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Leon Fleisher
American pianist and conductor
Quick Facts
- Born:
- July 23, 1928, San Francisco, California, U.S.
- Awards And Honors:
- Kennedy Center Honors (2007)
- Subjects Of Study:
- “Two Hands: The Leon Fleisher Story”
Leon Fleisher (born July 23, 1928, San Francisco, California, U.S.—died August 2, 2020, Baltimore, Maryland) was an American pianist and conductor who overcame a debilitating neurological condition to resume playing his full concert repertoire. A child prodigy, Fleisher began studying the piano at age four, gave his first public recital at eight, and at nine was taken under the wing of the legendary Austrian pianist and teacher Artur Schnabel. Fleisher made his debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic under Pierre Monteux in 1944, and he ensured his place among the top pianists of the day when he ...(100 of 438 words)