Ernesto Lejano

Ernesto Lejano (1933–2000) was a Filipino-Canadian concert pianist and music educator. He was widely respected for his contributions to classical piano performance and pedagogy, particularly in Alberta, Canada, where he taught for over two decades at the University of Alberta.

Life and career Lejano was born in the Philippines. He had his first piano lessons during World War II under German nuns. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines.

Lejano received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alberta Government and was honored with the Outstanding Filipinos Overseas Award. In 1991, a recital hall in Edmonton was named after him. After his death in 2000, the Philippine Congress passed a resolution honoring his legacy. In 2012, the University of Alberta established the Ernesto Lejano Award in Piano Performance.