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Browsing: Piano

Steven Osborne. Photo: Ben Ealovega

Review | Steven Osborne Delivers Sturm und Drang at the Ladies’ Morning Musical Club

By Jan Krejcar on 4 March 2026 Classical Music, Concert Reviews, Montreal, Piano

Over every mountain-top Lies peace, In every tree-top You scarcely feel A breath of wind; The little birds are hushed in the wood. Wait, soon you too Will be at peace. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Book of Lieder, trans. Richard Stokes (London: Faber, 2005). The great German polymath, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote these lines, The Wanderer’s Nightsong in 1776. One of his most famous poems, it masterfully delivers a feeling of all-enveloping serenity, not even broken by birdsong. Over 50 years later, in 1828 Franz Schubert (1797–1828) wrote his last sonata (Bb major, D. 960) months before his…

Newswire | Festival Classica Unveils a Banner 16th Edition

By Newswire on 25 February 2026 Chamber Music, Newswire, Piano, Quebec Music, Strings, Vocal

Montérégie, (February 25, 2026) – Festival Classica invites the public to experience classical music in all its variety during its 16th edition, which will run from May 22 to June 14, 2026. The 2026 program once again showcases exceptional artists and a compelling repertoire, with the majority of events taking place on Montreal’s South Shore. Classical works, operatic performances, symphonic rock productions, and concerts for young audiences form a wide-ranging program designed to open the doors of classical music to seasoned concertgoers and newcomers alike. “Since its inception, Festival Classica has positioned itself as a space for sharing and discovery,…

Newswire | Six Semi-Finalists Announced for the 2026 Bader & Overton Canadian Piano Competition

By Newswire on 3 February 2026 Music Competition, Newswire, Piano

Kingston, ON – The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts at Queen’s University is pleased to announce the six semi-finalists selected for the 2026 Bader & Overton Canadian Piano Competition, taking place May 6–9, 2026, at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts in Kingston, Ontario. Chosen from applicants across the country following a competitive preliminary round, the six semi finalists are: Eric Guo, Carter Johnson, Linda Ruan, Charissa Vandikas, Naomi Wong, and Vanessa Yu. Made possible through the generosity of Bader Philanthropies, Inc., the Bader & Overton Canadian Piano Competition champions the next generation of Canadian pianists…

Photo: Ben Ealovega

Steven Osborne: Trusting His Instincts

By Catherine Kustanczy on 2 February 2026 Classical Music, Contemporary, Piano

Steven Osborne wants to take his audiences on a trip of the musical variety. The Scottish pianist will be in Montreal March 1 for a recital presented by the Ladies Morning Musical Club (LMMC). The program of works by Schubert and Beethoven marks his premiere solo recital with LMMC. “I really like programs where there’s a journey,” he says. “When I have a sense of story, I feel like I’m connecting better to the audience.” Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Music in 2022, Osborne has performed on a number of prestigious stages,…

Jan Lisiecki. Photo: Christoph Köstlin

Pro Musica: Jan Lisiecki Traverses a World (of) Dance

By Kaitlyn Chan on 2 February 2026 Classical Music, Interviews, Montreal, Piano

For its 77th season, Pro Musica presents Les Grands Romantiques, a tribute to romantic masterpieces and the modern-day artists who bring them to life. Its three series—Cartes blanches, Mélodînes, and Sur la route—welcome seasoned and young performers, with concerts in Montreal and Bromont. The Cartes blanches series begins with Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki’s World (of) Dance (Feb. 22). This new program is inspired by dances from across Europe and Latin America. Lisiecki recently premiered the program in Steinfurt, Germany, in January. “The first time is always the one that gives you the most trepidation,” says the pianist. “It was a…

Adam Johnson, chef.

