The astonishing 12-year-old Anastasia Rizikov

That's 12-year-old Canadian pianist Anastasia Rizikov, performing Debussy's "L'isle joyeuse" at the Toronto To Japan benefit held in April. More recently she won first prize in the 18th XVIII Concurso International de Piano Rotary in Spain.

Not only that, but she's the youngest person ever to have entered the category of the competition that's only open to professional pianists, teachers, and "students of high education" age 28 and under. She was up against 25 older competitors.

She travelled to the competition with her grandmother, Maia Spis, who is also her teacher. She could have entered the "under 16s" category but chose the more difficult competition -- for this reason:

"My grandmother and I really didn't come to this competition to win. We were going to compete with mature adult pianists with tons of experience and knowledge. I had just as much chance to win as everybody else. On the first day, we saw 20 contestants leave the competition and only six of us stayed for round II. For Round III, another three contestants had left - so I was sure that third place would be mine. I didn't expect to be first! These three days were exhausting - but ultimately worth it!"

The reports are that the judges made positive comments on her natural playing -- and in the video above that seems ably demonstrated.

Considering she's been representing Canada since she was seven, when she won the Vladimir Horowitz International Young Pianists Competition in Kiev, her latest success should come as no surprise.

And yet, it's still somehow astonishing to see and hear someone so young playing like that, wouldn't you agree?

CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in a new window.