ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC

M

axim Lando, in 2020, believed he was 
getting a scam call when hearing he won 
a $25,000 Young Artist Award given 
by the Gilmore International Piano Festival in 
Kalamazoo. 
The award is presented to go along with the 
biennial entertainment event and, in the same year, 
is received by two pianists age 22 and younger. 
It allots $15, 000 toward career and educational 
development and $10,000 toward a new piano 
commission. Winners also are invited to showcase 
their talents among programming that features 
world-renowned musicians.
“It was the greatest phone call of my life,
” said 
Lando, 19, a first-year Juilliard student and one 
of 38 to receive the award since 1990. “I knew the 
award existed but not that I was nominated [as is 
the practice of the anonymous selection commit-
tee].
”
Lando, happy to appear this year because the 
2020 festival was canceled due to the pandemic, 
will be featured with orchestra and other young 
awardees for the event finale, on May 15. 
He hopes he will have time to watch live per-
formances spotlighting diverse guest artists, from 
classical notables to jazz stylists. This year’s lineup 
includes Emanuel Ax, Igor Levit, Kirill Gerstein, 
Jonathan Biss, Fred Hersch and Emmet Cohen. It 
started April 24 with digital viewing opportunities.
“It’s great that there are so many different types 
of acts,
” said Lando, pointing out that Canadian 
jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall also will be 
appearing.

Young Artist Award-winner 

Maxim Lando to play at the 

Gilmore International Piano 

Festival in Kalamazoo.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

46 | MAY 5 • 2022 

Details 
Maxim Lando will be performing at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 15, 
at Chenery Auditorium in Kalamazoo. Zaide Pixley, adjunct 
professor of music at Kalamazoo College, will give a free 
concert preview at 3 p.m. In-person tickets: $7-$65; virtual 
tickets: pay what you can. For more information on this 
program as well as all the others, go to thegilmore.org.

Maxim Lando

MATT DINE

Pianist 
Among 
Pianists

