In a world where classical musicians strive for perfection playing every note written, making it up as you go along is largely left to jazz.

But Gabriela Montero has managed to play both sides, winning over critics and fans alike.

The Venezuelan-born American pianist was a child prodigy, performing concertos with the national orchestra at age nine:

VIDEO: “>Gabriela Montero, 9, plays Haydn D Major piano concerto

While Bach, Beethoven and Mozart were no strangers to improvisation, the classical world has long moved away from it.

But as a classical musician, Montero brings a wealth of knowledge and sheer talent to improvising the work of the masters. And the results are stunning.

VIDEO:  Montero improvises movie score for 1922 silent film Nosferatu in Berlin, January 2014

Montero puts it best: “It’s spontaneous creation. It’s spontaneous music making. And is it perfect? I don’t know. It’s not, I mean it’s something that is just born and dies,” (she told CBS 60 Minutes).

See Gabriela Montero in concert April 1, 2014 at Mount Royal’s Leacock Theatre.

She is teaching master classes for our Academy for Gifted Youth students as part of our Wyatt Artist in Residence program.

And stay tuned for our announcement for the star-studded lineup for the 2014-15 Wyatt season.

 Sherri Zickefoose, March 18, 2014