Pianist Leonard (Leo) Mai, a fourth-grader at BASIS Scottsdale, began piano lessons at age five and a half and has studied with Dr. Ivona Kaminska Bowlby since the age of eight.
Passionate about the Romantic repertoire, Leo loves the challenge of technically demanding works as well as the expressive freedom the piano gives him. Leo had recently earned Second Place Winner of the American Protégé International Romantic Music Competition 2025 and performed in Carnegie Hall.
Outside of music, Leo is equally curious and adventurous. His favorite subject at school is history, and he enjoys reading about the world wars, the Cold War, Greek mythology, and ancient architecture.
Creative by nature, he spends his free time building Lego, drawing comics, and designing paper airplanes and boats. He also enjoys swimming, traveling with his family-having already visited ten countries-and exploring new cultures and cuisines. Among his travels, Vienna has been his favorite city so far.
Watch Leonard Mai perform Cat and Mouse by Copland on the piano for the 2026 Spring Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.