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Washington, D.C., Feb. 26, 2002 – In celebration of its 60^th year of international broadcasting, the Voice of America (VOA) is bringing live, noontime performances of classical music to music lovers in Washington and, via its airwaves, around the world.

On March 6, at the newly renovated VOA auditorium, the legendary American pianist Byron Janis will return to Washington with works by Chopin, Schumann, and Schubert in the inaugural performance in VOA’s twice-monthly Special Noontime Concert Series. The Voice of America is marking 60 years of broadcasting to the world during 2002-2003. 

The Noontime Concert Series, which will include performances by other world-class artists, continues VOA’s tradition of live cultural performances for broadcast around the world. 

Mr. Janis, who returns to Washington after an absence of many years, has performed extensively around the world and has made numerous recordings as well as a television special on the life of Frederic Chopin. His early career was highlighted when he was chosen as the first American artist to be sent to the Soviet Union, opening cultural exchange between the USSR and the United States in 1960.

Future performances in VOA’s Noontime Concert Series will include the Chin Kim-David Oei Violin-Piano Duo on March 27; the Paraguayan-born classical guitarist, Berta Rojas on April 10; and the pianist Stephen Drury on May 10.

VOA’s Noontime Concert Series performances will begin at 12:00 noon at VOA headquarters in the Wilbur J. Cohen Building at 330 Independence Ave., SW. The one-hour performances are free and open to the public.

The Voice of America, which first went on the air on Feb. 24, 1942, is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S Government. VOA broadcasts over 1,000 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to a worldwide audience of 94 million. Programs are produced in English and 52 other languages.

For additional information, please contact the Office of External Affairs at (202) 619-2538 or send email to pubaff@voa.gov.