THE SCOOP | After 130 Years, Daniel Barenboim Redesigns the Modern Piano

By Michael Vincent on May 29, 2015

SCRUTINY | Sofya Gulyak Dismantles and Disarms at Heliconian Hall

By Robin Roger on May 4, 2015

Syrinx Concert Series showcases force, accuracy and at times terrifying power by Russian pianist Sofya Gulyak.

THE SCOOP | Google Doodle Honours Piano Inventor Bartolomeo Cristofori

By Michael Vincent on May 4, 2015

Google’s doodle celebrates the 360th birthday of Bartolomeo Cristofori, the man credited with inventing the piano.

UPDATE | Valentina Lisitsa Finally Confirms New Toronto Area Venue (exclusive)

By Michael Vincent on April 23, 2015

Ukrainian-American pianist Valentina Lisitsa confirms Toronto area venue after being turned away by Toronto Symphony Orchestra over offensive political Tweets.

CONCERT REVIEW | Hélène Grimaud Fights Off The Bends at Koerner Hall

By Michael Vincent on April 20, 2015

Pianist Hélène Grimaud at Koerner Hall, April 19, 2015. “Music expresses the motion of the waters, the play of curves described by changing breezes.”

UPDATE | TSO Pulls Concerto in Wake of Controversy

By Michael Vincent on April 7, 2015

The Toronto Symphony have announced that they have pulled the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 from the program. Replacement pianist Stewart Goodyear responds...

Fits & Bursts | Daniil Trifonov: "If your fingers go directly from your heart"

By Michael Vincent on April 4, 2015

There are few, if any pianists quite like Daniil Trifonov. In this fascinating video, pianist and former classmate Zsolt Bognár interviews Trifonov, who at the age of 24, shows a wisdom well beyond his years...

CD REVIEW | Distilling the Spaces Between Carthage and Rome

By Jay Caron on January 28, 2015

I am always skeptical of what I would call “fusion” composition; I would briefly describe this as taking the harmonic language, rhythms, or instruments of some non-western culture, or the elements of a popular music genre, and unceremoniously shoving them into the context of western art music. This could perhaps be analogized as mixing water and oil; things that are, on their own, valuable, but which resist amalgamation. The result can often leave me wondering whether greater care could have been taken to present each separate element in its best light. It is a technique dangerously prone to superficiality...

COFFEE BREAK | How Often is Each Piano Key Pressed in Chopin's Op. 25 Etudes?

By Michael Vincent on December 2, 2014

Pianists, which etude will you scale next? We'll be looking for the complementary set to Chopin's Opus 10 next...

JOHN TERAUDS | A Veteran Virtuoso Continues to Climb High

By John Terauds on November 18, 2014