Notable web postings archive

DEC 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Nov 17 - 19 ANA's 2023 Hawaii 'Aha Mele' 

• December 1 & 2 20:00 Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall  Ravel's Piano Concerto with Hong Kong Philharmonic conducted by Vasily Petrenko

• December 12 2023 - June 16 2024 Bach-Chopin-Rachmaninov Japan Recital Tour

NEWS 

DEC 31 Happy New Year! 

"M. Harder has long wanted to bring the acclaimed Nobuyuki Tsujii  to Clemson University... her dream comes true [in 2024]" "He’s such a brilliant, sensitive pianist," said Abi Fayette, a violinist in the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra “He has a gentle way of approaching the piano. There’s an intimate humanness in the way he plays the piano.” Nobuyuki Tsujii & Orpheus Chamber Orchestra free concert Jan 21 4 p.m.  Brooks Center for the Performing Arts. More at U.S. Tour with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra 

DEC 29 The story of Nobuyuki Tsujii, as told by his mother Itsuko. 

A 3-parts article published in 2022 by Japan's Yomiuri News. 

" The world of the blind is not 'darkness.' "

"I was saved by seeing him enjoy music."

" Nobuyuki seems to be able to hear people's voices on a musical scale, and he often says things like, `'That person is a do, mi, mi, mi person.'

English translation at The story of Nobuyuki Tsujii, as told by his mother Itsuko. 

DEC 28 I am watching the streaming of the Oslo Phil/Klaus Makela/Nobuyuki Tsujii performances at Suntory Hall on OCT 23.   Conductor Klaus Mäkelä exudes youthful charm.  In the screen grab shown, he is seen turning to keep an eye on Nobu's finger movements while waving his baton to the orchestra. The Shostakovic piano concerto is no lyrical work like the Schumann Concerto whose streaming I so enjoyed last month.   Spectacular finger works by Nobu and superb orchestra work -- I am enjoying it!

DEC 27 A New Year surprise present from the Biarritz Piano Festival, where Nobu performed in 2022: a YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH2Z0Ew14BM of Nobu playing Liszt's Consolation no. 3 in a quiet (no audience) Espace Bellevue --  beautifully filmed and with great sound.   A big thanks to the festival.  Let's hope they invite Nobu back again. (The 2022 recital held by Nobu -- filmed by the same crew --  is available for viewing on medici-TV.)  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at Biarritz August 1 2022.

DEC 25 Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii shared this image of #辻井伸行 Nobuyuki Tsujii's Christmas Card, with his autograph on an adorned image of him at the Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Piano Festival.  [Update: My mistake has been caught by an astute reader - the photo is from "Troldhaugen in Norway where Nobu had recitals [in June]." Bravos to Nobu, his brilliant parents & loyal staff. May he keep shining a bright light on our world that needs it so much!  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii's 2023 Special Christmas Concert

DEC 25  Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii, brilliant mom of Nobuyuki Tsujii, was at Kioi Hall last night. "The last concert of the year is a Christmas concert for ANA. The curtain has closed Thank you so much to all the fans who supported us this year "

Nobu played 6 each of his original compositions & classica masterpieces, and 4 encores.  A concert goer wrote: "Is it okay to have such a happy Christmas? I'm glad to be alive."  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii's 2023 Special Christmas Concert

DEC 24 It is DEC 25 Christmas Day in Japan.  This evening 700 fortunate people there will get to enjoy a Christmas concert held by Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 in Tokyo's Kioi Hall for his sponsor All Nippon Airways (ANA).  https://www.ana.co.jp/ja/jp/mycampaign/23-09_christmas-concert/   Program for the first half of the concert comprises 'own compositions', and the second half 'classic masterpieces." I expect we will hear from some happy concert goers. 

DEC 23 Concert goers of the Nobuyuki Tsujii Japan Tour took note that Nobu played for encore the piece 戦場のメリークリスマス "Merry Christmas, on the Battlefield." (The theme music for the 1983 film "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence", by composer 坂本龍一 Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away in March.  A video has now been freshly uploaded to Nobu's official YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbI6FG3fN5c   辻井伸行 /「戦場のメリークリスマス」　作曲 坂本龍一 NobuyukiTsujii / Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence, with an accompanying message of "Greetings of the season and best wishes for the New Year. "

DEC 22 Asahi-TV January 6 "Untitled Concert" episode: "Delivered from top pianists active in the world! New Year Messages 2024" Nobuyuki Tsujii is among the pianists, and looks like his video message is delivered from Hawaii😃 https://tv-asahi.co.jp/daimei/next/ 

DEC 22 The last tour performance ended in Iwate last night, and the concert goer comments are extra warm: It's great to read many comments like the ones below, to know that the efforts of Nobu (and his staff) are truly appreciated in the Tohoku region (the area devastated by the 2011 earthquake/tsunami).

https://twitter.com/mei2525117/status/1738189806755278976 

"Tonight, Nobuyuki Tsujii's concert 🎹🎵 Bach and Chopin were wonderful, but Rachmaninov's ``Time for Music'' was the highlight! ! The encore songs [four, starting with 'Bumble Bee'] ``Bells'' and ``La Campanella'' were also played wonderfully 🎶 .At the end, he played ``Merry Christmas on the Battlefield'' 🎄 closed the piano lid. The best Christmas present 🎁 "  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

DEC 21 TODAY in Japan DEC 22 19:00 Nobuyuki Tsujii  2023-24  Bach-Chopin-Rachmaninov recital Japan tour Performance 5 [Iwate] Kitakami City Sakura Hall (1,503 seats).

Last performance this year.  This tour will resume in February.  All the best to Nobu! More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

DEC 20 It has taken a LONG time, but ... STREAMING DEC 28-JAN 8: 3 October performances by Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (Oslo-filharmonien), condjuctor Klaus Mäkelä & Nobuyuki Tsujii.  2000 yen per concert or 4000 yen for all 3. 

Tickets at https://pia-live.jp/event/2346796?lang=en&aetpia  More at STREAMING SOON: Oslo Phil, Klaus Makela& Nobuyuki Tsujii concerts

DEC 20 https://twitter.com/kc_abemin_929/status/1737477088167264444 "I was at the concert of Nobuyuki Tsujii with my husband [in Miyagi last night]. It was so wonderful. Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninoff...the sounds he played were delicate, soft & beautiful & washed my heart. I was happy to hear La Campanella & 'Merry Christmas on the Battlefield' for encore. Thank you for a wonderful time. " NEXT: Performance no.  5 DEC 22 Iwate - last tour recital of year 2023. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

DEC 20 Several concert goers last night mention that Nobu played for encore the piece 戦場のメリークリスマス "Merry Christmas on the Battlefield." (The theme music for the 1983 film "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence", by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away in March. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGs_vGt0MY8 ). One concertgoer wrote: "... when he [Nobu] played Merry Christmas on the Battlefield at the end because it was the season, I was moved by the beautiful tone. It really touched my heart and made me wish the world was as peaceful as this tone." Amen 🙏 More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

DEC 20 NEW on YouTube, by Orpheus Chamber Orchestra: "Orpheus & Nobuyuki Tsujii at Carnegie Hall and on tour in 2024"  https://youtube.com/watch?v=yssRC2KqCV0More about the tour at Nobuyui Tsujii & the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra 2024.

DEC 18 The Nobuyuki Tsujii website has updated the Liverpool Phil Japan tour page, now listing 6 performances https://avex.jp/tsujii/live/tour.php?id=1002393   May 11  Saga City; May 12 Osaka; May 14 & 15 Tokyo; May 17 Niigata; May 18 Nagano. 3 Programs.

All the best to the tour.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii with RLPO Japan Tour May 2024

DEC 18 This post just showed up.  https://aju-cil.com/supporter/event.html   Back in early November (Nov 2) Nobu held a benefit concert for Japan's AJU Independence House. "At AJU Independence House, people with severe disabilities continue to work towards social independence, and the AJU Independence House Support Association has supported these activities. Holding a welfare concert is part of this effort, and we plan a concert every year where people with disabilities can dress up a little and listen to beautiful music together with everyone. Through the concert, we will strive to raise awareness of the purpose of the support group, which is to enable people with and without disabilities to live fulfilling lives in the local community."

DEC 17 The website has been so quiet that I failed to notice the update.  But 10 'NEW' performances have been announced.  All of which were already listed at my Nobuyuki Tsujii Upcoming Concerts page except one:  April 4 19:30 Congress Kursaal Interlaken, Switzerland Beethoven's 'Emperor' concerto with the Zakhar Bron Festival Orchestra, conductor Zakhar Bron. https://avex.jp/tsujii/tsujii-en/live/tour.php?id=1002404 

DEC 17 Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 Japan Tour BACH-CHOPIN-RACHMANINOV recital Performance no. 3 yesterday in Fukushima Minamisoma. A great success again.  4 encores, including a new one 'Flight of the Bumblebees' [? checking]  (Still it is 'La Campanella' that was the most appreciated :-) NEXT: 12月20日(水) DEC 20【宮城】東京エレクトロンホール宮城大ホール[Miyagi] Tokyo Electron Hall Miyagi Large Hall 19:00 

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

DEC 15 Tweet by the Japan Foundation, New York@JF_NewYork

https://twitter.com/JF_NewYork/status/1735705721835069946 

The legendary Nobuyuki Tsujii is coming to the US with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, this January 20th-27th. These incredible musicians will be in Florida, South Carolina, and NYC. Get your tickets now!!

https://ny.jpf.go.jp/event/orpheus-nobuyuki-tsujii-schumann-chopin-nathalie-joachim/  More about these performances can be read at 

https://mlliu2006.blogspot.com/2023/09/nobuyui-tsujii-orpheus-chamber.html 

DEC 14  www.instagram.com/p/C007Sx3LWzi/  Saitama Concertgoer: "Today I took a half day off in the afternoon and went to Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. Nobuyuki Tsujii Japan tour at Westa Kawagoe!

3 encore songs

⚫︎Bach 'Lord, joy of man's desire'

⚫︎Rachmaninoff 'The Bell'

⚫︎Liszt 'La Campanella'. "

NEXT: Performance 3 December 17 14:00 Fukushima

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

DEC 13  jp.yna.co.kr/view/AJP20231214001600882 

韓国の公演企画会社、マストメディアによると、来年３月３日にソウル・芸術の殿堂コンサートホールで「辻井伸行ピアノリサイタル」が開かれる。 According to Mast Media, a Korean performance planning company, a ``Nobuyuki Tsujii Piano Recital'' will be held at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on March 3 next year.  Last time Nobu performed in Seoul was an international friendship concert with Ms. Yeol Yum Sun.

