In the midst of Canada’s tragedy lies a Clementi pianist
mainIn the outpouring of grief for the 15 young hockey players who died in a weekend road crash, Canadians are discovering that one of the team was a gifted classical pianist.
Xavier Labelle, 18, was originally from Saskatoon. He played cello before moving over to the piano. And he loved that 18th century master, Muzio Clementi.
We mourn with his family and all of Canada.
UPDATE: We are delighted to report that Xavier is alive. He was misidentified among the dead, an appalling error.
Report here.
Thank you for the sympathetic comment. It is a horror story to all Canada, but especially to the residents of Saskatchewan, where youth hockey plays so big a part (clearly without eliminating wider interests).
RIP to all the victims, musical or not.
Just heard a very moving radio interview with Xavier’s brother praising his younger sibling in French: “He was more than a brother, he was my best friend”. Precision: among the ones who lost their life were a few adults, the head coach, the radio broadcaster, the bus driver. 29 people were in the bus, 14 survived, 3 of them still in critical condition in hospital. A vigil was broadcast coast to coast on TV last night, on both CBC News Networks (French & English). Prime Minister Trudeau was in attendance.
There are other examples of his piano playing on YouTube
I liked the Tristan und Isolde
Apparently there was a misidentification, Xavier Labelle is injured but alive – according to 680 news.
There was a misidentification, Xavier Labelle is injured but alive – according to 680 news.
Xavier Labelle is alive and in the hospital. His body was misidentified at first. Unfortunately the other boy, Parker Tobin, who was mistaken for Xavier, is among the 15 people killed in the crush.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018/04/09/one-victim-of-humboldt-crash-misidentified-ministry-says.html
It is just being announced that there has been a mis-identification. Xavier Labelle was not killed in the crash, another of his team mates, Parker Tobin, originally thought to have survived, didn’t. Condolences to the families of both young men, and prayers for Xavier, that he may heal well.
Xavier has survived!
From the coroner’s report: “One of the deceased players had previously been identified as Xavier Labelle. This was an identification error and Xavier is not deceased”
It is just being announced that there has been a mis-identification. Xavier Labelle was not killed in the crash, another of his team mates, Parker Tobin, originally thought to have survived, didn’t. Condolences to the families of both young men, and prayers for Xavier, that he may heal well.
Recent reports say Xavier is still alive, and that it was another person in the crash who died, and was accidentally reported as alive.
Source: https://twitter.com/_chamilton/status/983332419758469121