For the first concert of 2012, with a week’s notice, I was asked to substitute for pianist Robin Sutherland to play a recital with Alexander Barantschik, San Francisco Symphony’s concertmaster. The recital was held at Santa Rosa Junior College on January 15th. It was a fantastic way to start the new year—performing four masterpieces with an incredible artist. The program consisted of the Mozart sonata in e minor, K.304; the Beethoven sonata No.1 in D major; the Brahms sonata No.1 in G major; and the Franck sonata in A major.

Mr. Barantschik’s fine musicianship and technique was so inspiring that I totally forgot that I had taken on this recital with barely a week’s notice. Also, the audience was very supportive and enthusiastic, perhaps the warmest group of people I have ever played for. I was deeply moved to hear that during the intermission one gentleman in the audience was singing Brahms’s “Rain Song,” which is the melody from the third movement of his G major sonata.

Here is a review.

I have finally finished playing all the 2011 CHANEL Pygmalion Days solo concerts. The last one was on Nov. 19th, with a guest performer, Ko Taniguchi. And this past week, I performed in a chamber music series directed by Heiichiro Ohyama. It was so exciting to encounter new audiences in my homeland, Japan, through the Chanel Pygmalion Days concerts.

This year has been a great challenge for me to constantly arrange concert programs, while simultaneously dealing with all the disasters in Japan occurring in Japan without respite. I am truly grateful for the huge support I received from my friends and teachers in New York City and San Francisco.

Also, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to perform for the refugees of those catastrophes, and I pray that my music helped my ravaged nation’s morale and healing. Moreover, despite all the grief and destruction of lives and property, I encountered moments of courage, sacrifice, and humanity that I never new existed.