Author: akimi

My new album “Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3” will be released by Acoustic Revive on November 24th.  

Following my previous album of Brahms’s late piano works, this second volume turns to his early creative period, shaped by youthful intensity and imagination.

Developed over several years as a long-nurtured companion project alongside my Japanese translation of “A Brahms Reader” by Prof. Michael Musgrave, this album is now being released almost simultaneously with the publication — a coincidence that feels quietly meaningful to me.

At the heart of the program stands the Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5, one of Brahms’s most ambitious early masterpieces, paired with Clara Schumann’s Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op. 20, written around the same period and closely connected to Brahms’s artistic world.

Three song transcriptions for solo piano follow next: “ Heimkehr” Op. 7-6 (arr. Jadasohn / Fukuhara), “Ein Sonett” Op. 14-4 (arr. Fukuhara),  “An eine Aeolsharfe” Op. 19-5 (arr. R. Keller — world premiere recording). These lead into Brahms’s own piano version of the Theme and Variations, Op. 18b from the String Sextet No. 1, Op. 18.

The album unfolds as a musical narrative, each work resonating with the next and tracing the young composer’s emerging artistic voice. The rare Keller edition of “An eine Aeolsharfe” was accessed through the support of the Institute of Musicology at Kiel University, which oversees the New Brahms Complete Edition.

I hope that this album finds its way to listeners who share curiosity, tenderness, and reverence for Brahms’s evolving voice.  

Exploring Brahms through both sound and scholarship has been a profoundly enriching journey — a privilege for which I am sincerely grateful.

What a dream stage!✨Sharing the spotlight with legendary Michala Petri (recorder), elegant Yumi Yamagata (flute), Gagaku superstar Hideki Togi, Noh-flute master Yukihiro Issō, and the incredible shakuhachi player Dōzan Fujiwara was pure magic!

From the ancient shō and hichiriki to the noh flute, shakuhachi, Michala’s breathtaking recorders, and the beautifully perfected modern flute, this concert was a once-in-a-lifetime journey through time and sound.

Who would have thought these instruments, spanning centuries and cultures, could blend so harmoniously? Grateful beyond words for this incredible experience!

Christine Walevska’s magnificent album is set to be released on January 31!

This 8-CD box set features a collection of precious recordings spanning Christine’s celebrated career. 
Together with must-hear performances such as Dvořák’s Cello Concerto conducted by Carlos Païta, the set also includes some works I had the privilege of being part of.  I am truly honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to this album, which beautifully encapsulates Christine’s illustrious career.

I hope many people will enjoy this wonderful collection! 

My solo album “Brahms: Klavierstücke” is now available on many digital streaming platforms! I recorded this album in 2017 in the splendid recording environment made possible by Acoustic Revive, and directed by Grammy award winning sound engineer, Tomoo Suzuki.

The album includes Brahms’ Opp. 76, 118 and 119 which I have loved ever since I first studied his music in my teenage years.

I am happy that the album can now be found and played easily, from everywhere in the world:

https://akimifukuhara.hearnow.com

For anyone who wants the best listening experience, the physical CD is mastered as an Ultra HI-Res CD, with beautiful blue artwork by Mikio Hasui and liner notes written by Koji Amasaki with an English translation that is more than 20 pages long!

New release from Shofusha: “Pierre Amoyal Violin Recital”, available now for digital download/streaming! Shofusha is an unique label where the musicians and the violin maker work together in the recording sessions –  In this album, French virtuoso Pierre Amoyal performs beautiful characteristic pieces by Lili Boulanger, Prokofiev, Debussy/Heifetz, and Tchaikovsky on a violin made by Yu Iida. The spirit of the instrument shined brilliantly in the hands of Mr. Amoyal and it was amazing to perform with him! I hope you will enjoy this album:)

A new recording, Toby Hoffman Viola Recital (SHOFUSHA) is now available for download and streaming!

It’s a truly beautiful album in which I collaborated with violist Toby Hoffman. Toby came to the SHOFUSHA studio in Lake Yamanaka last autumn for several weeks of intensive solo and ensemble recordings. This album collects the jewels of the Viola repertoire: Schumann’s Märchenbilder, Milhaud’s sonata, Britten’s Lachrymae, and a brand new piece by Toby’s brother Joel Hoffman. For these recordings, he played a Viola made by his life long friend, violin maker Yu Iida. Toby mentioned to me that he chose the pieces for this album to showcase the character of this magnificent instrument.

I am excited that the album is finally available and I hope it will reach a lot of people! https://linkco.re/fGxeCetc

Yesterday, the Amadeus Society Orchestra held their 52nd concert to a packed house at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. I performed Ravel Piano Concerto in G major led by Maestro Koji Kawamoto. I have always wanted to perform this concerto and I was delighted to play with such a dedicated orchestra and wonderful conductor☺️🎹✨

On April 14th, I will perform Ravel’s piano concerto in G major with the Amadeus Society Orchestra and Maestro Koji Kawamoto at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. I always loved this beautiful concerto and I am truly looking forward to the concert this Sunday.

The final concert of the tour was in the National Concert Hall in Taiwan on April 3rd. We absolutely love this concert hall, and I feel blessed to perform with Christine again this year!

Christine and I came back to Guangzhou this year again. On March 31st, we performed two concerts at the Guangzhou Opera House as part of their Woman’s Arts Festival. After the first concert, we had a fantastic Chinese food that gave us great energy to go back and play our second performance💪 It was wonderful to see some faces that we recognized from our previous concert in 2017.