Richard Bortolan is one of the most prominent upcoming pianists in Italy. He has taken part in countless piano competitions leading the poles to his advantage given his extraordinary magical touch with the piano. His career began quite early and progressively gained momentum until becoming the star he is to this day. In this episode, we have the wonderful chance to connect with Richard all the way across the Atlantic Ocean and into Italy. We spoke about his half-Filipino heritage coupled with the struggles he personally endured with accepting it and, eventually, learning how to love it. But the topic of love didn’t stop there. Whilst opening up about his sexuality in a context of difficulty and discrimination, Richard also talks about learning how to embrace his true colors, despite substantial risks…

In addition to all this, Richard gave us his unique perspective of the classical music industry and the role it played in his life until the present day; bravely pointing out its strengths and weaknesses. But what might strike the most about Richard isn’t just his talent or bravery. It’s the example he chooses to lead with that catches our attention. He dreams of a better tomorrow, promoting an example of an open-minded musician whose vision sees no borders between musical genres, sexuality, mental health or one’s heritage.