Oscar Peterson’s 100th Birthday Honoured with Bösendorfer Piano Showcase and Star-Studded Concert Series at Koerner Hall
The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto is hosting three concerts at Koerner Hall this month, October 23-25, to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Oscar Peterson.
The RCM concert series will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for music-lovers to witness three remarkable Bösendorfer hand-crafted grand pianos in one place, while celebrating the legacy of one of Canada’s most enduring and influential musical icons.
Bösendorfer, Oscar’s personal piano of choice and official partner for the three-day centenary celebration, will display a trio of limited-edition instruments in the reception area of Koerner Hall: The Tree of Life, Camellia, and The Great Wave Off Kanagawa.
Camellia
The Camellia Grand Piano is a prized collector’s item, limited to 18 instruments, with an elegant floral design on the underside of the piano lid that symbolizes friendship, harmony, and beauty.
The Great Wave Off Kanagawa
Bösendorfer pays homage to “The Great Wave Off Kanagawa”, arguably the most famous Japanese artwork, as the iconic painting is scaled up to the size of the piano lid and recreated using a special printing process. With only 16 produced in the world, this instrument will be regarded as a timeless masterpiece, like the work of art that inspired it.
Tree of Life
Austrian painter Gustav Klimt provides the inspiration for the Tree of Life Piano. Limited to just 25 worldwide, an elaborate process (called “reprography”) transfers elements from two of his most iconic works onto the piano lid, creating a work of art combined with an extraordinary musical instrument.
Attendees will have the rare opportunity to experience why Bösendorfer was Oscar’s preferred piano at this unique celebration in the heart of Toronto. Unquestionably one of the most significant jazz musicians in a career spanning six decades, he remained a passionate Bösendorfer artist throughout his life. Many of his most iconic recordings and live performances feature his beloved Concert Grand 290 Imperial.
Celebrating Oscar’s 100th birthday includes a free masterclass on October 23rd followed by a performance by the Sean Nimmons trio (grandson of fellow Canadian jazz legend Phil Nimmons). Weekend concerts include notable artists Christian McBride, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and pianists Makoto Ozone, Jon Kimura Parker, and Thompson Egbo-Egbo.
Oscar Peterson’s relationship with Bösendorfer goes back decades. After trying over a dozen grand pianos during a visit to the Bösendorfer factory in Vienna in the 1970s,Oscar found the instrument that would become a part of his musical legacy for the rest of his career, remarking, “I gotta have one of those!” Bösendorfer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation of Japan and distributed in Canada by Yamaha Canada Music Ltd.