Arts Alive San Antonio

by JASMINA WELLINGHOFF, Editor

Italian pianist, Leonardo Colafelicereturns to Texas to perform Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, with the Kerrville-based Symphony of the Hills, conducted by Eugene Dowdy. Colafelice is regularly invited to play with orchestras throughout Italy and throughout the world. In 2020, He won the bronze medal and the Audience’s Favorite Prize at the Gurwitz International Piano Competition here, in San Antonio. He is also the winner of many other piano competitions.

Despite a hectic schedule, he found time to answer our questions.

Where are you at present?
I am in San Antonio, after a long trip from Italy, where I live in the city called Altamura in the Bari Province. I am very fortunate to play a lot and have had the chance to travel all over the world with music. I recently performed in Italy, but also in Vilnius, Lithuania.

How were you introduced to the piano and classical music?
My parents are musicians, so music was introduced to me as a natural thing, as something that was part of everyday life. So, I experienced it and also fell in love with it.

Have you come to Texas just for the Symphony of the Hills concert, or do you also have other engagements as well?
I came specifically for this concert, but next month I’ll be coming back to the U.S., again to Texas, but also to Georgia.

What appealed to you about this invitation from the Symphony of the Hills?
Due to the problems related to the pandemic, I did not have the opportunity to come to the U.S. for a while. The planned 2020 concerts were either canceled or postponed. So, getting this chance to return to the States after three years, made me really happy.

You have been in this region of Texas – and in San Antonio – before, when you participated in the International Piano Competition. What impressions and memories do you have from that time?
I have great memories of San Antonio even though when you compete in competitions on that level, you have very little time for sightseeing or relaxation. But, the organization of the competition was incredible and the people very kind. Because of that, I am extremely happy to be here again, in this beautiful city.

You have won a large number of piano competitions around the world. Is that the best way for a young pianist to gain exposure? Tells us a bit about some of those competitions. Which ones are your favorites?
Piano competitions are now part of the common artistic path of musicians, but they are clearly not the only way forward. Still, the organizations behind prestigious piano competitions work hard to offer many concert opportunities to the winners and they continue to promote the winners even after the competition. This is why competitions, when well organized, represent a great opportunity for us, musicians.

In San Antonio, you were voted the Audience’s Favorite pianist. What, do you think, contributed to that vote?
It was a great honor for me to receive that award, and the support of the audience during all stages of the competition. During the competition I just thought about doing my best, having fun. Perhaps this genuine and lighthearted feeling was the key that allowed a great closeness between me and the audience in the hall.

Do you think of yourself as an entertainer?
Music is not only emotion, intensity, drama but sometimes it’s also fun…. The characteristic of this art is precisely its versatility and the ability to communicate many emotions. I guess, on some occasions, I consider myself an entertainer.

Who are the pianists you admire?
Certainly, Martha Argerich has been a beacon for me who has illuminated my path and my study path, since I was very young.

Have you tried your hand at composing? Would you like to become a composer, in addition to being a performer, and maybe bring elements of other musical genres into your compositions?
I have prepared a show with a famous Italian DJ, a friend of mine. The project blends electronic music with piano music. Unfortunately, this project has not yet been presented to the public. However, I can say with certainty, that I love to experiment just as I love listening to all musical genres, when well done.

Tell us about the Grieg concerto you’ll be playing?
This concerto is undoubtedly one of the most wonderful compositions in the history of music; it is of shocking beauty. It’s certainly challenging for both the pianist and the orchestra because it’s full of virtuosic passages and beautiful themes that must be treated with utmost care.

Can you name some favorite works, and what you appreciate about them?
I really like transcriptions from ballet or opera. During this concert season I am performing a program entirely dedicated to Franz Liszt’s transcriptions and paraphrases of Italian operas. It’s a program I will perform both in Texas and in Georgia next month.

Have you premiered any brand-new pieces by contemporary composers? If so, which?
I have played a lot of contemporary music but I have never performed a world premiere. If the right occasion presents itself, I will gladly do it.

What’s next for you?
After this concert I will return to Italy. Right now, the Alta Murgia Festival is taking place in Altamura, my hometown.  I am the artistic director of the festival. After that, I’ll be returning to the U.S. next month to perform for Musical Bridges Around the World (in San Antonio), and also in Augusta, Georgia (as mentioned above).
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Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.; Cailloux Theater, 910 Main, Kerrville, Texas; seats can be reserved at www.caillouxperformingarts.com or by calling 830-896-9393; box office hours 10 a.m. to1 p.m. M-F; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $25