bio
One of the foremost Brazilian pianists of the new generation, Leonardo Hilsdorf has successfully performed in Europe, the United States and Latin America.
Acclaimed by the critics, his performances were hailed as ‘phenomenal’ (Fuldaer Zeitung) and ‘charming and masterful’ (L’Independent). For two years he has been one of the select soloists in residence at the Queen Elisabeth Musical Chapel of Belgium, where he worked with Maria João Pires, who remains his current mentor.
He was awarded the 1st prize in several international competitions in Germany, France, Spain, Mexico, Italy, Portugal and Brazil. Among them, he was a laureate of the Nadia et Lilit Boulanger prize in Paris and received the European Union Special Prize for Music Competitions for Youth in San Sebastián, Spain, 2013. In 2016, he was awarded the 1st prize at the José Jacinto Cuevas Yamaha International Competition of Mexico. In 2018 and 2021 he was the first laureate of Verão Clássico in Portugal, and released his first CD with works of Beethoven, Brahms and Liszt. In 2020 he won the 1st prize unanimously at the Rome International Piano Competition ‘InMusica’.
Past seasons included appearances at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Flagey and Bozar in Brussels, Maison de la Radio in Paris and BeethovenHaus in Bonn, in addition to Sala São Paulo and Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. He has performed with the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Wallonie Orchestra, the Yucatán Symphony Orchestra and with all major Brazilian Orchestras, like the Sāo Paulo State Symphony, Brazilian Symphonic Orchestra and the Minas Gerais Philharmonic.
An active and passionate chamber music player, Leonardo is regularly invited to attend summer music festivals and masterclasses around the world, including the prestigious Ravinia Festival in the United States, Emil Gilels Festival in Germany, Campos do Jordão Festival in Brazil. He attended twice at the Académie musicale de Villecroze, where he has worked with Joseph Kalichstein and François-Frederique Guy. In 2014, he was interviewed by the renowned French magazine Pianiste, which also released a CD of his live recital at Salle Cortot in Paris and in 2016 he was chosen the Young Talent of the year by the main critics of music in Brazil, awarded by the Concerto Magazine. He recorded for France Musique and Musiq3 in Europe; Radio and TV Cultura and Rádio MEC in Brazil.
After completing a BA in Music at the University of São Paulo, under the supervision of Eduardo Monteiro, he was awarded a MA degree in Piano Performance at the New England Conservatory of Boston, under the supervision of Wha Kyung Byun and Russell Sherman. He recently earned a second Master Diploma in Performance at the Köln MusikHochschule, Germany. Currently, Leonardo lives between London and Lisbon, and pursue the prestigious Konzertexamen degree at the Köln MusikHochscule with Claudio Martinez Mehner.
São Paulo, SP, Brazil
01311-000