Yellowknife (Feb 18/05) - Acclaimed pianist Andre Laplante is in love with Schubert and looks forward to sharing his passion for the composer with Yellowknife.

"I love the Schubert," he said of his concert program.

"He's a composer I only started to play a few years ago. I'm starting to play more of his sonatas."

Laplante made his name playing more modern pieces, but is now exploring the classics, something he said is improving his overall technique.

"When I was a student I was playing all the big virtuoso stuff, and then later I started learning more classic stuff," he said. "It's like I learned backwards."

Laplante accepted the NWT Music Teachers Association's offer, even though it was for less than his usual fee, because he wanted to see the North. He's staying an extra day and has packed his schedule with activities such as dog-sledding and aurora viewing.

A self-described "old-school" concert pianist, Laplante will also be meeting with Yellowknife piano students after his Sunday concert for a master class.

He noted that Yellowknife's remote location doesn't have to be a barrier to a career in classical music.

"I think talent comes from anywhere," he said. "If kids are exposed to a good teacher, they learn very fast. If they're exposed to concerts, they learn even more. At some point they'll have to go away and be in a place where they'll be a bit more challenged, but that's normal."

He said he benefits from teaching as much as his students.

"When you teach students you always come back to the essentials, the basic principles, and you can find simple solutions to problems. The solutions are never really complicated. There's always a way."

Laplante grew up in Montreal, studied at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York and lived in that city for about 15 years before returning to Canada. He now makes his home in Toronto, where he is artist-in-residence at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

He won a Juno award in 2004 for Classical Album of the Year: large ensembles or soloist with large ensemble accompaniment, and a few weeks ago he was appointed to the Order of Canada.

Aside from his current love affair with Schubert, he also enjoys playing pieces by Schumann. But, like any musician, the pieces he finds most satisfying change from month to month.

"Ideally, for us, the music should be chosen the week before the recital," he laughed.

He said he might add a few surprises to the concert programs. Andre Laplante performs Saturday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 27, at 1:30 p.m. at NACC.