Panayis Lyras, earlier known as Panaghis Lykiardopoulos or Panayis Lykiardopoulos, is an American classical pianist. Lyras was born in Athens, Greece, in 1953. At age six he attended the Athens Conservatoire and emigrated with his family to America in 1966. He attended the famed High School of Performing Arts in New York City and soloed in 1972 at the school's annual Concerto Concert. He played a Rachmaninoff piano concerto. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the Juilliard School. He is the silver medalist of the Sixth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1981, the first prize winner in the Gina Bachauer, Three Rivers and University of Maryland (the now William Kapell International Competition) competitions, won the silver medal in the Arthur Rubinstein Competit