Was a permanent member of the jury of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Classical pianist.
He was also an expert bridge player. He once played in a celebrity foursome with actor Don Adams ("Get Smart"), band-leader Les Brown, and Jack Benny's daughter Joan.
He continued to play recitals until the late 1990s.
He said that making a recording in the 1960s with violinist Jascha Heifetz and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky was the "biggest thrill" of his life. The recording won a Grammy Award.