DEC 12 The first performance of the Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Tour was -- no surprise :-) -- a great success.  Concert goers wrote:  "Great satisfaction" "Mr. Tsujii's performance was wonderful. It wasn't just a good song, it was a tone that appealed to the soul, a melody that felt like the abyss of space." 4 encores, including Rachmaninov's 'Bell' prelude and a Christmas medley.  NEXT UP: Performance 2 December  14 12月14日(木) DEC14 【埼玉】ウェスタ川越 大ホール [Saitama] Westa Kawagoe Large Hall15:00.  News, comments, photos, etc. are collected at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

DEC 12  The 2023-24 Nobuyuki Tsujii Japan Recital "("Time for Music & Pleasure"楽興の時 [Vocalise Rachmaninov])" Tour begins today, and will continue in spurts through June 16 2024.  There are 14 performances. . Program: BACH French Suite; CHOPIN 4 impromptus; RACHMANINOV Vocalise.  First performance DEC 12:  Nagaski Brick Hall (2,002 seats) 19:00.  We wish Tsujii-san great success  News, comments, photos, etc. are collected at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

DEC 10 Tickets are now on sale  for the May 2024 Tokyo performances of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic conducted by Domingo Hindoyan, with Nobuyuki Tsujii. Ticket prices:  S seat 28,000 yen A seat 24,000 yen B seat 20,000 yen C seat 15,000 yen D seat 10,000 yen U25 seat 5,000 yen

https://l-tike.com/classic/mevent/?mid=496036 

https://www.ints.co.jp/rlpo2024.html 

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii with RLPO Japan Tour May 2024

DEC 9 NEW on YouTube: music scores shown with performances by Nobuyuki Tsujii - My eyes can hardly keep up with the playing. A big thanks to the uploader.  Kapustin - Concert Etude No. 1 "Prelude"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZzvn81_1Hw; Liszt - Paganini Etude No. 3, 'La Campanella' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XiHhAXF3Q4 

Dec 8 According to a tweet: 題名のない音楽会 2024.01.06 「世界で活躍するトップピアニストたちから届いた！ニューイヤーメッセージ2024」 ♪出演：#ヴィキングル・オラフソン、#辻井伸行、#反田恭平、#角野隼斗、#亀井聖矢 [Concert Without a Title 2024.01.06 "New Year Messages 2024 from top pianists active around the world” ♪ Cast: Vikingur Olafsson, Nobuyuki Tsujii, Kyohei Tanda, Hayato Sumino, Seiya Kamei

DEC 8 The 2023-24 Japan Recital "("Time for Music & Pleasure"楽興の時 [Vocalise Rachmaninov])" Tour  for Nobuyuki Tsujii begins on Dec 12 2023, and will continue in spurts through June 16 2024.  There are 14 performances. BACH-CHOPIN-RACHMANINOF program (similar to the recital program for Liverpool and Paris in April 2024).  Nobu's recitals are very popular in Japan. As of today, every one of the performances that have started selling tickets seems to have sold out, some reportedly almost instantly.  News, comments, photos, etc. are collected at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour happenings.

NOV 26 PIA Live Stream online distribution of the Gala concerts Dec 1-8-- tickets  at https://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventBundleCd=b2347333  ARK Classics 2023 ARK Sinfonietta GALA nights 1 & 2 Nobuyuki Tsujii (piano) Conducted by Fumiaki Miura ARK Sinfonietta 1st night includes Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4; 2nd night includes Schumann: Piano Concerto A minor, Op.54.  Plus solo encores.  

More at 2023 Ark Classics.

Dec 3  The long awaited Nobuyuki Tsujii official instagram! With several great photos -- no clips.  "I performed Ravel's Piano Concerto in Hong Kong. The conductor is Vasily Petrenko, with whom I have collaborated many times. The orchestra consisted of members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, who were performing together for the first time." "This time I had more time to walk around the city, and I was able to feel a lot of energy from Hong Kong's lively city and people."  "I also enjoyed Hong Kong gourmet food such as Dim Sum, Porridge and soup noodle!"   More at   Nobuyuki Tsujii & the Hong Kong Phil - December 2023

DEC 2 Nobu's debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is now history.  Last night he played two solo encores: La Campanella and a Kapustin etude; perhaps to make up for no solo encore the first night :-)  Anyway, it seems he was warmly welcome, and should be traveling home now.  Bravos to Tsujii-san!

More at   Nobuyuki Tsujii & the Hong Kong Phil - December 2023

DEC 1 Nobuyuki Tsujii debuts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by long-time patron conductor Vasily Petrenko. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0UFAdcy3S1/ "I’m one of the audience who can’t help having tears in my eyes. How beautiful your soul is, how passionate , breathtaking and touching your performance is ! " The 2nd performance today Saturday DEC 2 20:00 is near SOLD OUT. More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii & the Hong Kong Phil - December 2023

NOV  30 Instagram by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra violinist Tanaka-san: "Nobuyuki Tsujii's Ravel Piano Concerto concerts are finally tomorrow, Friday & Saturday. The relationship with Maestro Vasily Petrenko is perfect. My heart moved when I heard Ravel's 2nd movement. Tsujii-san, it's amazing how he memorizes all the rehearsal numbers, and even when the conductor says "starting from number 9," he can play right away! ! Please join to the HKPhil concert."  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & the Hong Kong Phil - December 2023

NOV 29 This sounds like a great tour organized by Liverpool-based Maestro Touring https://maestrotouring.com/music-arts-tours/406 "The wonders of Japan" 5 - 17 May 2024: "a 12 day ‘immersion’ in the very best of Japan AND two  concerts in Tokyo with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Maestro Domingo Hindoyan & renowned pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii" All the best on great success!

More at t Nobuyuki Tsujii with RLPO Japan Tour May 2024.

NOV 28 NEWLY announced: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic conducted by Domingo Hindoyan ; Piano: Nobuyuki Tsujii.  Two 2014 performances at Suntory Hall 19:00

May14 Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 & May15 Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3. Tickets on sale Dec 24th https://ints.co.jp/rlpo2024.html More at Nobuyuki Tsujii with RLPO Japan Tour May 2024.

NOV 26 PIA Live Stream announced online distribution of the Gala concerts for one week Dec 1-8-- tickets  are already on sale https://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventBundleCd=b2347333 [Video distribution] ARK Hills Music Week 2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics ARK Sinfonietta GALA 12/1/2023-12/8/2023 Nobuyuki Tsujii (piano) Conducted by Fumiaki Miura ARK Sinfonietta 1st night includes Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4; 2nd night includes Schumann: Piano Concerto A minor, Op.54. Sadly, the track list does not include Nobu's solos, nor his performances with trumpet player Sergei Nakaryakov ['Variations on a theme from Norma' by Jean Baptiste Arban]  :-(

November 25  BSFuji TV is airing another best episode of the excellent series "Nobuyuki Tsujii's World Music travels [2018]" Saturday, January 20, 2024 20:00-21:55“Nobuyuki Tsujii x Iceland": Vladimir Ashkenazy, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, serenade by men's choir...  See https://www.bsfuji.tv/tsujii/pub/008.html  More at 2023 Fuji-TV Nobuyuki Tsujii year-end specials

Nov 25 BS-Fuji TV aired a re-run of the 2017 episode from their excellent series of 'Music travels of Nobuyuki Tsujii' 'Nobuyuki Tsujii x Paris ~The night Chopin descended"   Tweet by Yura, with a clip: "Nobuyuki Tsujii x Paris" rebroadcast on BS-Fuji last night. "Hard to believe that it's been 6 years since; it's so fresh... 2 hours went by in no time ♪ Recital at the Théâtre des Champs Elysée ... CHOPIN 12 Etudes was fearless & dignified, amazing". 

More at 2023 Fuji-TV Nobuyuki Tsujii year-end specials

Nov 24  Posted by Harrison Parrot, Nobu's international management   https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2023-11-24/nobu-performs-ravel-with-hong-kong-philharmonic "Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to Hong Kong on 1 and 2 December for two performances of Ravel’s jazz-infused Piano Concerto with Vasily Petrenko and Hong Kong Philharmonic. This is Nobu’s second visit to the Fragrant City this year following a recital at the University of Hong Kong last June, and Petrenko’s first return since his debut with Hong Kong Philharmonic last season. Completing the all-French programme are the Overture from Benvenuto Cellini by Berlioz and Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé."  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & the Hong Kong Phil - December 2023

November 22 Sweet news on this Thanksgiving eve: 

Instagram posted by Tokyo-based Passion, Inc  https://instagram.com/p/Cz4bRUmSlqp/  "World-famous pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii's tour in Hawaii has been successfully filmed  The popular series “Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, World Music Travel” has been produced for BS Fuji for 14 years.  We haven't been able to go abroad for three years due to the coronavirus, but this is finally my first time back. We will notify you once the broadcast schedule is decided, so please enjoy the world-class piano and the Hawaiian atmosphere. Broadcast schedule to be announced." More at 2023 Fuji-TV Nobuyuki Tsujii year-end specials

Nov 21 Instagram by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz5yzv_RwKB/

Concert at Waikiki Shell

Finally "Over the Rainbow" [Nobu performed "somewhere over the rainbow'" with a Hawaiian ensemble]

We had a blast 🌈

With a nice photo of mother and son, both wearing Hawaiian outfits and looking happy :-)  More at  'Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hawaii, November 2023'

NOV 20 👁️🌴Nobuyuki Tsujii pulled out all the stops in Waikiki last night, performing a solo recital in the first half, then with Hawaiian musicians in the 2nd half  -- as described in this instagram with photos & clips [starting at 3rd attachment]

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz3SB67LcAS/  "Japan's world-famous pianist. Nobuyuki Tsujii's outdoor concert! 2000 people fell in love with

More at  'Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hawaii, November 2023'

NOV 19  We finally got an official instagram from Hawaii!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz2njUgRMjW "We are performing at ANA ʻAha Mele 2023 again this year. ⁡ This time, I had many experiences such as music classes at a school in Hawaii, Blue Note, and tree planting sponsored by ANA. Starting today at Waikiki Shell, there will be a lot of content including my solo performance and collaborations with local artists!"  With 3 still photos and a video clip of Nobu practicing CHOPIN's 'Ocean' etude on stage.  More at  'Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hawaii, November 2023'

November 19 From Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz0kcnDRvNY/ "Brunch recital at Blue Note Hawaii 🎹 I was surprised to see surfboards decorated at Blue Note in Hawaii 🫢 The 4th photo [shown] is after the show with a sweaty Nobuyuki and ANA Managing Director Yazawa... Tomorrow we will go to the Waikiki Shell." Tickets for this evening's show are available at https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0A005EF4BA372DDA More at  'Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hawaii, November 2023'

Nov 18 Tweet by a concert goer at the Blue Note Hawaii recital of Nobuyuki Tsujii this morning https://twitter.com/naccoHI_storm2/status/1726067744628711520"It was a really valuable concert✨... It was being filmed, perhaps  for Japanese BS [TV]."  Ha, just as I surmised❣️I really hope we will see the footage in a new episode of the BSフジ "music travel" series🙏 More at  'Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hawaii, November 2023'

Nov 17 This is is strictly my personal speculation, but it is possible that Nobu's time in Hawaii is being filmed for a year-end Fuji TV show, as a new episode of the great 'Nobuyuki Tsujii music travel' series! My [educated :-)] guess is based on 1) the extra days of Nobu [and his mother Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii] are spending in Hawaii, arriving ahead of his performances, and 2) the presence of what seems like a professional camera crew at yesterday's school visit [see screen grab below from Hawiian KITV4/ TV s TV segment]. But, please, I can be wrong! More at 'Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hawaii, November 2023'

November 17 The first performance of Nobu in Hawaii is tomorrow Nov. 18, an unusual MORNING performance at Blue Note Hawaii, at which the audience is served a brunch (breakfast/lunch) while listening to a recital by Nobu! I checked just now: tickets have sold out for this event https://www.bluenotejazz.com/hawaii/shows/?eid=TWL1647665  More at 'Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hawaii, November 2023'

Nov 17 Tweet by 'lolani School, Hawaii https://twitter.com/Iolani_School/status/1725337864106311893 "Nobuyuki Tsujii, one of the world’s most enthralling virtuoso pianists, performed on campus today. Our students even got the chance to collaborate with him on original music. Mahalo to @FlyANA_official and the “ANA ‘Aha Mele” music and cultural exchange. #nobuyukitsujii"  More at 'Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hawaii, November 2023'

November 14 Nobuyuki Tsujii will actually be on U.S. soil very soon!

aloha-street.com/article/2023/11/393873/ 

"All Nippon Airways music event "ANA ʻAha Mele" will be held in Hawaii for 4 days from November 16th (Thursday) to November 19th (Sunday)! Concerts & music classes will be held with famous pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii".  

We wish the event great success, and we hope that Nobu will have fun in Honolulu.

Image shown from 2022. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at ANA's 2023 Hawaii 'Aha Mele'

Nov 13 A few days back I posted this wonderful photo that came up in a tweet.  It turns out the photo originated from none other than Turkish pianist Fazıl Say himself, in a Facebook post that came with a moving story of how Mr. Say met a young Nobuyuki Tsujii. "It was the year 2000. 23 years ago. After a concert that I gave in Tokyo, a mother came backstage with her visually impaired son ..."  Read it here, if you like: "A mother came backstage with her visually impaired son" -- How Fazil Say met Nobuyuki Tsujii  

Nov 6 https://www.instagram.com/p/CzIwnGpyGQR/ It seems Nobuyuki Tsujii held a recital to benefit the disabled, on Nov 2 in Nagoya. Bach's French Suite No. 5, Chopin's 4 impromptus, Kaputins's etudes & Ravel's Water Play. The 1st half of the program is the same as  what he will perform at the upcoming Japan recital tour.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour

Nov 5 I just bought a ticket for Nobuyuki Tsujii's Bach-Chopin-Debussy-Rachmaninov recital at Theatre des Champs Elysees  next April 10.  It was one of the very few choice seats left.  Health permitting, I will be in Paris next April!  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Paris, April 2024.

Nov 4 https://www.hawaiinisumu.com/article/3606 "ANA's music and cultural exchange festival "ANA 'Aha Mele" returns to Honolulu this year! The art will enliven Hawaii in autumn. The schedule is 4 days from November 16th to 19th, 2023. Continuing from last year, world-famous pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii will be the main guest.   ANA 'Aha Mele 2023に出演される辻井伸行さんからのメッセージ Nobuyuki Tsujii YouTube video https://youtu.be/786L21glG1c   promoting his upcoming Hawaiian concerts for All Nippon AirwaysNov 18-19.

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at ANA's 2023 Hawaii 'Aha Mele' 

Nov 1 The Oslo Pjil is in Taiwan & should be wrapping up their Asia tour soon.  We wish them safe journey home.  Meanwhile, I noticed this announcement on the official Nobu site  "3 performances - Oct 20th Shizouka, Oct 23 Tokyo, Oct 26 Kumamoto - recorded for video distribution.  Details to be announced."  Stay tuned.  You will be the first to hear once the info becomes available …  More at Japan Tour with Conductor Klaus Makela & the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

OCT 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• September 29 - October 3 ARK Hills Music Week 2023 at Suntory Hall 

• October  2 17:30-18:15 The Okuar Tokyo lobby concert 

• October 18 - 26 Japan Tour with Conductor Klaus Makela & the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

NEWS 

November 9 2023I just belatedly came upon this SEPT 25 tweet, with a photo taken at a  gathering for the 2023 Mr. Fuji Kawaguchico Piano Fest, of Nobuyui Tsujii and [I believe] pianist Fazil Say, who appeared on stage at the festival. I missed the post back then because Nobu's last name was spelled with one i.
https://twitter.com/IlgazSefik/status/1706295429904642056
The tweet's text is in German: "Nobuyuki Tsuji, einer der größten Pianisten der Welt. [Nobuyuki Tsuji, one of the world's greatest pianists.]" The photo shows Fazil Say and Nobu smiling together, with an arm around each other's shoulders.  There were very few photos of Mr. Say at the festival.  This one is especially sweet.  Back story at 2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival - as it happens

November 9 Another belated find of a post with 'Nobuyuki Tsuji' instead of "Nobuyuki Tsujii" https://www.instagram.com/p/BkdM7FsFXVK/ This instagram dates from 2018 -- a lifetime ago before the pandemic and when the world was more at peace.  Nobu was in St. Petersburg for the White Nights Festival and was invited by Valery Gergiev to perform at the conductor's private concert hall, Rapino.  The gentleman escorting Nobu is former Avex manager Mr. Nick Asano, much missed along with so much more from that time.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at White Nights of St. Petersburg 2018

OCT 31 Good news! BS-Fuji TV is airing a re-run of the 2017 episode from their excellent series of 'Music travels of Nobuyuki Tsujii'

https://www.bsfuji.tv/tsujii/

Nov 25 20:00-21:55 “Nobuyuki Tsujii x Paris ~The night Chopin descended"

I hope this heralds the airing of a new episode!  More at 2023 Fuji-TV Nobuyuki Tsujii year-end specials

OCT 28 Kumamoto News article https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/142da01bc5171f09a2a0d5c82478542dfb7411eb  [Translated from Japanese] Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra Kumamoto Performance On the evening of the 26th, it was held at the Prefectural Theater in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City. The orchestra is a Norwegian orchestra founded in 1919. The event opened with Shostakovich's ``Festive Overture,'' with the powerful conducting and gorgeous performance of principal conductor Klaus Makela (27). Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii co-starred in "Piano Concerto No. 2." The light and bouncy tone and beautifully clear melodies were displayed with great emotion. The finale concluded with Richard Strauss's brave and magnificent symphonic poem ``The Life of a Hero,'' and the venue was filled with loud applause. 

OCT 27  Instagram by the Oslo Phil https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy6HgbcgbQD/  "Yesterday, we played our last tour concert with pianist Nobu Tsujii and our final concert in Japan. An enthusiastic audience at the Kumamoto Prefectural Theater had the opportunity to experience a chief conductor and an orchestra in great shape, now ready for South Korea ..." with excellent photos by John-Halvdan Halvorsen, which include two with Nobu. The respect they showed for Nobuyuki Tsujii while in Japan has not gone unnoticed.  Bravos!  More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

OCT 26  Hawaii Public Radio aired a program promoting "the upcoming All Nippon Airways `Aha Mele concert with Nobuyuki Tsujii & Hawaii musicians", listenable at this link https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/classical-music-conversations/2023-10-25/chris-yick-of-hawaii-chamber-music-festival-and-ana-aha-mele-visits-classical-pacific .  I'm impressed that the program chose to play Nobu's Berceuse by Chopin & his own 'The wings of Rockefeller Center Angels.'  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at ANA's 2023 Hawaii 'Aha Mele' 

OCT 26  Announced: Nobuyuki Tsujii debut recital in Melbourne

https://melbournerecital.com.au/events/2024/nobuyuki-tsujii/

Wednesday 30 October 2024 7.30pm Elisabeth Murdoch Hall  This makes 7 performances (known so far) in Australia 🇦🇺🦘next year (Oct 25 - Nov 2 2024)!  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Australia 2024

October 26 Graceful post, in 3 languages, from one who was at the Kumamoto Prefectural Theater where the final performance of the Japan tour of  Klaus Mäkelä, Oslo-filharmonien and Nobuyuki Tsujii was held last night

www.instagram.com/p/Cy3Y2tIxrTl/ "A magnificent orchestra, an outstanding conductor, and a superb soloist. I'm grateful that these three came together to perform and deliver exceptional music in such a far-eastern regional city. When I get old, I'll probably be that annoying granny bragging about today's concert to the younger generation"   More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

OCT 24 Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Beethoven's 2nd concerto in Tasmania 🇦🇺https://www.tso.com.au/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii/ Nov 2 2024 7:30pm. Federation Concert Hall, Hobart - Tasmania, with musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music conducted by Eivind Aadland. This is the sixth performance in Australia next year, and it marks the first time that Nobu plays this concerto outside Japan. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Australia 2024

OCT 23 Suntory Hall Klaus Mäkelä conducts Oslo-filharmonien with Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 a great success. 2 soloist encores: Kapustin prelude & Grieg 'Troll'. Orchestra encore Strauss II: Czardas from the opera “Knight Pazuman” More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens UPDATE: Twitter sunsoon reported a sign that says the concert will be streamed at a later date & concert goer AT reported seeing at least 6 cameras.  Great news!

OCT 23 https://www.instagram.com/p/CytQZaCygUK/ Priceless photo posted by Oslo-filharmonien -- Klaus Mäkelä guiding Nobuyuki Tsujii on stage in Osaka. "Yesterday, the orchestra had a long day at work. First, the journey took us from Nagoya to Osaka, where we performed an afternoon concert at Festival Hall with chief conductor Klaus Mäkelä and soloist Nobu Tsujii. After the concert, we had another train ride back to Tokyo, where we will now be for a few days to perform two concerts at Suntory Hall, the most prestigious concert hall in Japan." More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

OCT 22 https://twitter.com/omaruchin7/status/1716053048823619715 " Klaus Mäkelä ,Oslo-filharmonien & Nobuyuki Tsujii at Festival Hall. Mr. Makela is smart but powerful. The orchestra gave a wonderful performance ! Nobuyuki's was overwhelming as I could feel its delicacy and strength. I was impressed." Solo encore was Grieg's lyric piece 'Wedding Day'. Next up: Suntory Hall today OCT 23 19:00.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

OCT 21 https://twitter.com/hanadahanataro/status/1715970401892024695 "Makela & Oslo Phil at Festival Hall [Osaka]. The first half is Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 ‼️ performed with Nobuyuki Tsujii. A thrilling and exciting performance with both piano and orchestra ‼️ Shostakovich without any seriousness like this is also good~ 🤩🤩🤩 I felt refreshed ‼️‼️"  NEXT: Monday , Oct 23 19:00 [Tokyo] Suntory Hall. 

Oct 21 Nagoya performance is over.  https://twitter.com/rui_k_5/status/1715631894140977302 "Nobuyuki Tsuii 's Shostakovich No. 2 is full of speed and has a cool sense of unity with the orchestra The contrasting encore [Elsa's Procession] fills your heart with the gentle sound that echoes through the hall. The lively orchestral performance under the direction of the young maestro was a sight to behold The performances in various places are sure to be a great success "  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

October 20 https://twitter.com/ShizukuA/status/1715319586256826701 The Hamamatsu performance is over -- apparent went well, as this tweet says it all. "Klaus is so cool~ Nobuyuki Tsujii is good ~ The sound of the orchestra is amazing. " An encore was played by Nobu (Kapustin) & the orchestra each, and photo taking was said to be strictly prohibited.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

OCT 19 https://www.instagram.com/p/CylGbqRSvoV/ Instagram by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii, mum of Nobuyuki Tsujii, with this fine photo of 3 generations of Mr. Tsujii.  "My father-in-law has made it to his 101st birthday in good health.  Working as an active OB/GYN till last year & now reading & drinking delicious wine daily."  BravosWhat a gift the esteemed Dr. Tsujii has given the world, with Nobu's music.  Congratulations to the Tsujii family. 

OCT 19  https://twitter.com/KiwamiMiyajima/status/1714988874047639969  "Klaus Makela is in Japan with the Oslo Phil. Photo with soloist Nobuyuki Tsujii at a reception hosted by the Norwegian Ambassador 🇳🇴 Minichi news will give you a quick report on the performance at Suntory Hall on the 23rd." More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

OCT 18 Tweet by ticket outlet PIA https://twitter.com/pia_classic/status/1714568214762692772  "Japan Tour Klaus Mäkelä  Oslo-filharmonien & Nobuyuki Tsujii 10/20 Shizuoka 10/21 Nagoya 10/22 Osaka 10/23/24 Tokyo 10/26 Kumamoto. Tickets available here https://t.pia.jp/pia/artist/artists.do?artistsCd=D7180001 "

In spite of the mega star power of Mäkelä & Nobu, none of the 7 performances have sold out.  Could it be that the top tickets are too pricey? 

UPDATE: the OCT 23 Suntory Hall performance with Nobu has now been declared SOLD OUT avex.jp/classics/opo2023/ 

October 18 This German post came up today https://www.klassikinfo.de/?p=24995 "The Georgian Tsinandali Festival looking for a compromise" by Susanne Lettenbauer "This makes the concert by Nobuyuki Tsujii all the more impressive... the audience in the amphitheater experienced Edvard Grieg's lyric pieces with the ears of a blind man. Listening closely, slightly dance-like, then again emphatically serious. A revelation." More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 2023

OCT 17 Facebook posting by the Oslo Phil, with a video clip https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=158376560679462  Klaus Mäkelä talks about the upcoming Asia tour. It is nice of the maestro to mention Nobu at time mark 1:13 -- "I've heard a lot of great things about Nobu I met him very briefly on our last tour with Orchestre de Paris to Japan, so I am very much looking forward to playing with him the 2nd Shostakovich Piano Concerto."   Bravos and best wishes!  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

October 17 Nobu is mentioned in an amusing post that has just come up.  https://allforturntables.com/2023/10/17/which-country-has-the-best-pianists/ "Which country has the best pianists? Russia, Germany, U.S., Italy, Japan. "Japanese pianists have gained international recognition for their technical brilliance & interpretive skills... Mitsuko Uchida & Nobuyuki Tsujii have made their mark on the global stage, and younger talents continue to emerge with remarkable artistry."  The article is not to be taken seriously -- Glen Gould was Canadian, L. Lang & Y. Wang are Chinese, they are named as pianists from the U.S.; and some of the European pianists cited are long gone.  But I thought it's good and right to see Japan and Nobu mentioned.

October 14 https://twitter.com/icoyuraco/status/1713066335931179467 I wasn't aware of it, but apparently the Nobuyuki Tsujii documentary "Touching the Sound" by Peter Rosen is not available in Japan!  Twitter Yura had to get a DVD from her niece in the U.S. before she saw it. I've now been told that it is available for viewing on medici.tv, as well as another Rosen documentary "A Surprise in Texas" (the 2009 Cliburn Competition documentary).  "Touching the Sound" is still shown on PBS stations in the U.S..  It is also available for streaming/purchase via Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/touchingthesound

October 11 Nostalgia.  Yura-san posted a clip of Nobuyuki Tsujii playing a passage of movement 2 in CHOPIN's piano concerto no. 1 https://twitter.com/icoyuraco/status/1712103639945519280 "Romance, sadness, transparency. Delicate beauty, melodious beauty, tear glands" This exact passage is what transfixed me when I watched The Cliburn Competition 2009 documentary on TV so many years ago.  I was just listening & wasn't even aware that Nobu could not see.  I have never recovered from that sweet tone🎶that haunted me 🤔 "How I caught Nobu Fever" 

OCT 9 Words from India https://serenademagazine.com/mastering-the-keys-of-darkness-the-blind-pianist-nobuyuki-tsujii/ ... "I listened to Tsujii play Rach 3 in stunned silence ... It was a  passing comment by BBC Radio 3 presenter Martin Handley that informed me that Nobuyuki Tsujii was 'born blind' !" 

That BBC Proms archive expires midnight London time today OCT 9 -- ONE HOUR FROM NOW ... I am listening ...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001q16f 

October 8 Suntory Hall posted photos by Rikimaru Hotta from the ARK Classics closing night performance https://twitter.com/SuntoryHall_PR/status/1710901419824619881. Included is this one is of Nobuyuki Tsujii & trumpet player Sergeo Nakariakov performing 'Variations on a theme from Norma' by Jean Baptiste Arban.  (It sounds like this https://youtube.com/watch?v=XicAdVWttLw).  I'd love to have been in the audience.  More at 2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics -- as it happens 

October 5 This month (October 2023), the Oslo-filharmonien and its Chief Conductor Klaus Mäkelä will tour Japan, Oct 18 - 26.  With Nobuyuki Tsujii as soloists for Shostakovich Piano Concerto no. 2 in five of their seven performances.  News, photos, comments collected at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Oslo Phil Japan Tour October 2023 -- as it happens

OCT 4 This great photo, posted both by Fumiaki Miura & pianist Ryōma Takagi, is exactly what I liked to see.  Nobu and other performers -- including trumpet player Sergei Nakariakov & cellist Jonathan Rooseman, gathered at a Japanese eatery for a party after the festival. --  all smiles.  According to Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii: This was the 6th year of the ARK Classics, and the audience attendance was the highest ever.  More at 2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics -- as it happens 

OCT 3 Mission accomplished! The 2023 ARK Classics at Suntory Hall

wrapped after 5 days (9.29-10.3) of excitement. These official photos (and others) show happy smiles all around after the final performance last night. Congrats to Nobuyuki Tsujii & friends. More at 2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics -- as it happens 

Oct 2 https://www.ana.co.jp/ja/jp/mycampaign/23-09_christmas-concert/ Nobuyuki Tsujii will be working this Christmas Day, performing his own compositions and classical works for card members of All Nippon Airways (ANA), a major sponsor of Nobu.   Perhaps some Christmas songs can be expected to be heard -- Nobu is fond of them.

OCT 2/3 There are good photos and a clip posted by ARK Classics official instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx5agiexg0I/ from yesterday's free concert in the lobby of Hotel Okura. Nobuyuki Tsujii & Fumiaki Miura. The duo played Elgar's 'Greetings of love' & Beethoven's 'Spring' sonata. Then rewarded the audience with 2 favorites for encores: ♪ Sanadamaru ♪ "Csárdás".   They will perform these works again at Suntory Hall today at two concerts (Performance 10 noon & performance 11  in the evening), the final day of ARK Classics.  More at  2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics -- as it happens 

OCT 2  This is the next-to-last day of ARK Classics.  Today Nobu does not perform in Suntory Hall, but he & & Fumiaki Miura are holding a special concert at Okura Tokyo Oct 2 17:30-18:15, performing two crowd favs: Elgar:  Greetings of love ;Beethoven: 'Spring 'sonata. 

theokuratokyo.jp/letter/news/lobby-concert/   Sigh.

Oct 1  Announced today at https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000526.000041063.html: The "Ultimate Concertos" Japan Tour, organized by Avex Classics [Nobu's artistic management in Japan] , was held annually until the outbreak of the COVID pandemic. Apparently it's making a come back next year.  "Nobuyuki Tsujii x Fumiaki Miura, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra Ultimate Concerto Concert" conducted by Neil Thomson -- tour announced, will launch at the newly opened Ibaraki and Mito Civic Center.  5 performances (Mar 23-29) are listed.  More at 2024 Ultimate Concertos Tour announced

SEPT 30 ARK Classics Today OCT 1 day 3, performance 6  is a sold-out  Nobuyuki Tsujii CHOPIN special: all 4 impromptus AND all 12 of Op.25 etudes I really  hope this recital is filmed and will be streamed.  I will be the first to buy a  ticket. 

And that's not all, Nobu plays Schumann's concerto this evening at a gala [performance 8] .    More at  2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics -- as it happens  

Sept 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• September 1 19:00 Beethoven-Grieg-Liszt recital at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia **** LIVE-STREAM  & now viewalbe on demand on Medici-TV:  here.

• September 8 19:30 BBC Proms.  Royal Albert Hall, London. Rach 3 with the Royal Liverpool Phil & conductor Domingo Hidoyan.  Live audio stream on BBC Radio 3 https://bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_three  & on demand thereafter  at https://bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001q16f

• September 11 19:00 Yerevan Perspectives International Music Festival, Armenia.

