Leslie Howard (AU)

About

The only pianist to have recorded the complete solo piano works of Franz Liszt, Leslie Howard has made that extraordinary project the centerpiece of a remarkable career. The Melbourne born, London based Australian pianist spent years working through all of Liszt's piano music for Hyperion Records, racking up 99 CDs across 60 volumes, with a 100th disc released in 2018 that included rediscovered works like the first version of the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1. The Guardian called him "a master of a tradition of pianism in serious danger of dying out," and a BBC Music Magazine critic put it more bluntly: by general consensus, he is the finest living exponent of Liszt. Beyond the Liszt marathon, Howard carries a wide repertoire of solo, chamber and orchestral work, and has taught at the Guildhall School of Music while giving masterclasses at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. He sits on juries for major competitions including the International Franz Liszt Piano Competition, and has co authored thematic catalogues of Liszt's musical works. His record project earned him a place in The Guinness Book of Records as the largest recording project ever completed by a solo artist.