Leandro López Várady was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He graduated from the Catholic University of Arts and Musical Sciences (U.C.A) “Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires”, majoring in Composition, receiving a Gold Medal and Honorable Mention in 1992.

 

Between 1992-99 he taught Piano, Counterpoint, Orchestration, Composition and Music Appreciation at the Catholic University in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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After relocating to Chicago, IL in 2000, he taught in an outreach music program at the Chicago Park District for the renowned Ravinia Festival organization. Since then he is been teaching piano, harmony, theory and improvisation privately.

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From 2011 until the present he is Adjunct Professor at Lewis University in Romeoville, IL, teaching Applied Piano, Applied Jazz Piano and Latin/Jazz Ensemble. He also has been collaborating with the “Music Alive” music program (part of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic outreach music program) and with the Vocal Department of the Columbia College in Chicago as an accompanist pianist.

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In 2014 he taught at  ISA (Instituto Superior de las Artes) in Havana, Cuba as part of Orbert Davis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic cultural outreach program.

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Leandro López Várady was born in a family of musicians. His father, Osvaldo López, was a renowned jazz drummer in Argentina. His mother, Alicia Várady, is an accomplished pianist, harpist, singer and composer and the holder of several awards.

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Leandro sums up his approach to music this way: ”I feel I received in my education from my parents two styles of music, Jazz and Classical. They made me love both deeply. That is the reason I was so excited when Orbert Davis called me to be a part of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. It was my opportunity to fulfill one of my dreams, the synthesis of Jazz and Classical music in one style known as Third Stream.

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"Classical music gives me the discipline and structure to understand occidental music. On the other side, Jazz gives me the freedom and spontaneity of improvisation plus a deep knowledge and feeling for rhythm. Both styles complement each other wonderfully."

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