Balint Vazsonyi

Dr. Balint Vazsonyi (1936-2003) was born in Budapest, Hungary, and became a U.S. citizen in 1964. By profession, he was both a concert pianist and a political philosopher. At the time of his passing in January 2003, he was Director of the Center for the American Founding (CAF)

Vazsonyi's biography follows (he is still listed as CAF Director on the organization's web site): "Dr. Vazsonyi's international tours as a concert pianist spanned five decades. Having grown up under German National Socialist, and under Russian Soviet Socialist occupation, he fled Hungary after the 1956 uprising and came to the United States.

"In his varied life, Dr. Vazsonyi has been Professor of Music at Indiana University; Dean of Music at the New World School of the Arts in Miami; Founder and CEO of Telemusic, Inc.; Writer/Producer/Presenter of TV/video films about great composers, and candidate for Mayor of Bloomington, Indiana.

"He has published and lectured extensively on musical, cultural, and political subjects, authored articles and columns for The Wall Street Journal, National Review, and writes a bi-weekly column for The Washington Times. As well as an Artist Diploma from Budapest's famed Liszt Academy of Music, Balint Vazsonyi holds a Ph.D. in history and joined the Potomac Foundation as a senior fellow in 1993. In 1996 he was appointed Director of the Center for the American Founding. His proposals for the application of America's founding principles to the national debates of today have been printed in the Congressional Record, Imprimis, The Heritage Lectures, and in Representative American Speeches.

"America's 30 Years War: Who Is Winning? is the title of Dr. Vazsonyi's latest, best-selling book. He is a frequent guest on national talk radio and has appeared on television shows such as NBC Today, C-SPAN Booknotes and Washington Journal, MSNBC, and Insights with Robert Novak.

"Balint Vazsonyi, who lives in Washington, DC., has been touring the nation's capitals to promote a national conversation he calls Re-Elect America! Recently, he has been honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution's Americanism Award, and with the Officers' Cross of the Order of the Republic of Hungary. He is listed in Who's Who in America, and in Who's Who in the World."