A PUBLIC MAN, A PRIVATE BATTLE. CLASSICAL PIANIST BYRON JANIS

courtesy of National Arthritis News

"Byron Janis brings an experience like no other...the union of reason of ecstasy, of logic and of exaltation. He touches the dangerous boundaries of the sublime, where I believe, great art resides." Jean Cotte, French journalist who writes for Le Journal Du dimanche and France Soir.

Great artists inspire awe in others because they appear to be "superhuman." In their finest moments they seem to be inspired by something beyond themselves, to touch the heavens and bring something greater than human to earth. But even the best artists must face the restrictions imposed by a human body. The mind and body must work together, and while the mind may soar to great heights, the body must always work to overcome its physical limitations. The body presents boundaries which only those who are driven to excel can surpass.

Byron Janis is hailed internationally as one of the world's greatest pianists. Since his debut at age 15 with the Pittsburgh Symphony, he has performed in all the great concert halls of the world, as well as the White House. The first American pianist to "break through" the Iron Curtain, Janis inspired forty minutes of applause from an audience in Moscow; in France, he was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres. Among many other honors and awards he counts the Grand Pris du Disque and the Harriet Cohen International Music Award for a recording. His genius for music was discovered at an early age, and he became the renowned Vladimir Horowitz's first student. Byron Janis has been a major force in the world of music for over 40 years. And honors continue to come his way, the most recent one being the Artist Award, which was presented to him by Pennsylvania Governor Richard Thornburg in May.

A Private Battle

But, ironically, the hands with which this great artist creates his "poetry of the keyboard" are the source of his greatest frustration. Virtually no one has known that this internationally acclaimed musician can bend the distal joint in only one office fingers, that these joints have gradually fused together and become immobile. His public, his critics, even most of his family have not been aware of his problem. For 12 years, this man has waged a very private battle against psoriatic arthritis. Now, he is sharing his story - and his suggestions for coping.

"I didn't want people to know I had arthritis for a variety of reasons," said Mr. Janis." I wanted to be judged on the basis of my music only, I didn't want people to look for things in my playing that might be due to the arthritis. I considered my disease a private matter.

"Learning to overcome arthritis is a very personal thing, so I saw no reason to broadcast it. My wife and a few very special friends knew, and I'm sure I overworked their ears with the agony and the problems. It was very constructive having them to talk to. But I had to conquer my fear of arthritis myself; no one could do it for me. I had to learn to accept the fact that I had a painful chronic disease which could potentially keep me from doing what I love most - playing the piano."

And conquer it he has. That was obvious by his surprise announcement after a concert he gave at the White House in February. With First Lady Nancy Reagan at his side, Byron Janis announced to the world for the first time that he has had arthritis for 12 years and that he is assuming the role of Ambassador for the Arts for the Arthritis Foundation.

"I'm not a scientist, so I can't find the causes of arthritis myself," said Mr. Janis. "Music is my language, and I want to use it to raise money for research to help find the causes of all the forms of arthritis and how to counter them."

To do this, Mr. Janis has begun a series of benefit concerts throughout the country for the Arthritis Foundation, in addition to continuing his regular concert activities. He will be speaking out about arthritis in the media, through press interviews and public service announcements. For example, he was interviewed by ABC TV's "Good Morning America" about his arthritis and his involvement with the Foundation. He has also done major interviews with such media as Associated Press, United Press International, People Magazine, and the "Entertainment Tonight " TV show.

Learning to Conquer Fear

As well as raising money for arthritis research, Byron Janis is interested in raising public awareness about arthritis - and in helping people who have a form of arthritis learn to overcome it. "My theme song, so to speak, is "If I can do it, so can you!" I feel very strongly that the emotional aspects of arthritis are just as important as the physical ones. You cannot control whether or not you have arthritis, but you can control how you cope with it. You have to believe, believe, believe that you can live with it and overcome it.

"I was very afraid of having arthritis, of what it meant for my future. And fear can be as debilitating as the physical effects of arthritis. Sometimes the agony was daily, but I decided to rise above it. I wanted to show that it could be done. It took years, but finally I am not afraid or ashamed of my disease any more. The disease is still with me, my joints don't bend and the movement of my hands is severely limited. I have arthritis- but it doesn't have me!"

To overcome his fear, Mr. Janis used the passion he puts into his music. Through his will and determination to play, he found ways to accommodate the gradual stiffening of his fingers. He changes some of the difficult keyboard fingerings, or used a different finger when one was sore. "That's why I was working so many hours every day," he confesses. "I was finding new pathways, new techniques. There are always new ways to do something. If the pain got really bad just before a performance, I just scaled down the dynamic level a bit to keep from giving my fingers such a workout."

Aside from his regular concert schedule, Mr. Janis has a lot of plans for the future. "All these years, I've been doing other things, like writing music. I hope to write a book, to conduct, to write musicals... I want to do many things. I've never believe in specializing!" Already he has narrated and performed in a television film about the life of Frederic Chopin.

Mr. Janis has been fortunate so far. He recognized the signs of arthritis early and got professional medical help. He attributes part of his success in controlling the disease to the fact he was diagnosed and began a treatment plan early and had the determination to stick with it.

"I have tried a lot of remedies for the pain, such as the mineral ice I use on my hands now. I tried special diets, acupuncture, hypnosis, and many others, all of which served a purpose, even if only temporarily. The underlying factor for all the treatments I tried, was my passionate conviction that I would finally, one way or another, overcome my disease. But I have always relied mainly on the medical advice of my physician, who steers me away from remedies that could be harmful. You should always go back to the most accurate source of information, your doctor."

Using Pain Positively

Byron Janis has been living with arthritis for many years, and has learned to use his pain to his advantage. "Learning to deal with pain or live with a limitation can give you an intensity for life. For me, living with pain has also helped me understand myself and others - to understand life. Remembering that there are others in as much or more pain than you can help keep your own situation in perspective. It makes coping with it much easier.

"Most importantly, having arthritis taught me how to overcome things. Can you imagine the strength I've derived from it? I've learned the discipline to really stick with something; the determination to win, whether its coping with arthritis, playing piano or simply dealing with life."
The strength he has learned is evident, in his passion, his dedication and his determination. Now he is making positive use of the pain of his arthritis again, by turning that passion and strength to the fight against arthritis.

Dianne C. Witter
National Arthritis News