ROBERT LEONARDY
piano
He is the exception to the rule for somebody pursuing a career as a pianist: the youngest child of a family of highly talented musicians Robert Leonardy´s first ambitions were in the field of sports rather than music. However, Prof. Fritz Griem, his first teacher at the University of Music in Saarbrücken, immediately discovered the “raw” exceptional talent of the then 14-year-old, who subsequently during his course of studies underwent rigorous training by Prof. Erich Flinsch, the well-known pupil of Liszt (“For a pianist´s career it´s almost high noon”). It turned out a success: Leonardy won important prizes at international piano competitions, he performed in all important European centres of music.
Due to his “late career” Leonardy was initially regarded as a kind of “career changer” by the great conductors. It took some time until – after performances in London, Berlin and Munich – he could finally win recognition, being splendidly reviewed by critics because of his “exceptional keystroke, profound musicality and stupendous technique.” Numerous recordings of albums and CDs, radio and television broadcasts followed. Today, Robert Leonardy is one of the most interesting German pianists with a repertoire ranging from pre-classical up to present-day music.
Awards
-
Prize winner of international piano competitions
-
Youngest piano professor in Germany at the University of Music Saarland in 1969
-
Artistic Director of the Musikfestspiele Saar
-
Top Officer of The British Empire
-
Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic
-
Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Spain
-
Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Art et des Lettres (France)
-
Pushkin Medal of the Russian Federation
-
Art award of the Saarland
-
Art award of the City of Saarbruecken
-
“Ambassador of the Saarland” 2006
-
Cultural award of the August-Wilhelm Scheer Foundation for Science and Art
-
Patent www.klassik-statt-Klingel.de