Press Reviews for Maxim Lando

“Maxim Lando strikes me as a total musical being: Besotted by music. Not just by a career, with its glamour, but by music itself.”  Jay Nordlinger – The New Criterion •  Read Full Review

“Maxim Lando displayed brilliance and infectious exuberance” “He played with impressive delicacy … and there was wild-eyed danger”  Anthony Tommasini – New York Times  • Read Full Review

“Maxim Lando’s talent as an improviser and arranger is absolutely unique, balancing on the edge of musical ‘hooliganism’. Tomas Bakučionis – Muzikų Sąjunga (Lithuanian Music Society) 

“Maxim Lando is a dazzling fire-eater… Lando proved himself a phenomenal technician endowed with a rather mature musical sense. Above all, he rendered the score with indefatigable fury, power and confidence.”  Paul Hertelendy – ARTS San Francisco •  Read Full Review

“Maxim Lando is one of the most brilliant and imaginative young pianists to emerge in recent years.” • Gower Festival 

“The audience was mesmerized. Nailed to the seats, enraptured by his cosmos, which the young American conjured up on the stage. Completely united with the music and with the world.” Anne Ziebarth – Ostee-Zeitung •  Read Full Review

“He came close to blowing the walls and roof off the building with his volcanic energy.” Paul Baker, host of Listen Adventurously, WORT-FM •  Read Full Review

“a gripping sense of narrative” … “His style is unabashedly lively and exceptionally expressive, unhampered by overthought or entrenchment. He goes for it! His playing’s true charm, though, lies in his manner of rhythmic articulation and rubato, which balances youthful exuberance with intimate musicality. His playing is showy at times, yes, but what a show.” Matt Ambrosia – The Cap Times • Brahms 2 with Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra •  Read Full Review

“This young pianist dares to do things not considered by others.” “It was an exceptional debut, one that will be remembered.” Roman Markowicz – ConcertoNet, The Classical Music Network – New York •  Read Full Review

“He came close to blowing the walls and roof off the building with his volcanic energy.” Paul Baker, host of Listen Adventurously, WORT-FM •  Read Full Review

” The young American turns out to be a real devil on the keys and the artistic discovery of this spring festival” (Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)  “Wild, rapid and heroic, melodic and then again with orchestral thunder” Christoph Forsthoff, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 

“If you shut your eyes, you might think you were in the first row of Carnegie and Vladimir Horowitz was performing on stage. The piano is played with a seemingly facile touch, the music delicate even when it is dynamic. And someone who is thoroughly musical is at the keyboard. Maxim Lando has a very old musical soul… an ever so clear approach to the keyboard, and the molding and shaping of phrases straight from the musical angels.“  Susan Hall, Berkshire Fine Arts

“Maxim Lando possesses an easy technique, a natural flair at the keyboard, and excitingly eclectic tastes. It’s safe to say the young American pianist is firmly on his way.”  Clive Paget – Musical America •  Read Full Review

“Standing ovations in the Erbdrostenhof! As if everyone had felt the rarest concert happiness of higher worlds” Günter Moseler, Westfälische Nachrichten • Concert with violinist Tassilo Probst on the Schoneberg -Reihe New Names” series •  Read Full Review

“Fingers of steel, nonstop playing, and extreme virtuosity — all effortlessly offered by Lando, along with a deep sense of the music…The performance introduced the amazing pianist, Maxim Lando, 16, to San Francisco.”  Janos Gereben – San Francisco Classical Voice • Read Full Review

“Maxim Lando left the audience stunned by his virtuosity.”   Taki – The Spectator US Edition: High Life “Why 2019 has been a wonderful year”  • Read more

“It will be a pleasure to watch this young artist as he develops his already tremendous pianistic skill and visionary interpretive ideas in the seasons to come. In a world already full of incredibly brilliant pianists, Maxim Lando will undoubtedly continue to give us plenty of exciting and thoughtful playing.”  Bill Lutes, former Music Director for the NPR News and Classical Music Network of Wisconsin Public Radio • Concert at Salon Piano Series •  Read Full Review