Orchestre symphonique de Laval: A Concert in the Spirit of Friendship

By Justin Bernard on 2 February 2026 Interviews, Piano, Romantic

For its upcoming concert, Orchestre symphonique de Laval (OSL) promises a wonderful reunion. Newly-appointed Music Director Adam Johnson, named to the post last August, will welcome none other than pianist Stéphane Lemelin—his former mentor at the University of Alberta—for what is anticipated to be a moment of rare communion at the piano, their shared instrument. It is uncommon to witness two artists engage with such deep understanding that the interviewer quietly steps aside, allowing their exchange to flow unimpeded. Their dialogue reveals a rapport that clearly transcends the musical domain. The connection between Johnson and Lemelin dates back to April…

Élisabeth Pion Photo: Jeremy Fokkens/Courtesy of Honens International Piano Competition

Élisabeth Pion: Capturing Honens Gold

By Viktor Lazarov on 2 February 2026 Chamber Music, Classical Music, Music Competition, Piano, West

Twenty-nine-year-old pianist Élisabeth Pion, a Quebec native, won the coveted Gold Laureate prize at the 2025 Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary last October. Occurring every three to four years, the elite competition offers a lofty $100,000 cash prize and a three-year Artist Development Program valued at $500,000 for the lucky winner. Honens occupies a special place among the world’s “track and field” keyboard events. It searches for the elusive and undefinable “complete artist,” a term that applies only to the rarest of contestants, while dividing jury, critics and public alike on notions of taste, values, and esthetics. Pion demonstrated…

La Scena Word Search (Theme: Conductors) Solution

By Lorili on 2 February 2026 Orchestral, Piano, Puzzles, Word Search

SOLUTION for La Scena Word Search (February 2026) THEME: Conductors Information on Yannick Nézet-Séguin (Wikipedia | First Interview) Watch: The 2026 Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert with Yannick Nézet-Séguin Watch: Yannick Nézet-Séguin about the New Year’s Concert 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EM0yn_fGHg Watch: Rolex presents: Yannick Nézet-Séguin – The Modern Maestro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3y8ZlxLNz4 Watch: Canada Files Season 6 Ep. 13: Yannick Nézet-Séguin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMbICjZKw5c Watch: How Yannick Nézet-Séguin taught Bradley Cooper to conduct like Bernstein | Classic FM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08hfy_exq2I Watch: Yannick Nézet-Séguin Performs the third of Rachmaninoff’s Six moments musicaux, Op. 16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNfG2EMH_-o

Snow Bai (erhu) with Toronto Festival Orchestra conducted by Yong-yan Hu

Review | Li Delun Music Foundation Celebrates East-Meets-West

By Amanda Wong on 6 January 2026 Classical Music, Concert Reviews, Orchestral, Piano, Strings, Toronto, Vocal, World Music

With the new year comes a host of celebrations, and the Li Delun Music Foundation’s East-Meets-West New Year’s Concert is no exception. An impressive and relatively ad hoc Toronto Festival Orchestra gathered to play a program of—you guessed it—both Eastern (primarily Chinese) and Western music to ring in the new year. Named for Li Delun (1917-2001), the pioneering Chinese conductor, the foundation carries forward his lifelong mission to make classical music universally accessible, without age or socioeconomic discrimination. Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Li helped bridge Eastern and Western classical traditions—a legacy the foundation honours through its…

New Year’s Concert 2019 with conductor Xincao Li

Newswire | Li Delun Music Foundation Announces 2026 “East-Meets-West New Year’s Concert”

By Newswire on 8 December 2025 Chamber Music, Classical Music, Newswire, Piano, Toronto, Vocal, World Music

Celebrate the arrival of the New Year with the Li Delun Music Foundation’s unforgettable musical celebration—an artistic, cultural, and emotional journey that has become a cherished Toronto tradition. Since its establishment in 2003, the annual New Year’s Concert has become one of the most anticipated cultural celebrations for overseas Chinese communities and is part of the global Happy Chinese New Year celebrations. The 2026 performance marks the 19th edition of this signature event, continuing its mission of showcasing cultural harmony through music. This 2026 Concert Celebrates the Year of the Horse with musical selections connecting historical, cultural, and mythical imagery…