• September 13 Happy 35th birthday to Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii!

• September 15-18 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival

• September 23 Nobuyuki Tsujii × Fumiaki Miura Chamber Music Special Karuizawa Ohga Hall  SEPT 23 14:00 . Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1, etc.

• September 29 - October 1 ARK Hills Music Week 2023 at Suntory Hall 

NEWS 

SEPT 30 ARK official instagram photo of Nobu and Fumi after day 2 performance -- Nobu is flushed and sweaty, while Fumi looks as if he hardly broke a sweat.  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx0DlzGx9Al/ "The second day ended without a hitch🎹🎻✨ Thank you to everyone who came to visit us 😌 #arkhillsmusicweek #Fumiaki-san, take another step forward lol  [I think they performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 4 in Suntory Hall].

SEPT 29 👏ARK Classics official instagram  https://instagram.com/p/Cxxnl3lRKbi/  "Opening night started with great success🎹🎻✨Thank you to everyone who came to visit us 😌 With  a photo of Nobuyuki Tsujii , Fumiaki Miura & cheerful members of the Brahms Quartet that was performed.  Nobu is smiling broadly, looking happy & healthy.  More at  2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics -- as it happens

SEPT 26 It was his Chopin that made me a Nobu fan in the first place.  But it's his Liszt works that I have come to look forward to.  Nobu has a delicate touch that complements well with Liszt's bravado, and the magical technique to pull it off.  I am not sure the world has caught on to just how good a Liszt interpreter Nobuyuki Tsujii has become.  So, as evidence, I present below a list of videos that are freely available for viewing/listening.   See Nobuyuki Tsujii, a great Liszt interpreter.

SEPT 26 UPDATE: There is now a YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSeWvPiuzb0 with extract footage from the PIA streaming of Nobuyuki Tsujii×Fumiaki Miura ARK Sinfonietta Tour 2023 31 July 2023  KAWAGUCHI CULTURAL CENTER LILIA HALL.  The streaming is  available  22 September 2023 (Fri) 8:00PM～28 September 2023 (Thu) 11:59PM.  Ticket at https://pia-live.jp/perf/2334137-001?lang=en  More at ! PIA live stream of Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 ARK Tour concert  

SEPT 24 He is on a roll!  On the heels of his great successes at the BBCProms (SEP 8, Rach 3 soloist) & Mt. Fuji Festival (SEP 15-18, Resident Pianist). Nobuyuki Tsujii is appearing in yet another boffo event: Suntory Hall ARK Classics (SEP 29 - OCT 3; artistic leader with  Fumiaki Miura).  

https://avex.jp/classics/arkclassics2023/tickets/  Nobuyuki Tsujii appears in shows 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10 &11, and with the exception of 2 & 8 (gala events with high ticket prices), the performances have been declared SOLD OUT.  "All performances are scheduled for live viewing" -- outdoor widescreen projection & perhaps also streaming??? 

More at 2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics -- as it happens

SEPT 23 Looks like Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 will be spending some time in Australianext fall 5 performances: 2 in Brisbane Oct 18 & 21; 3 in Sydney Oct 25, 26 & 28.  Rach 3. Beethoven-Ravel-Liszt-Kapustin recital. This is a departure from Nobu's typical concert schedule, where he is usually busy performing in Japan in autumn. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Australia 2024

SEPT 22 I am watching  the streaming of Nobuyuki Tsujii playing Beethoven's 4th concerto, from the comfort of my home -- what a privilege!  The  sound & video quality of PIA Livestream is excellent, as expected.  Closeups of facial expressions of the performers & of Nobuyuki Tsujii 's finger  work Thrilling.  More at ! PIA live stream of Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 ARK Tour concert

SEPT 22 https://www.ints.co.jp/ohga-sp230923.html  Today (SEP 23) 14:00 in Japan, Nobu performs in a new work.  Nobuyuki Tsujii × Fumiaki Miura Chamber Music Special, Karuizawa Ohga Hall. Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1, etc. The concert hall is considered one of the most beautiful.  Tickets have sold out for a while ... UPDATE from one who was there: "The first song, Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1, features a perfect dialogue between Miura and the three stringed instruments. A moving round of applause followed. Mr. Tsujii himself seemed to have finished playing with a flushed face and satisfaction. The new Steinway sounded great, and the tones brought out by a good pianist were wonderful."  So, Nobu's repertoire has been enriched by this Brahms work.

SEPT 21 Starting today (Japan time SEPT 22 20:00) paid streaming 9.22-9.28 of Nobuyuki Tsuji'si July 31 2023 performance of BEETHOVEN piano concerto no. 4  [never heard outside Japan] with #FumiakiMiura & #ARKSinfonietta

Tickets ￥2,000 at https://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventCd=2334137 [U.S., U.K. credit cards accepted and perhaps those of other countries as well.] Story at NEW! PIA live stream of Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 ARK Tour concert

SEPT 20 Excellent article by Japan's 'Family Pictorial' (家庭画報 @KATEIGAHO) magazine, about Nobu's time in Bergen in June. ' 辻󠄀井伸行さん、グリーグが弾いていたピアノで演奏する幸福な時間' [Nobuyuki Tsujii, happy time playing on the piano that Grieg played] English translation at  "Nobuyuki Tsujii, happy time playing on the piano that Grieg played"

SEPT 19 https://twitter.com/icoyuraco/status/1704284289884631189 Clip by Yura-san. The widely viewed #NHK program 'Good Morning Japan' had a 8-min segment today on the 2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival. Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 enjoying curry dish, visiting school children, performing with Les Freres; Fazil Say ...   More at  2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival - as it happens  

SEPT 19  In spite of a super-hectic schedule, resident pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii pulled off a great success at the Mt. Fuji piano festival, blessed with sunny weather this years. In photos, Nobu looks happy and radiant, apparently enjoying himself.  News and comments are still coming in, but by all accounts the event was a great success.  Lots of video clips, happy posts, photos can be found at 2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival - as it happens  

SEPT 17 As if he does not have enough on his agenda, Nobu & Fumiaki Miura are holding a special concert at Okura Tokyo Oct 2 17:30-18:15, performing two crowd favs: Elgar:  Greetings of love ;Beethoven: 'Spring 'sonata.  The appearance is in conjunction with the upcoming Suntory Hall ARK Classics concerts, of which the two are joint artistic leaders.

theokuratokyo.jp/letter/news/lobby-concert/ 

Sigh.

SEPT 16  NEW paid streaming 9.22-9.28 of Nobuyuki Tsuji'si July 31 2023 performance of BEETHOVEN piano concerto no. 4  [never heard outside Japan] with #FumiakiMiura & #ARKSinfonietta

Tickets ￥2,000 at https://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventCd=2334137 [U.S., U.K. credit cards accepted and perhaps those of other countries as well.] Story at NEW! PIA live stream of Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 ARK Tour concert

SEPT 15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vshKjti_lTU This video was freshly released 2 days ago [on Nobu's birthday] by The Cliburn International Piano Competition. Nobuyuki Tsujii, at age 20, plays CHOPIN 12 Etudes, op. 10 at the 2009 Cliburn Competition that propelled him to international fame.  Of this performance, the late great Mr. Van Cliburn gushed: "He was absolutely  miraculous. His performance had the power of a healing  service. It was truly divine." More at A Miracle at the Cliburn.

SEPT 14 On the BBC Radio 3 broadcast of their SEPT 8 BBC Proms concert,  conductor Domingo Hindoyan  is asked if he has to do anything to adjust to the blindness of Nobuyuki Tsujii. The maestro  replies: "I don't do anything different, absolutely not anything. We worked as I'd work with any soloist."  See the complete quote on the English Wikipedia page of Nobuyuki Tsujii https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobuyuki_Tsujii#Performance_technique

The concert broadcast on replay is available through Oct 8 at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001q16f

SEPT 13 Official Nobuyuki Tsujii instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CxHzHY_R-x8/  "At the Proms concert, I had the experience of being surrounded by applause and cheers from around 7,000 people. I am very grateful to the many people who stood and listened to the long performance. Before the excitement had worn off, we left the hotel at 7:30 the next morning and traveled over 14 hours to our hotel in Yerevan, Armenia..."

With an excellent photo of Nobu with Mo. Domingo Hindoyan, apparently after the concert. They both look resplendent in their performance garbs, flushed and happy. 

SEPT 12 Please don't take this as an endorsement, but I just came upon this page online, offering for sale framed prints of various sizes of an oil painting "Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii".  Supposedly made in USA by a U.S. firm.  https://unixcanvas.com/products/pianist-nobuyuki-tsujiifapw2 

SEPT 12 [SEPT 13 in Japan] "On This Day 13 September: Nobuyuki Tsujii Was Born" by  Georg Predota. interlude.hk/on-this-day-13-september-nobuyuki-tsujii-was-born/   A thoughtful piece posted by  Interlude Hong Kong.  

SEPT 12 🙏 "Good news ! BBC Radio & sounds corrected the recording ! It was not available for a while then I listened again and no more cut off in the middle of recording !" Indeed a miracle has happened! The wizards of BBC wielded their magic wand, and now we have a full recording of the performance, listenable at https://bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001q16f, with this added opening line: "This broadcast has been edited since it was last aired" Thank you @BBCRadio3❣️ My faith in BBC & the U.K. has been restored! ( And well in time for the Friday Sept 15 broadcast on Australia ABC radio!) 

SEPT 12 

https://twitter.com/jp_mcot/status/1701573603190329646 A tweeter wrote: ""I heard Nobuyuki Tsujii's performance at my first BBC Proms last week. I wanted to hear him again, so I discovered next year's recital and immediately booked it..! https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/202404061300 "

That April 2024 Wigmore Hall recital is now sold out! (It was near sold out anyway - I was surprised that the tweeter got their ticket at all :-)

SEPT 12  We have heard from Armenia! Thanks to this instagram,  "Last evening was mesmerising" https://instagram.com/p/CxFGd41MS4s/, with a clip that shows Nobu playing La Campanella for encore.  Great.  Nobu should now be heading home, perhaps in time to celebrate this birthday on SEPT 13!

Happy birthday, Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujiii!

