Ludovic Zamor:

Classical pianists have the ability to transcend music-making and touch people's hearts and souls. Whether playing a formal concert or accompanying a singer, their skill with the instrument can create an unforgettable experience. This is why people flock to hear Canadian-American Concert Pianist and Recording Artist Michel-Ange Ludovic Zamor.

Zamor is a gifted musician who truly understands the power of his abilities when playing. The audience can tell that he's in tune with his gift, and he never leaves them disappointed after witnessing him perform! Check out this interview to find out some of the things that make this talented young man so unique and beloved by audiences worldwide.

What is your favorite piece of classical music to play and why?

My favorite to play would probably be the Busoni Transcription of Bach's Chaconne. It was originally written for solo violin. The piece itself is heart-wrenching and makes me ache to imagine what Bach was going through, the thoughts, the feelings to compose it. Then when transcribed for solo piano, what was already lush and rich, becomes even fuller and with more texture, with the weight, the piano can offer. Practicing it is like a therapy session and nightly meditation.

There are so many ranges of play when it comes to the piano. I feel like yours is a mixture of classical and…something else (I would not say pop, urban, or R&B, but it is definitely something mixed with it). What do you think is the key difference between classical and other genres of music, and why should people give it a chance if they haven't before?

The genre of classical is such a large umbrella. Within it, there are so many different eras: baroque -where we find Bach, classical- where we know of the famous Mozart and Beethoven; then there's the romantic era - with Liszt and Chopin, to mention a few. An era that I'm focusing on right now in my life. Not to be a music snob, but what is found are what I like to call "full of color" resonant melodies and harmonies showcased in rhythms that are rarely found in any other genre. People should give this genre of music a chance if they want to know where the ceiling is for music.

What's the most challenging piece of music you've ever played, and how did you overcome that challenge?

The most challenging piece I’ve ever played was the, Études d’ execution transcendante d’après Paganini, S 140 Etude No.6. Originally written by the "devil's violinist" Paganini. He wrote them to showcase his innovative techniques and to raise virtuosity to impossible standards. Leading people to believe he made a pact with the devil in order to have such talent. Franz Liszt took those etudes and transcribed them for solo piano. He expanded on their voices and showcased why the piano is known as the master of all instruments—raising the art of virtuosity as a whole to levels completely unimaginable. There are revisions out now, making the piece more digestible and less unruly. But the original, at the time of its composition, was deemed unplayable by anyone but Liszt himself and is rarely attempted even today. It requires large and dexterous hands, and the composition felt like it had no sympathy towards me; in fact, it seemed aggressive and offensive. To overcome its challenges and learn it, I found myself accepting that the piece wanted me dead. And I committed, in order to learn it, there are other things in life that would have to die, and I would have to give up. For months I dedicated my attention to it and nothing else. I gave up warm sunny days outside, gave up some feeling in my fingertips. I would spend 5-6 hours at a time in a trance, working on single measures. There were moments that I would sit at the piano without touching it, staring at the music, with three different metronomes chirping at the same time, while I was focusing, trying to comprehend the piece's polyrhythms. The original piece for violin was the only music I listened to, trying to capture the essence of what I what putting my whole self to. Every time I play it, I think to myself, I shorten my life by marginal amounts because of its physical demands. And at its end, I performed it in masterclasses. And when one gets through pieces like that, it feels like every other piece is easier.

What is next for you?

I have my red-carpet premiere at the historic theater, The Space, on May 21st, in my home city of Westbury, New York. I'll be showcasing the range and upper limits of what a concert grand piano is capable of. Everyone in attendance will be taken on a journey of the romantic greats' hearts, and souls then directed to learn the definition of or redefine virtuosity.

How can people connect with you?

People can connect with me by following my Instagram @ludoviczamor and follow my Facebook @ludoviczamor.