The departure adds to a string of recent personnel changes at the Department of Homeland Security, a year into President Trump's administration.

Routinely called a "musician's musician," the pianist had an atypical career that even he called mysterious. He spent it returning to a handful of favorite composers, with acclaimed results.

Nearly 300 U.S.-based researchers have applied to one program that promises "scientific refugee status" for those fleeing Trump's academic funding rollbacks.