He won the Leeds International Piano Competition - Ep. 22: This is the Legend Of Jon Kimura Parker

In 1984, he was the first Canadian to win the Leeds International Piano Competition.  That same year, he performed for Queen Elizabeth II.

8 years later, he judged the inaugural edition of the Honens International Piano Competition, Canada’s Grand Slam of international piano competitions.

Meet Jon Kimura Parker (known as “Jackie” to friends new and old), an award-winning pianist who also serves as the Artistic Director of Honens.

In this episode, Jackie and Amos discuss Jackie’s trailblazing career throughout Juilliard, throughout the 1984 Leeds Competition, Britain’s Grand Slam of international piano competitions, and beyond.

2025 is also a special year, as the newest edition of the Honens International Piano Competition will take place in October.  Jackie explains the philosophy of the “Complete Artist” at Honens, as well as the innovations that have come out of such a philosophy in judging, in competition organisation, and in music education.

Jackie’s website: https://www.jonkimuraparker.com/

Honens’ website: https://www.honens.com/

Tomorrow by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Other music composed by: Amos Vang

- CHAPTERS -

0:00 – Introduction

3:28 – HONE IN ON HONENS!

3:43 – What inspired Jon Kimura Parker to pursue piano?

6:31 – What were the most profound lessons that Jon Kimura Parker learned from each of his piano teachers?

17:19 – When did Jon Kimura Parker feel that he was ready for the Leeds International Piano Competition?

20:30 – No one is destined to win a major piano competition.

21:08 – How did Jon Kimura Parker prepare for the Leeds International Piano Competition?

24:12 – Many musicians still work regularly with coaches even after going professional.  Pianists, on the other hand, do not really do this (or do this insufficiently).

25:29 – A pianist’s mindset tends to be very independent and even isolated.

29:01 – Jon Kimura Parker describes every single round of the Leeds International Piano Competition!

33:41 – Jon Kimura Parker actually had a MEMORY SLIP while warming up for Brahms at the Leeds International Piano Competition!  How did he adapt before stepping on stage?

35:15 – Jon Kimura Parker performed the Barber Sonata at Leeds, with a BROKEN SOSTENUTO PEDAL!

38:35 – Jon Kimura Parker performed the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 at the finals of Leeds.  This is the story of his prep and performance.

41:13 – Jon Kimura Parker won 1st prize, but something HILARIOUS happened at the awards ceremony!

44:10 – Queen Elizabeth II commissioned Jon Kimura Parker to perform for her.  This was her reaction.

47:08 – Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were genuinely kind, caring people.  Amos tells the story of Canadian Governor General David Johnston’s experience with the royals.

49:16 – Amos performed Liszt’s Dante Sonata in the past.  This is how he had to handle the difficult technical parts.

50:23 – Liszt, Beethoven, and Romantic era composers had SIGNIFICANTLY lighter pianos.  Modern pianos are very heavy.

51:15 – Why are period pianos’ action so easy to play?

53:17 – Heavier pianos actually give good experience for pianists by training up the stability of their technique.

55:23 – Jon Kimura Parker appeared on a children’s TV show, “Under the Umbrella Tree”.  What was it like to film with the crew?

1:02:16 – Amos Vang uses sports analogies and terminologies to explain classical music competitions and festivals to those who are completely new to classical music events.

1:03:33 – Jon Kimura Parker has the difficult job of deciding who wins Honens.

1:04:05 – What is musicality to Jon Kimura Parker?

1:07:39 – Who is Esther Honens?  This is her legend.

1:13:46 – A day in the life of Honens Artistic Director Jon Kimura Parker

1:17:02 – In 2018, one of the jury members cancelled!  How did Jon Kimura Parker adapt to that?

1:20:00 – Curation of Honens content during the pandemic

1:22:34 – Managing Nicolas Namoradze’s and Illia Ovcharenko’s concert schedules during the pandemic

1:24:14 – What is the Complete Artist to Jon Kimura Parker?

1:34:27 – Nicolas Namoradze got a degree in neuroscience during the pandemic.  This influenced his development as a Complete Artist.

1:36:09 – How does Honens attempt to define the Complete Artist?

1:42:37 – Honens’s approach challenges many misconceptions of classical music

1:43:04 – How can new audiences watch and enjoy Honens and other piano competitions?

1:44:50 – Jon Kimura Parker explains Honens’s judging process in FULL DETAIL.

1:50:57 – Canada has the potential to become a major classical music centre on the world stage!

1:54:52 – What is Jon Kimura Parker’s advice to those who want to pursue a career in classical music, especially piano?