Chamber Music Kelowna presents Kerson Leong, violin & Jessica Osborne, piano

Kerson Leong has been described as “not just one of Canada’s greatest violinists but one of the greatest violinists, period” (Toronto Star). Forging a unique path since his First Prize win at the International Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition in 2010, he continues to win over colleagues and audiences alike with “a mixture of spontaneity and mastery, elegance, fantasy, and intensity that makes his sound recognizable from the first notes” (Le Monde).

A passionate chamber musician, Kerson has performed at many international festivals and concert series. His latest album release, featuring the Britten and Bruch violin concertos with the Philharmonic Orchestra and Patrick Hahn for Alpha Classics, received wide critical acclaim, including being named Gramophone Editor’s Choice, Choc de Classica, and ‘The Strad Recommends’ by The Strad. It also garnered five-star recommendations from the Sunday Times and Diapason among others. Kerson performs on the ‘ex Bohrer, Baumgartner’ Guarneri del Gesu violin courtesy of Canimex Inc, Drummondville (Quebec), Canada.

Jessica Xylina Osborne was hailed by the Washington Post as a pianist “with a refreshing mellowness and poetic touch” following her debut with the National Symphony Orchestra. She is one of the most intensely expressive and passionate artists of her generation, and is widely considered to be one of the most sought-after collaborative partners performing today. She has worked closely with some of the world’s finest musicians, has performed throughout the continental U.S., Europe, and Asia, and has appeared in recitals at many of the world’s most celebrated venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Musée du Louvre in Paris, and the Seoul Arts Center. Dr. Osborne is a laureate of international piano competitions, including the Bartók-Kabalevsky-Prokofiev Piano Competition, the International Russian Music Piano Competition, and the Houston Symphony’s Ima Hogg Competition.

Dr. Osborne holds degrees in solo piano performance from Indiana University and Rice University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in piano performance from Yale University.