Jan Lisiecki at the Isabel
Leave it to a pianist to make you want to dance without anyone leaving their seat. Jan Lisiecki is at Kingston’s Isabel on Sunday, November 15, with a recital built around the way music moves. The Canadian pianist has chosen works by Chopin, Brahms and Bartók that take their cues from dance, with Chopin’s A-flat major Polonaise closing the afternoon.
Listen for the dance hiding in the piano
A dance rhythm can pull you into a piece before you know a thing about it. Try listening to the lower notes for the pulse, then follow what happens above it. A Brahms waltz can suggest a different kind of motion from a Chopin polonaise, even with one person playing the same piano. Bartók adds another perspective to the program, which makes it a good recital for hearing how composers borrow from the dance floor and do their own thing with it.
Lisiecki is internationally known for his Chopin, so that final Polonaise is a good reason to go. You can listen for the weight and swagger of its rhythm, then notice how much the quieter stretches change the way it lands. If you’re coming with a friend who’s new to solo piano recitals, there’s no homework here. Ask each other after the show which piece you’d want to hear again and see whether you agree.
A Sunday afternoon at the Isabel
The 2:30 p.m. start leaves time to get together before the show or keep the conversation going afterward. If you know someone who usually hears Chopin through a set of headphones, bring them along and see how differently it feels with the piano right there in the room.
When and where
Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30 p.m.. Jennifer Velva Bernstein Performance Hall, Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, 390 King Street West, Kingston. Tickets are $70–$75 through the Isabel box office.