“What surprises could possibly come from the American Maxim Lando, who dared to play Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto in Russia? But he surprised! And above all, by not imitating anyone, sometimes even (we will forgive this arrogant youth!), avoiding not only a cliche, but stable performing traditions. He plunged into the keyboard with such passion that it seemed to overturn the piano. With unexpected power and strength, he cultivated bright climaxes and, at the same time, presented numerous lyrical revelations both in the first part and in the Andantino semplice – where in scherzo episodes with “delicate” technique, despite the uttermost tempos, he played with filigree purity. In the finals, he literally swung in the Ukrainian spring bogs, striking the rhythmic freedom, powerful octaves and colonnades of chords.”  Joseph Rayskin – St. Petersburg Musical Herald, Russia February • Tchaikovsky 1st Concerto with Mariinsky Theater Orchestra

Maxim Lando “remains one of the standout up-and-comers” and “astounded the enraptured audience.” “He opened with Nikolai Kapustin’s Toccatina, and concluded dramatically with Vladimir Horowitz’s Carmen. When Lando arrived on stage he was childlike; however, when he began playing the piano all traces of adolescence disappeared- his mannerisms were that of a veteran musician.”  Lieba Nesis – The Jewish Voice • Lang Lang International Music Foundation concert hosted by Alec Baldwin

“Pianist Maxim Lando made every moment count. From tender to elegant to dynamic and back to tender. Mesmerizing! Majestic! A famous day for the Shandelee audience. We were treated to a great pianist.”  Barry Plaxen – Meet Me In The Greenroom •  Read Entire Review

“Maxim Lando Overshadows the Hype – Seventeen Year-Old Soloist at Salon Piano Series Exceeds High Expectations: The post-concert reception is always one of the added treats of any Salon Piano Series recital, but this one was particularly lively as listeners groped for words that could begin to describe what they had just heard. My favorite came from one of Madison’s most respected musicians who said, ‘We just saw history tonight.’ I just hope I have enough years left this side of heaven to see what mark Maxim Lando will make.”  Greg Hettmansberger – What Greg Says • Madison, Wisconsin Read Entire Review

“The violinist Tassilo Probst and the pianist Maxim Lando begin their autumn tour across Germany with an astonishing performance. The well-balanced dialogues spanned an endless line because, despite all the desire to express themselves, they always played so transparently and precisely that they wonderfully replaced and complemented each other. The delicate structure, the subtle tone and the intimate character of chamber music were achieved by the two musicians in an absolutely impressive way. So present in the game and compelling in the musical logic, the interpretation captivated the audience.” Klaus Mohr, Süddeutsche Zeitung • Read Entire Review

“Maxim played the work with such speed and excitement that it seemed as if his fingers merged with the keys. The rabid energy of the young pianist was transferred to the audience.”  Voxpopuli.kz – Almaty, Kazakhstan • Rhapsody in Blue with Kazakh State Philharmonic

“There is something in the nature of music that raises its chosen ones to the heights of thought and feeling. And youth turns out to be deceptive when Maxim Lando is soloist [for] the Concerto No.3 for pianoforte and orchestra [by] Sergei Rachmaninov.”  Marina Aleksinskaya – Russia Culture  •   Rachmaninoff  3rd Concerto with Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra 

“Maxim Lando played a most exalted Tchaikovsky, almost in a Lisztian vein, delving into the contrasting poles of emotions.”  Vladimir Dudin – St. Petersburg Vedomosti, Russia. •  Tchaikovsky 1st Concerto with Mariinsky Theater Orchestra

“His interpretation of Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23 was filled with emotion, and he was simply brilliant during Horowitz’s Variations on a Theme from Carmen.”  Mike Telin – Cleveland Classical

