Piano prodigy, 16, tours with Ottawa orchestra Jan Lisiecki

Calgary classical pianist Jan Lisiecki on his debut recording CBC News Posted: Jul 23, 2012 12:21 PM MT Last Updated: Jul 23, 2012 3:45 PM MT Jan Lisiecki is the 17-year-old Calgary pianist who landed a record deal with Deutsche Grammophon. (Mathias Bothor/Deutsche Grammophon) Facebook 0 Twitter 4 Share 4 Email Related Stories Glenn Gould's preferred piano, chair set for display AUDIO: Piano prodigy, 16, tours with Ottawa orchestra Jan Lisiecki on Q22:59 Pianist Jan Lisiecki is the youngest artist ever signed to the prestigious classical label Deutsche Grammophon, but don’t call him a prodigy or a genius. The 17-year-old Calgarian, who made his first concert appearance at the age of nine, says his growing success is a result of "luck" and “privilege.” Currently at university in Calgary, Lisiecki recorded his debut album Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20 & 21 with Deutsche Grammophon and has a deal to create as many as four more recordings with the label over the next five years. The album was released in April. Lisiecki says he comes from a non-musical family that never pushed him to play. His enthusiasm for classical music is based on a love for music that developed “organically,” he says. He started studying with a local Calgary teacher before going on to tour with the National Arts Centre Orchestra at age 16. In Toronto ahead of recent concerts in Stratford, Ont., Lisiecki talked about his admiration for Mozart in an interview with Jian Ghomeshi, host of CBC’s Q cultural affairs show. “All of [Mozart's] music shows through — right away — what the performer wants to say and who they are as a person, because music really reflects who you are and what you do in life,” Lisiecki said. The greatest classical musicians must have a true understanding of the emotions reflected in music to make it come to life, the young pianist added. That's why he doesn’t yet play works about falling in love, because he has yet to experience it, he admitted. CB CA