, I mentioned that, and she said that just 15 years ago it was a different story. Most of the children were in wheel chairs, but with the advent of biologic drugs, taken at an early age, these children now were either in remission or their symptoms were seriously curtailed.

Maestro Janis travelled to France and made an unprecedented discovery.