“In the Prokofiev Second Piano Concerto, Maxim’s temperament very much recalled Sergey Sergeyevich’s own temperament.”  Vladimir Dudin – Musical Life Magazine Russia • Prokofiev 2nd Concerto with St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra

“Absolutely phenomenal! If ever there was a two-headed person with three hands, that was what we in a sold-out audience saw and heard at tonight’s stunning Hawaii Symphony Orchestra concert with JoAnn Falletta, conductor. It was absolutely phenomenal! That was my reaction to tonight’s concert with Lang Lang and his 15-year-old protégé, Maxim Lando—their ensemble was so incredibly perfect and dynamics and rhythm perfectly in sync—I’ve never heard two people play with such precision and nuance.”  Katherine Crosier – Musings from the Organ Bench • Rhapsody in Blue with Hawaii Symphony Orchestra      

“The New Yorker Maxim Lando is a pianist who is astonishing when one hears him for the first time. He has a technical and musical maturity that leaves you a bit speechless. Because one asks oneself when he could have learned all this.

His parents are both music teachers. But the real driving force is in himself. Not just because he always smiles slightly when it is most difficult, but because he takes pleasure in technical challenges. Liszt’s “Leggierezza”-Etüde and Hungarian Rhapsody no. 12 or Bizet’s “Carmen” variations” in the infernal version of Horowitz he plays as if it were nothing and nevertheless makes music out of it.

But the most sensational thing about Maxim Lando is his mature musical understanding. The way he plays Beethoven’s Sonata Op 31/1, with their finesse and their wit in the outer movements and personal expression in the Adagio – no piano teacher taught him; that comes from himself. Or the way he brings out the beauty in Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 2, because he is not hampered by awkwardness– it demonstrates a great capacity for interpretation. Even Tchaikovsky’s rather plain C minor Dumka one heard spellbound.”  Thomas Ahnert, Main Post Regional – Germany                                                                      

“[Lang Lang] and Maxim intertwined arms and moved as one otherworldly creature, almost unaware of the dance-like quality of the dreamy trance they had put themselves into. It was like watching musical ecstasy, the synergy and magic of the motion captivated the audience from start to the very end of George Gershwin’s masterpiece, “Rhapsody in Blue.” One for the ages, indeed.” Natalie Bencivenga – Pittsburgh Post Gazette • Rhapsody in Blue with Pittsburgh Symphony 

“This worked shockingly well. In fact, the three pianists—Lang, Corea, and young Mr. Lando—gave a performance of the Rhapsody for the ages…[Lando] nearly exploded with propulsive energy, particularly as he played a staccato rhumba-like accompaniment to one of Corea’s more extended flights of fancy… Overall, the three highly individual artists achieved an astounding musical synergy.”  Joshua Rosenblum – ZealNYC • Opening Night Gala with Philadelphia Orchestra at Carnegie Hall

“Overwhelming! – Unpretentious violin star Daniel Hope was joined by 24-year-old Romanian cellist Andrei Ioniţă and 15-year-old pianist Maxim Lando, a student at the Juilliard School in New York. They created a youthful fire, early and late mastery and a wonderful teamwork Ideal basis for an interplay that took your breath away in the concluding Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 1. Whether the two excellently harmonious strings could be challenged by the furious piano (first movement), whether they sank into dreams in three (Andante), sprayed their temperament in lively rhythms (Scherzo) or in the thrilling finale – they united their voices full of musicality and interpretive desire In the beginning, the three had subtly explored the seriousness and depth of expression in the introduction to Beethoven’s trio variations before they varied the theme in witty ping-pong.  How confidently [Maxim Lando] can use his chamber music talent, he proved as a partner to Daniel Hope in César Franck’s sonata. An overwhelming treat.”  Gabriele Luster – OVB online Startseite Kultur & TV – Munich, Germany

