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I had the opportunity yesterday to attend a performance by this truly outstanding young Canadian pianist. He was performing Chopin's Andante spianato and Grand Polonaise brilliante as well as the Schumann concerto at the Westben Festival, an annual summer music festival held near Campbellford,Ontario. I saw him perform there a couple of years earlier after he won the Canadian Chopin competition in 2010. In 2011 he was the only Canadian selected to compete in the Warsaw competition. His insightful interpretations show a maturity unexpected in someone of his age (23) and I can truly say I would go out of my way to see him again. You can view videos on his web-site www.leonardgilbert.com. I hope we will be hearing much more about him in the years to come and wish him well in launching what should be a promising career.

Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians!

I just listened to his Grande Polonaise, and I agree that he's excellent. (And I'm not that easy to please on Chopin.)

Do you know how far he got in the Warsaw competition? Based on what I heard, I wouldn't be surprised if he went pretty far.

I believe he did make it to the second round. I have recently learned from his facebook page that he is keeping all of his career options open and is now attending law school at the University of Toronto. As a former lawyer myself, I'm amazed at anyone who can perform at that level, teach, accompany and go to law school all at the same time. I guess one has more energy in one's 20's then I have now!

Uh oh -- that means we might be seeing him in the amateur competitions.

BTW there's a nice contingent in those events from Toronto, including at least one lawyer.