SEPT 11  It is after 10 PM in Armenia. The Nobuyuki Tsujii recital should be alover. I just found this clip in the 'story' of his instagram account www.instagram.com/stories/nobuyuki_tsujii_official/3189501721697386228/  [you click the encircled icon to see these time-critical 'stories'].  The clip shows Nobu practicing Kapustin in the concert Hall while workers are busy wiping down the audience seats -- they got an ear treat!   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Armenia, SEPT 11 2023

SEPT 11  This is the Critic's Review that the SEPT 8 BBC Proms performance  deserves: "Nobuyuki Tsujii plays an astounding Rachmaninoff Third in one of the great BBC Proms of recent times," 11/09/2023 by Marc Bridle, Seen and Heard International.  "He sells out concerts because he brings quite an unusual gift to the performances he gives – interpretations which are entirely focused on the possibilities of sound and feeling; he almost reinvents the music he is playing. "

This critic writes about Nobu without condescension, a gave the orchestra, Mo. Hindoyan & Nobuyuki Tsujii the credit that their spellbinding performance deserves.  Bravos!

There are many other positive reviews -- see  Nobuyuki Tsujii at the 2023 BBC Proms, as it really happens 

SEPT 10 https://www.instagram.com/p/CxBWNPBMvqB/ 

This instagram was posted 2 hours ago, and comes with a video clip of Nobuyuki Tsujii playing "Clair de Lune".  I asked if it is from Armenia, but did not hear back.  I am reasonably sure that it is.  I suspect the performance is a private recital held at the Japan Embassy in at the Embassy of Japan in Armenia  ( I have been to a similar recital at another embassy).    If so, it's GREAT to know that Nobu made it to Yerevan safely from London, and -- just like him -- got to work right away!  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Armenia, SEPT 11 2023

SEPT 10 Concert review by Erica Jeal of the U.K. Guardian newspaper:  Prom 70: RLPO/Hindoyan/Tsujii review – eclectic stylish programme of snaps and sparks. 4 out of 5 stars.  Excerpts: "Nobuyuki Tsujii, his playing urgent in the opening movement then densely textured in the second, as if in response to the thick, velvety sound  Hindoyan coaxed from the strings ... robust propulsion [in ending] "  "Kapustin ... irresistible poise and spark." Read the review here.  More about the Proms performance at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the 2023 BBC Proms, as it really happens 

SEPT 9  Q: Why did Nobuyuki Tsujii play Kapustin for encore BBC Proms?

                A: To warm up for his recital in Armenia!  

Just kidding.

BEETHOVEN-LISZT-RAVEL-KAPUSTIN recital Sept 11, 19:00 "Yerevan Perspectives" International Music Festival

The travel plan of Team Nobu is mind-boggling: from Tokyo to Georgia [SEP 1 Tsinandali Festival] to London [SEP 8 BBC Proms], then Armenia [SEP 11 Yerevan Perspective]. It would have been much simplified if not for London! 

[Georgia & Armenia are next to each other, on paper]

News, etc. collected at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Armenia, SEPT 11 2023

SEPT 9 On the heels of their great performance at BBC Proms , Avex Classics International announced a Japan Tour in May 2024 of Nobuyuki Tsujii with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

Said Nobu after the concert at Royal Albert Hall: "I felt like my body was surrounded by applause & cheers".

More at AVEX news: Nobuyuki Tsujii with RLPO Japan Tour May 2024

SEPT 9  I know I should be grateful to get to hear Nobuyuki Tsujii's performance at the BBC Proms at all, but this concert truly DESERVES to have been televised.  I understand that funding has been an issue for  BBC and esp. BBC Radio 3, but I can't help but be disappointed at the technical problems with the live streaming (which are not corrected in the replay recording).  I am also not too happy that at the end of the performance BBC radio 3, narrator Martin Handley -- whom I respect -- seems to imply that the performance was nothing special, that the ending of Rach 3 always bring out the audience's response.  So, this morning I am happy for Nobu et al but, sad for BBC (and the U.K.)  [NOTE: although I dwell  in California, I practically live on BBC Radio 3 & 4 -- I have the utmost respect for BBC.]

SEPT 9 Nobu's Rach 3 is the"Best Solo Performance at the Proms" . This has been brought up in two posts that I came across: 1. Tweet by David Wooding, Sunday Express editor: "We can't film during a performance, of course, but here's a clip from rehearsals to give a tiny taste of Nobuyuki Tsujii, a pianist born blind, who made what is probably the solo performance of the Proms. It was a privilege to be there." 2. Tweet by Lillian Crawford @lillcrawf : It’s sweltering in the RAH right now but my goodness it was worth it to hear Nobuyuki Tsujii playing Rachmaninov’s third piano concerto - the best solo performance of the season. What a wow to bow out for the year."

SEPT 8 Honestly, I can barely keep up with Nobu news :-)

YouTube video youtu.be/tWahKCFjbBo  "Nobuyuki Tsujii Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Piano Festival" kickoff SEPT 16!" Nobu is the festival's resident pianist.  More at 2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival

SEPT 8 London time 9PM That was a MAJESTIC Rach 3 ‼️ Congratulations to Mo. @DGarciaHindoyan, @liverpoolphil & Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行. 🙏👍👏 Heart pounding ❤️💐 BBC narrator: "I hope he's enjoying the ovation he's got.  Everybody is standing.  He is quite overwhelmed, it seems. "   Encore: Kapustin etude 'prelude'. "Unbuttoned virtuosity." "The orchestra is applauding as much as the audience." "He waves goodbye." U.S. Pianist Linda Kipps: "wow! I don't know how anyone has the stamina to play that concerto, and then follow it with the Kapustin étude. The ensemble with the orchestra was absolutely fantastic! The announcer mentioned some technical difficulties during the concert, and yes there were. there was some kind of hum that you could hear during the quiet parts. And also there was one place where it buffered out...fantastic performance!"

SEPT 8 Nobuyuki Tsujii Official instagram, with clip of Nobu at practice in the Royal Albert Hall www.instagram.com/p/Cw7jxFxtPcM/ 

" BBC Proms show in London [today]. After arriving in London, I went to Liverpool for rehearsals. I feel relieved when I am in front of Mo. Hindoyan, whom I co-starred with last November, and the orchestra members who have co-starred with me many times. I'm looking forward to Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 at the Proms!"

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the 2023 BBC Proms, as it really happens 

SEPT 7 Tickets are not available on the Proms page Tickets for tomorriw's Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, conductor Domingo Hindoyan & Nobuyuki Tsujii at BBC Proms tomorrow.  https://tickets.royalalberthall.com/syos/performance/81592 

But "Around 1,000 Day Promming tickets are released for our concerts @royalalberthall at 10.30am each morning. Stand in the Arena or Gallery for just £8.00 (including fees). 👀 Full details at bbc.co.uk/proms" 

UPDATE SEPT 8: Londoner AT wrote "Promming tickets [day ticket for standing room] were sold out quickly. There were more than 15 minutes waiting time for online when I checked at 10:30 am." 

SEPT 7  This AUG 29 instagram from the ARK Classics Official escaped my attention https://www.instagram.com/p/CwhRAm1xrUO/

"One more month until the opening", with photos showing Nobuyuki Tsujii & friend Fumiaki Miura putting their autographs on a wall.  Notable is that one of the photos shows Nobu making the signing with a marker in his right hand - so all those neat 'Nobu' autographs are indeed authentic!  Even I doubted that; and I have several of those autographs!  It must take tremendous concentration to do that -- bravos again to Nobu!  More at 2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics 

News, comments, etc. at a new page: Nobuyuki Tsujii at the 2023 BBC Proms, as it really happens. 

SEPT 6 NEW announcement on Nobuyuki Tsujii official site https://avex.jp/tsujii/live/tour.php?id=1002365  -- performance with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in Japan:  Feb 3 (Miyagi), 5 & 6 (Suntory Hall): Chopin Piano Concerto no 1 OR no.2.  These performances come after Nobu's U.S. mini-tour (4 performances) with the Orpheus.  Bravos to the Orpheus for consistently making performances with Nobu in Japan & overseas  Most other orchestras tour in Japan with Nobu, where he is a major draw, but do not reciprocate with overseas performances.    More at Nobuyui Tsujii & the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra 2024

SEPT 4 https://www.instagram.com/p/CwxMKdDrD26/ 

Instagram by Natasha Tsukanova, a key figure behind the Tsinandali Festival. "  Perhaps the most precious and delicate present to Georgia which Martin [Engstroem, of Verbier Festival] delivered this year is Nobuyuki Tsujii. .. [His playing of] Liszt is so powerful and fragile at once that he made most us cry - in the vast open air concert space "With a mobile-phone clip of Nobu performing Liszt's Tarantella.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 2023

SEPT 3 A very insightful Japanese blog post http://blog.livedoor.jp/a_delp/2023-09-03_tsujii "[Translated]Nobuyuki Tsujii appeared at the Tsinandali Festival & captivated the audience with his spectacular performance. Tsinandari is a village located 79 km east of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia . The music director is Gianandrea Noseda ...  It was a recital that allowed us to hear Tsujii's musicality to the fullest, with a program composed of a variety of selections that interweave toughness and softness. His pure personality oozes out as it is, and his performance without any extraneous flavor is added to his strong spirituality full of vitality that he has cultivated as he ages.  I feel that I am finally walking in to the realm of a unique pianist.  Bechstein [piano]'s metallic, hard tone accentuated the allure of his solid pianism." More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 2023

EPT 2 The  Tsinandali Festival posted a day-2 Photo Album that includes several excellent photos of Nobu in performance yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=tsinandalifestival&set=a.860180382342774 

And a Day-2 video that features Nobu in the latter part, showing audience reaction and Nobu speaking, with English subtitles. https://www.facebook.com/tsinandalifestival/videos/1328559261359889 

SEPT 2  The Piano that Nobu played in Georgia is a Bechstein, a German brand dating from 1853. The piano was beloved by Franz Liszt &  Claude Debussy. Edvard Grieg, Alexander Scriabin, Maurice Ravel, & Béla Bartók reportedly composed on Bechstein pianos.  Bechstein pianos "emphasize the personality and colour within the instrument, allowing for a romantic, charismatic voice in their instruments that many who hear them simply fall in love with."  I do like the sound that I heard on the medici-TV streaming.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 2023

SEPT 1  Oh, what a treat that was - the Georgia audience would not let Nobuyuki Tsujii go.  Beautiful program.  3 encores: Elsa's Procession, La Campanella, CHOPIN posthumous nocturne ... And I finally got to hear the Grieg pieces -- extra lovely in his hands. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 2023

UPDATE: The performance is now (right after the live streaming) viewable on demand at https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/tsinandali-festival-2023-nobuyuki-tsuji-performs-beethoven-grieg-and-liszt 

SEPT 1 Japan's 'Family Pictorial' magazine October issue has a piece that features Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Music Festival, Norway, in June. "The recital at Troldhaugen, the birthplace of composer Grieg & the place where he spent his later years, is a must-see." 