“A recent injury to Lang’s left hand, however, necessitated calling in reinforcements, in the person of Maxim Lando, a 14-year-old alumnus of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation who already has considerable international experience playing some of the most challenging works in the piano repertoire. Seated at Lang’s left, young Lando contributed not just Gershwin’s original left-hand part but some witty and stylish two-handed solos, and wasn’t shy about reaching over his mentor’s right hand to make a point in the treble. The applause for the two superstars and the brave young virtuoso was ecstatic.”  David Wright – New York Classical Review                                                 • Opening Night Gala with Philadelphia Orchestra at Carnegie Hall                               

“Schumann’s Carnaval (“Masked Ball”) — Maxim Lando deserves a big pat on the back for his remarkably lucid traversal of its many moods and textures. His bravura opening statement led to a cheerful waltz and subsequent movements that were in turn piquant, lyrical, playful and lively. Varying his touch to suit the moment, he produced a variety of colorful, evocative images as the piece unfolded.”  Daniel Hathaway – Cleveland Classical

“[Lang Lang] arranged Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue for piano duo so that he could perform without taxing the injury, while using the experience to mentor a brilliant young artist. The connection with his partner, Maxim Lando, had an enthusiastic, uplifting spirit along with wonderful synchronicity and jazz flair. The dynamic contrasts with the power of two pianists were astounding. I am not sure I want to hear this performed again by just one pianist.”          David Richards – Toronto Concert Reviews • Rhapsody in Blue with Toronto Symphony

“Maxim Lando (piano) and Andrei Ionita (cello) performed with [Daniel Hope] at eye level. However, the two young musicians do not really need to be promoted: neither Ionita, the winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition, nor Lang Lang-backed Carnegie Hall debutant Lando. Here, the two proved that they can not only radiate solo and play full steam ahead, but also pay attention to dynamic subtleties. All three had fun together that was contagious to the audience. This can not be said of every concert with chamber music, where otherwise usually strict seriousness rules. That’s why this festival (“Stars and Rising Stars”) seems indispensable.”  Robert Braunmuller – Munich, Germany

“The second half opened with “Aquarium” from Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saëns, and an exuberant rendition of “America” from Bernstein’s West Side Story. Lang Lang took the treble position, playing only with his right hand. From my vantage point in the mezzanine, I was just a bit too far to really see their hands clearly, but no doubt it was Lando doing the lion’s share of the work. Still, it was obvious that they formed an organic whole. If I hadn’t known there were two pianists playing, I would not have guessed. Their seamless collaboration continued in the special transcription of Rhapsody in Blue, a quintessentially American, feel-good piece that always leaves the audience smiling, yours truly included. …I would have preferred a healthy Lang Lang…But looking on the bright side, we got to hear the prodigiously talented Maxim Lando.” Joseph So, Ludvig van Toronto – SCRUTINY • Performance with Toronto Symphony 

“This exceeds the wildest expectations: the audience including foreign guests reacted absolutely thrilled and speechless. Eight highly talented pianists were selected to benefit from master classes by renowned pianists in an international casting of more than 400 applicants with the support of Kreismusikschule and the Cultural Office represented by Wolfram Schmitt Leonardy, professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich and coach in the Junior Music Camps of the Lang-Lang Foundation.

All eight pianists took the audience on an expedition full of glowing and most beautiful colors in known and unknown regions of the “Piano cosmos’”. Among them, Maxim Lando from New York, who has already performed 15 times at Carnegie Hall. The boy has to be seen! It is hard to describe how this 13-year-old boy subordinated the piano with the dedication and virtuosity.” Jutta Root, Saar Zeitung – Germany

Before Lang performed, Maxim Lando, a 13-year-old pianist from his foundation, played “Medtner Fairy Tales” and “Variations on a Theme From Carmen”  – “I’m scared,” Lang said. “I couldn’t play that way when I was 13.” Interview with Lang Lang – published in WWD Magazine

“a confident mature genius, for which there is nothing in the world except for the piano, which is lovingly stroking the keys, creating sounds incredible passion and tenderness.”  yvision.kz/post – Almaty, Kazakhstan