Fanny Mendelssohn's May from her piano cycle Das Jahr ("The Year") is for me one of the most wonderful musical portraits of spring in the Romantic piano literature.

As I think about Leopold Mozart, the father of Wolfgang who died today in 1787, I feel it is important to look at his role not just as father, but also a valuable educator.

With Suntory Hall being where I will perform on Sunday, June 28, 2026, I thought it important to find out as much about the space as I could. There is a fascinating history associated with it, and I am very happy to share some information about it with all of you.

It seems hard to imagine, but this is actually the 200th post I have written on this blog since I began it a little more than a year ago. In that time there have been many, many people who have helped with my progress as a musician, and to whom I owe a debt of gratitude.

The last time I posted a few weeks ago, I was getting ready for my Carnegie Hall solo recital debut on Sunday, May 3, 2026.  Since that time I have returned to Japan, and am preparing for my concert at Suntory Hall on Sunday, June 26, 2026.  For all of my friends in Tokyo, I look forward to seeing you there.

Yesterday I was at Carnegie Hall for a rehearsal, and I must tell you it was one of the most thrilling moments of my life to be on that stage and anticipating my solo recital debut this coming Sunday.

This quote from the poem is thought to be a satire of the unpredictable weather of April. As you can hear in the music, the melody starts off gentle and warm, like the arrival of spring, then abruptly shifts to a dramatic, fast passage (the tremolo in the left hand in the middle section sounds like thunder to me), and these sections alternate as the piece progresses.

With just about a week remaining until my concert at The Church in Sag Harbor—and less than a month until my solo debut at Carnegie Hall—I find myself right in the final stretch. At this stage, my work feels less like mere "practice" and more like a quest to discover even more exquisite nuances within these pieces, deepening my love for them even further. While I often uncover new things to cherish through my discussions with Mr. Cosmo, I also believe that stepping out on an adventure can be a source of great inspiration.

After practicing on the electronic piano in my apartment this morning, I headed over to Mr. Cosmo’s apartment. There, I enjoyed his delicious, authentic espresso and practiced on his piano, focusing primarily on Liszt’s Réminiscences de Norma. As I practice, I occasionally listen again to arias performed by Maria Callas or Joan Sutherland, constantly searching each day for ways to improve my interpretations.

This morning Mr. Cosmo kindly took me to the market in Maywood.

My first lesson with Mr. Cosmo after I arrived in New York was on the Bach “Sheep May Safely Graze” transcription by Mary Howe.

Last week Mr. Cosmo and Mr. Alexander surprised me and my mother with tickets to see Verdi’s La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

As I prepare this piece for Carnegie, I am working on bringing out both its narrative and romantic qualities. 

With today being the last day of the celebration of Women’s History Month, I would like to focus on the career of another pioneering conductor, JoAnn Falletta.

As we come to the close of this month’s celebration of Women’s History, I would like to use today and tomorrow to highlight two very important women who have in their roles as conductors proven to be true trailblazers.

The Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili will appear in concert next month at Carnegie Hall in a program of works by Beethoven, Liszt, and Schubert.

Reviewing the list of some of the female pianists who are on the Carnegie Hall performance roster this season, I owe a particular vote of thanks for their being sources of both inspiration and learning.

Later this week I am going to be sharing profiles of some of the women pianists currently on the international scene whose talents and accomplishments are creating both the present and future of classical music.

Cécile Chaminade was born in Paris in 1857 into a family where her talents were strongly encouraged.

With today being Saint Patrick’s Day, I would like to turn to the work of a very special Irish composer, Ina Boyle.