This is timely, coming as it does on the heel of today's recital at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia, at which Nobu performed 6 Grieg's lyric pieces that he also performed in Norway.

August 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• July 28 - August 4  2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour

• August 10 19:00  Festa Summer Muza KAWASAKI 2023 Shotakovich Piano Concerto no 2 with Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra  

• August 10 Thursday 20:00 - August 16 Wednesday 23:59 Paid streaming of Nobuyuki Tsujii with RPO & Vasily Petrenko May Japan Tour performances

• NEW: August 20 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup closing ceremony

NEWS 

Aug 31 Tweet by medici.tv " [COMING SOON] This weekend, prepare yourself for an overwhelming moment of magic and music at the 2023 Tsinandali Festivall! Join Tsotne Zegidnize, Giorgi Gigashvili, Nobuyuki Tsujii, and many more to discover live on http://medici.tv! https://bit.ly/3PkH3rT " Some folks in Japan are staying up past midnight to watch.  I myself have to set my alarm to catch it at 8AM.  I put in an inquiry about where the streaming will be archived for on-demand viewing, and hope to hear back.

August 29 The @sydsymph🇦🇺 2024 season brochure is now at https://www.sydneysymphony.com/uploads/images/2024-Season-Assets/2024-Season-Brochure_230828.pdf  Nobuyuki Tsujii has 3 performances: Oct 25-26 Rach 3 conducted by Sir Andrew Davis; Oct 28 Beethoven [Tempest]-Liszt-Ravel-Kapustin recital👍 See  Nobuyuki Tsujii in Sydney 2024

Aug 29  https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8328444/schoenbergs-gurrelieder-in-sydney-for-the-first-time/ 

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra unveiled their new season today ...."International performers include renowned pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii"  More to come soon at the orchestra's site www.sydneysymphony.com/  Nobu last performed with the orchestra in Sydney (the Opera House) in 2017, with the late great conductor Bramwell Tovey. 

August 28 medici.tv is offering a FREE trial that will let us watch the Sept 1 live streaming of Nobuyuki Tsujii's recital in Georgia.  And, that's not all!  the free trial should also allow us to watch these shows:  the 2022 Biarritz Piano Festival recital; 2022 Beethoven 'Emperor' concerto with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic conducted by Domingo Hindoyan; 2013 Carnegie Hall recital.  https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/tsinandali-festival-2023-nobuyuki-tsuji-performs-beethoven-grieg-and-liszt 

Aug 28 medici.tv now has a page for the streaming of #辻井伸行 Nobuyuki Tsujii's September 1  Beethoven-Grieg-Liszt recital at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia -- please bookmark this link:  www.medici.tv/en/concerts/tsinandali-festival-2023-nobuyuki-tsuji-performs-beethoven-grieg-and-liszt 

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 2023

Aug 24 Terrific news!  medici.tv will live stream Nobuyuki Tsujii  Sept 1 Beethoven-Grieg-Liszt recital in the country of Georgia.  A one-week free trial subscription available.  The Grieg lyric pieces include Arietta, Waltz, Erotik & Nocturne, Wedding Day in Troldhaugen -- which we have never heard and which I was to travel last June to Norway to listen to!  Streaming start time is Sept 2 midnight Japan; Sept 1 11AM EST; SEPT 1 4PM London time. Your local time is automatically shown -- https://medici.tv/en/partners/tsinandali-festival/

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 2023Aug 22 This news came out of the blue It seems Nobuyuki Tsujii  will hold a Beethoven-Liszt-Ravel-Kapustin recital on September 11, 19:00, in Yerevan, Armenia at the Yerevan Perspectives International Music Festival.  This comes after his SEPT 1 Beethoven-Grieg-Liszt recital in the country of Georgia & his SEPT 8 BBC Proms performance.  This is not the first visit of Nobuyuki Tsujii to Armenia. He was a big hit when he held a Debussy-Ravel-Chopin recital there  in September 2019, before COVID. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Yerevan Perspectives International Music Festival, Armenia.

Aug 22   MediciTV tweet https://twitter.com/medicitv/status/1693994653576769987  "Walk along with Liszt's la campanella performed by Nobuyuki Tsujii! Tsujii's astounding technique and feather-light delicacy make it look doable—but mortals are advised not to try this at home… https://bit.ly/45Fcan6" 

Aug 21 Instagram from Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii, mother of Nobuyuki Tsujii https://www.instagram.com/p/CwL5_oTSshv/ "Next month the 13th is Nobu's birthday, but he will be traveling on that day. So we celebrate early at our beloved restaurant with his favorite drunken crab & a bottle of champagne of his same age [a 35-year old bottle of 1988 KRUG ]..." 👏 💐 With a photo of Nobu with parents at the restaurant. It's the sort of thing that a loving mother would do :-) But yes, an early happy birthday to Nobu! !

Aug 18 A while back I posted a claim that Nobuyuki Tsujii will participate in the August 20 closing ceremony of the 2023 FIFA Women World Cup.  I apologize, but there is no confirmation of this appearance whatsoever, and it is highly doubtful that Nobu would travel to Sydney for the ceremony, especially since Japan is not in the final.****Please exercise care before you pay to watch the ceremony from sites  such as this www.screenbinge.com/uk/channels/bbc-iplayer/watch-fifa-womens-wc23-closing-ceremony-outside-uk/   UPDATE: Reports about the ceremony praises the performances and the firework, but Nobu is not mentioned.

August 18 Nobuyuki Tsujii will begin a busy fall season with two special concerts in Europe.  One is the highly-anticipated Rach 3 performance at the BBC Proms on September 8.  But before that, on September 1, he will hold a recital at the Tsinandali Festival in the nation of Georgia. The recital features a very special program of works that Nobu has never performed together in one recital.  If I had wings, I would be there.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 2023

Aug 17 Sadly, the Aug 8 BBC Proms concert of Nobuyuki Tsujii,

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic & Domingo Hindoyan will not be shown on UK TV , but it can be heard live on BBC Radio 3

https://bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_three 

& on demand there after  at https://bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001q16f

MORE at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the 2023 BBC Proms, as it happens

Aug 16 Blimey, the BBC Proms are drawing to a close! Summer is slipping right through our fingers. But lucky for us Nobuyuki Tsujii fans, we have a special treat waiting for us at the last prom of this year, before the  closing night on Saturday September 9.  Nobu returns as soloist in Rachmaninov’s demanding Piano Concerto No. 3 alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and its Venezuelan-born Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan. BBC Prom 70: Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto 19:30 Fri 8 Sep 2023 Royal Albert Hall.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the 2023 BBC Proms, as it happens

Aug 16  The streaming of the RPO Japan Tour performances has ended.  I am grateful to Avex Classics and PIA Live Stream for the opportunity of viewing these performances that took place back in May.  There is no substitute for being at a live performance of Nobu, but the streaming is the next best thing.  Here's hopint for more streaming to come, such as for the October Japan Tour with Conductor Klaus Makela & the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra! More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii with RPO May performances to be paid-streamed

Aug 14  I am enjoying watching the ongoing paid streaming of 2 of the 4 performances of Nobu with the RPO & conductor Vasily Petrenko.  I was only going to watch the Aug 27 Nagoya performance, but was reminded of a 'broken string' incident at the Aug 28 Tokorozawa performance (the tour finale).  The Tchai 1 is beautiful, and I knew that the string broke during mvt 1.  Try as I did, I wasn't able to detect when it happened.  But commenters kindly informed that it happened at time-mark 28:00, "when Nobu was playing the chord and it’s the F note on the top chord ."  The quality of the online distribution is high-definition and excellent.  Well worth watching.  The streaming ends at Wednesday August 16 23:59 Japan time.  Tickets for viewing can be purchased using a U.S./U.K./other countries? credit card. https://w.pia.jp/t/rpo2023-pls/ 

Aug 12 Vasily Petrenko & Nobuyuki Tsujii with the HK Philharmonic in Hong Kong🇭🇰 Dec 1 & 2 2023. Ravel program. 🎟️Tickets are now available online https://www.urbtix.hk/event-detail/10281/ More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Vasily Petrenko in Hong Kong Dec 1&2 2023 

Aug 11 This is so impressive.  The "Summer Muza" newsletter  https://www.kawasaki-sym-hall.jp/festa/hobo/pdf/0811.pdf published by the Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall (where Nobu performed last night) has a front-page account of the concert, with two photos that include Nobu. "Tsujii gave an excellent performance full of pure beauty & playfulness, riding on the vivid performance of the orchestra. Both ends of the movement demonstrate his powerful but accurate accompaniment, and the romantic slow movement is a pure masterpiece. " More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 , August 10 2023.

Aug 10 A U.K. Nobuyuki Tsujii fan who just watched the paid-streaming of Rach 3 & Tchai 1 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Suntory Hall: "Sound & camera works are very good. Especially on Rach 3 streaming, I could hear the all piano notes for the first time. Really worth it to watch these streaming ( much better than YouTube videos. It’s a pity that you can watch only for a limited time ( rather it’s a short period. ) Also good to see the members of the orchestra’s reactions after the performance - Lots of smiling faces and enjoying Nobu’s encores." 

I myself have not had a chance to watch but saving it for the weekend.  More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii with RPO May performances to be paid-streamedAug 10  https://www.instagram.com/p/CvxEN48RdRg/ Official Nobuyuki Tsujii instagram with 2 photos and no clip. "Today, with conductor Ryusuke Numajiri and Kana Phil, I performed Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall! It was the first time that I performed this work, but it was a lot of fun."  Congrats to Nobu for adding another challenging concerto to his expanding repertoire.  Judging from online comments, the debut was a success.  Nobu played CHOPIN's posthumous nocturne no. 20 for encore.  More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 , August 10 2023

AUG 9 It is Aug 10 1:30AM in Japan. Today is the start date of the RPO, Vasily Petrenko & Nobu Japan performances streaming. This morning I found an email with the subject "<<PIA LIVE STREAM》配信日が近づいています" that includes a "streaming link". When the link is clicked, I see a screen that says "2023/8/10(Thu) 20:00 Scheduled to OPEN. Please reload the screen once when the time comes." Everything seems to be working. Keeping my fingers crossed.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii with RPO May performances to be paid-streamed

Aug 8 Tomorrow Aug 10 in Japan Nobuyuki Tsujii will perform Shostakovich's piano concerto no. 2 with the 神奈川フィルハーモニー管弦楽団 Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by their music director Ryusuke Numajir 沼尻竜典. Our best to all performers!🙏 This is the first public performance of the concerto by Nobu. He will also perform it in October on a Japan tour with Conductor Klaus Mäkelä & the Oslo-filharmonien (Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. )  See Announced: Nobuyuki Tsujii with Oslo Phil & Klaus Makella 2023.

