{"id":110447,"date":"2024-12-19T08:16:44","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T13:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=110447"},"modified":"2024-12-19T13:00:02","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T18:00:02","slug":"preview-alliance-francaise-toronto-presents-parisian-pianist-maxime-zecchini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/12\/19\/preview-alliance-francaise-toronto-presents-parisian-pianist-maxime-zecchini\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Alliance Fran\u00e7aise Toronto Presents Parisian Pianist Maxime Zecchini"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Pianist
Pianist Maxime Zecchini (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alliance Fran\u00e7aise Toronto will present Parisian pianist Maxime Zecchini in a recital on January 16. Zecchini offers an unusual concert experience in that he performs with his left hand only.<\/p>\n

Far from a simple eccentricity or attention grabbing strategy, it\u2019s an artistic showcase of what is possible, and it\u2019s taken Zecchini to stages around the world.<\/p>\n

Pianist Maxime Zecchini<\/h2>\n

A native of Paris, Maxime Zecchini\u2019s musical journey began at the Conservatoire National Sup\u00e9rieur de Musique in Lyon. After receiving a diploma with the highest honours, he went on to study at the Conservatoire National Sup\u00e9rieur de Musique in Paris. He would later become the first French pianist to graduate from the prestigious \u201cIncontri col Maestro\u201d Academy in Imola, Italy. After his studies, he won a series of competitions in Italy and France, including the Forum de Normandie, and at Varenna Lake Como.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s performed on stages from France and Italy to Japan and China, South Africa, and Australia. His current tour with the Alliance Fran\u00e7aise network will see him perform seven concerts across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver.<\/p>\n

Along with his career as a classical pianist, he has performed with singer Julia Migenes, and collaborated with actors Anouk Aim\u00e9e, Francis Huster and Thierry Lhermitte on educational concert lectures.<\/p>\n

Zecchini is also a composer and recording artist.<\/p>\n

For the left hand<\/h3>\n

Maxime is known for innovative programming that explores the repertoire for left hand only. He performs works that would typically require both hands using only one.<\/p>\n

In an interview, Zecchini said he became fascinated with the idea of performing with five fingers only after studying Ravel\u2019s famous Pour la Main Gauche (For the Left Hand).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea of playing the piano with only five fingers was an extraordinary wonder to me,\u201d he said in an interview<\/a>. \u201cIt’s also very challenging because the entire composition has to sound like I play it with both hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

He has recorded a 10-volume anthology<\/a> of works for the left hand. The massive project on the Ad Vitam Recordings label incorporates 78 tracks by 48 composers, and three centuries of music.<\/p>\n

For his Toronto recital, he\u2019ll perform French repertoire from classical to musical theatre, including:<\/p>\n