Greek-born pianist Panayis Lyras studied at the Athens Conservatory and earned bachelor's and master's degrees at Juilliard. He won the silver medal at the 1981 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and first prizes at the Gina Bachauer, University of Maryland, and Three Rivers competitions. His career included recitals at Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center and appearances with major American orchestras. He taught at Michigan State University from 2002 until retiring in 2019.