THE PIANIST WHO SHINES FROM THE TOHER SIDE OF THE WORLD
Pino Pignatta – Suonare News. Italian Magazine

Spanish, from a family of artists, his father is the famous piano teacher and concert pianist Leonel Morales. This young man from Madrid won the 15th Unisa International Piano Competition in Pretoria, South Africa, last February. But in October 2023 he had already won second prize in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He sleeps 5-6 hours a day: «The only way to study, give concerts, prepare for competitions and teach at the University of Madrid»

“When I finished my studies in Spain, I did my master’s degree at the Mozarteum in Salzburg with Pavel Gililov, at the age of 26. Even so, my father will be my teacher for life.”

His name, correctly spelled, is Leo de María. Spanish, from Madrid, 28 years old. Born into a family of musicians, on his father’s side full of artists, and in fact he studied all his life with his father, Leonel Morales (not to be confused with the Bolivian footballer). Leonel Morales is a famous Cuban concert pianist, although he has been a Spanish citizen since 1991, a professor at the Sommerakademie in Salzburg and at the Alfonso X el Sabio University in the capital.

The son of such a father, Leo nevertheless shines with his own light and has traveled around the world to win two competitions that cannot be said to be bad at all: the last one, eight months ago, last February, in South Africa, at the XV Unisa International Piano Competition in Pretoria. But already in October 2023 he won the second prize in the competition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In short, time differences, long flights, airports, trips, reservations, hotels, tiredness, tension, two continents to reach, starting in Madrid and ending in Africa and America. Continents never so different in language, climate, colours, flavours and values. He went, came back, crossed the planet twice and made two brilliant shots, first one and then another.

You seem to be super competitive, you give your best even on the other side of the world…

Yes, I love competing, I love the adrenaline of the 88 keys, of the piano, even better if it is combined with the trip, which becomes an adventure meeting new people. Why not go to Rio and South Africa doing what I like the most? I don’t think there is a better plan for a musician.

Son of artists and always a student of his father. But what other musical path did you follow to reach this level?

After finishing my bachelor’s degree, I did my master’s degree at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, with Pavel Gililov. I finished when I was 26 and then returned to Spain. However, my father will be my teacher for life. I did my bachelor’s degree with my father, Leonel Morales, as well as all my pre-university education. Now I am doing my doctorate with Rudolf Meister.

Where did you graduate in piano?

I graduated from the Alfonso X el Sabio University in Madrid. Afterwards I did a Master’s degree at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg and a PhD at the Konzertexam Hochschule in Mannheim in Germany.

Today you yourself are a professor at the University of Madrid…

Yes, I teach at Alfonso X el Sabio in the capital. I got the job two years ago. It is the first private university in Spain to offer a music degree. This faculty was founded 12 years ago. And it is the first and oldest private university in all of Spain. This year I am starting my third docent year.

And how do you reconcile this academic role with intense concert activity and preparation for the most important competitions in the world?

I sleep less. It is difficult, it even requires physical effort, but you need a precise routine to get through everything. I usually feel good sleeping 5-6 hours a day, so I have 18 hours to teach and study.

“Now I have a calendar full of recitals. I also have a tour awaiting me between February and March 2025, in which I will play Chopin’s Concerto No. 1.”

Let’s go back to the victory at the Unisa International Piano Competition in Pretoria. How do you feel now, eight months after the feat in South Africa? Are you doing more concerts thanks to winning this competition?

Yes, I have a busy schedule. In addition, I have a concert tour between February and March 2025, in which I will play Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

Jazz pianists were also awarded at the Pretoria Competition: Dabin Ryu from South Korea was named the winner of the first jazz prize, the second jazz prize went to the American Tomas Jonsson. As a classically trained musician, how does it feel to share the first prize of an international competition with a jazz pianist?

Actually, the jazz and classical competitions are different competitions, although they are held at the same time. We are not sharing anything other than the photos of the award ceremony.

Do you also study and play jazz?

No, but I worked in restaurants and hotels when I was 13-14 to earn some money: I earned 500 euros a month at that time. I started improvising and doing some jazz on my own, but eventually I focused on classical music.

What did you play in the final of the Pretoria Competition? Is there a specific reason for choosing one composer over another?

In the final I performed Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 3. I chose this piece because I definitely feel comfortable with the composer’s personality, his inner world and his character.

“In the final in Pretoria I chose Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 3. I feel comfortable with his personality, with his inner world.”

In your opinion, which of your characteristics as a pianist has the jury of the Pretoria Competition appreciated most: virtuosity, dynamic choices, agogic, lyricism?

I can’t really answer precisely. I only have feelings: the competition doesn’t allow contact with the jury. But if I have to guess, I imagine that it is character and charisma that make a pianist win. And not in this competition in particular, but in all of them. Being sure and convinced of your ideas, knowing exactly what to do with the sound, having a clear conception and structure of the pieces.

What exactly did you win? What is the total prize money? And how many concerts?

I won 10,000 euros in cash and a concert tour next year.

What piano do you usually study on? What piano would you like to have?

At home I study on a Kawai RX5. I think it’s a good piano and it’s not always easy to get a good sound out of it, so I feel more comfortable when I have a concert grand piano. When I play in public it’s not a question of what brand is on stage: I always say, and I’m convinced, that there are no bad pianos, only bad pianists. I like my instrument, I play it with pleasure, but in the future I will buy a new one. I don’t know what brand or model yet.