Aug 8 Tweet by #kanagawaphilharmonicorchestra

https://twitter.com/kanagawaphil/status/1688791951364304896 

"Nobuyuki Tsujii and Shimon Shinozaki 篠崎史門 [principal percussionist], who will be co-starring this time, were classmates at Ueno Gakuen [Music college]! We are looking forward to Shostakovich on the 10th!" With a photo of the two former school mates in street clothes, perhaps at a rehearsal for their Aug 10 performance of Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2.

Aug 7 The 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour for Nobuyuki Tsujii has been announcedhttps://avex.jp/classics/tsujii-nobuyuki2023_24/   14 performances -- Dec 12 2023 through June 16 2024. BACH-CHOPIN-RACHMANINOF program (similar  to program for Paris in April 2024).   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023-24 Japan Recital Tour.

August 5 https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/viapalacio35/diary/202308050000/ An excellent blog post by one who was at the final performance of the Nobuyuki Tsujii, Fumiaki Miura & ARK Sinfonietta tour.  The blogger was very impressed with the new venue, and very satisfied with the concert.  Nobu's encore was La Campanella.  This blogger is the first who mentioned the pre-concert talk and wrote that Nobu & Fumu said at the talk that they arrived in town 3 days ago, and was recording a CD in the concert hall.  More at t  '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

Aug 4  The 2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour ended without fanfare.  Not much has been heard from the final performance.  This tweet posted after the concert, seems a good sign.  #辻井伸行 の生演奏🎹 に 感動!!感動!!👏👏👏 凄すぎて鳥肌が立った[ Impressed by the live performance 🎹 of Nobuyuki Tsujii  !! Impressed!! 👏👏 It was so amazing I got goosebumps].  In any case, Nobu has only one scheduled performance the rest of this month: August 10 19:00  Festa Summer Muza KAWASAKI 2023 Shotakovich Piano Concerto no 2 with Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra.  Also, we can look forward to the  Paid streaming of Nobuyuki Tsujii with RPO & Vasily Petrenko May Japan Tour performances , starting August 10.

August 3 Nobuyuki Tsujii x Fumiaki Miura ARK Sinfonietta at Kawaguchi Performance no. 5.   Tour finale Performance no. 5 August 4 (Friday) 19:00 Yamagin Prefectural Hall Large Hall (pre-talk at 18:20) . Same-day ticket will be on sale from 17:00 in the lobby on the 2nd floor. 

More at  '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

July 31 Posted on the "2023 FIFA Women's World Cup" page on English wikipedia: "The tournament's closing ceremony will take place at Stadium Australia, Sydney, on 20 August 2023, ahead of the Final. The Ceremony will have the Australians singers Jessica Mauboy, Tones and I, Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, Australian Girls Choir, American rapper BIA and French-Senegalese singer-songwriter Diarra Sylla. " The Japan women's national football team Nadeshiko Japan (なでしこジャパン) has been unstoppable at the ongoing tournament.  Best wishes to them!  

July 31 Back in November 2022, Nobuyuki Tsujii participated in an event titled 'Aha Mele' organized by ANA (All Nippoms Airways), a major sponsor of Nobu.   It was a roaring success. He is reappearing in the event this year, ANA ʻAha Mele 2023, as announced on the Nobuyuki Tsujii official website, linked to an ANA page with details of three events:   Nov 18 solo brunch concert at Blue Note Hawaii; Nov 19 piano concert at Waikiki Shell, and a Nov 17 tree planting.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at ANA's 2023 Hawaii 'Aha Mele' .

July 31 Nobuyuki Tsujii x Fumiaki Miura ARK Sinfonietta at Kawaguchi 7/31 Performance no. 4 in Kawaguchi is over.  https://twitter.com/sonnenblume0715/status/1685983973196111872  "Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 ...The delicate tone of the piano & the reverberation of the gorgeous orchestra. Encore Chopin's Ocean etude."

NEXT: Tour finale Performance no. 5 August 4 (Friday) 19:00 Yamagin Prefectural Hall Large Hall (pre-talk?) 

More at  '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

July 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• July 1 8PM Hong Kong time: RTHK 香港電台  (Hong Kong public radio) airs an audio recording of Nobuyuki Tsuji's June 10 Beethoven/Liszt/Ravel/Kapustin recital - live at www.rthk.hk/radio/radio4/programme/musegala?lang=en  .  Archive will be available after live webcast"! I believe the archive is posted at this link www.rthk.hk/radio/radio4/programme/Liveon4_rpt/ 

• July 13, 15, 16, ... , 20, 23  Schumann concerto with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa Marc Leroy-Calatayud (conductor)

• July 28 - August 4  2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour

NEWS 

July 30 Just announced: Nobuyuki Tsujii is scheduled to appear Saturday July 27 2024 (20:00) in the Macao Orchestra's season-ending concert, performing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto no. 3 under the baton of their Music Director Lio Kuokman (an IMG artist), in the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium (1,080 seats).  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii debut in Macao 2024.

July 30 Nobuyuki Tsujii x Fumiaki Miura & ARK Sinfonietta tour July 30 performance no.  3 in Shirakawa over.  Concert-goer: "I was fascinated by the delicate pure sound that speaks passionately. It was a wonderful performance that gave me goosebump." Solo encore CHOPIN's posthumous nocturne. 

NEXT: Performance no 4 (in as many days) today July 31 (Monday) 14:00 Kawaguchi Cultural Center Lilia Main Hall (2,002 seats).  This is the next to last show.  More at  '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

July 29 Performance no. 2 of Nobu, Fumiaki Miura & ARK Sinfonietta in Iwaki is over. Nothing has been heard about the pre-concert talk, but this comment says a lot: "My wife wanted to listen to Nobuyuki Tsujii's piano, so I went on an expedition. I had a great time." Nobu's encore was Beethoven 'Pathetique' mvt 2.

TODAY performance no. 3 July 30 (Sunday) 15:00 Shirakawa, with pre-talk.  More at   '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

July 29 New photos of Nobu and Fumi, posted by "ARK classics official" https://www.instagram.com/p/CvRa_T1x9UJ/  "Nobuyuki Tsujii x Fumiaki Miura ARK Sinfonietta tour has come to Tohoku and North Kanto. Photos of them after a long time "  With 3 photos of the duo -- not sure what the 2nd & 3rd photos are about -- with a hand covering the other's stomach, perhaps referring to their indulgence in food and drink?

More at   '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

July 28 https://twitter.com/G5052717207/status/1684914151838416897 Nobuyuki Tsujii & Fumiaki Miura with ARK Sinfonietta 2023 tour performance no. 1 completed yesterday July 28 in Tochigi.  Solo encore BEETHOVEN Pathetique. Photo shows a concert poster with 'SOLD OUT' label. Today July 29 (Saturday) 15:00 Iwaki.  More  at  '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

July 27 Nobu is back on stage in Japan today.

"Nobuyuki Tsujii  x Fumiaki Miura & ARK Sinfonietta" 7/28 19:00 Tochigi Prefectural Cultural Center (1,604 seats.)   First of 5 performances (July 28 - Aug 4). Our best wishes to Nobu & his friends!

More at '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

July 26 During this quiet time, please allow me to remind everyone that the entire 2014 album "Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Liszt" is freely available on the Nobuyuki Tsujii official YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSuGHvCcoiXlL2cYacpiYP1_3tdJuTSJt , including my favorite track 4  'Petrarca Sonnet No. 104' 

And I really miss these recordings engineered at Berlin's Teldex Studio. I wish Avex Classics International would consider recording Nobu's Greig's lyric pieces & Liszt's consolations, etc. Sigh. 

July 24 This instagram from a concert goer is a fitting conclusion to the just completed Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa tour.  "This work is said to be performed for the first time, but the transparent and clear sound is beautiful as usual ... Schumann has a slightly dark image, and it doesn't change no matter who plays it; but when I listened to Mr. Tsujii's performance, I felt that there was hope and brightness at the root. Every movement was wonderful, but especially the 3rd movement was smooth and light, and the feeling that the sound fluttered freely like a heavenly horse running in the sky was wonderful."  Bravos! More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happen.

July 23 Days after his tour with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa completed successfully, Nobuyuki Tsujii will tour with his friend #FumiakiMiura & the ARK Sinfonietta 7/28 - 8/4.  For the 7/29 & 7/30 performances, Nobu & Fumi will appear in a pre-talk on stage.  More at '2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour, as it happens ' 

July 23 Just like that, another tour (with the OEK)  is in the books for Nobuyuki Tsujii.  By all accounts it was a successful tour.  Violinist 矢部 咲紀子 Sakiko Yabe sums it up well "In 2 weeks -- Kanazawa → , Otsu → Wakayama → Himi → Tokyo → Gifu → , Takayama → and Yokosuka " Exhausting!  The concert hall 横須賀芸術劇場 Yokosuka Arts Theater  posted this photo of Nobu taking a bow on stage.   More about the tour at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happen.

For Nobu, yet another tour starts THIS week July 28 - August 4 2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour

July 23 Official instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CvBsfGoxp-_/  "Conducted by Marc Leroy-Carataeu. Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa. Final performance today Yokosuka Arts Theater. All 8 performances were really fun playing in every hall, I have co-starred with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa many times, but this was my first time co-starring with Maestro Marc.  Traveling around, we eat and drink together every time we perform, and we are able to communicate. I am very happy to be able to understand each other even in the musical part. It will be a happy finale. We look forward to seeing you all at the venue!" With an excellent group photo of the entire orchestra, Mo. conductor Marc Leroy-Calatayud (in OEK t-shirt) and Nobu (seated, also in OEK T-shirt) .

July 21 Tweet by Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, with a -- well, super cute -- photo of Nobu holding a gift.

"Nobu-san & Sarubobo. Takayama gifted him a saruboboNobu chose a pink one from among many colorsPink sarubobo is a prayer for good health"

Wikepedia: "Sarubobo is a Japanese amulet, particularly associated with the town of Takayama in Gifu Prefecture [where Nobu & the orchestra performed yesterday. Wikipedia: "Sarubobo are red human-shaped dolls, with no facial features, made in a variety of sizes."

July 21 OEK tweet https://twitter.com/oekjp/status/1682531034578165760 Last night was a sold-out performance at the Takayama Citizens' Cultural Hall, where we've been indebted every year. Thank you to everyone who came. Tomorrow is the last day of the tour, and we are looking forward to seeing everyone in Yokosuka!" With 3 excellent photos, including this one of the orchestra & Nobu in performance, taken from the wing.  More about the successful tour at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happen.  PERFORMANCE no. 8 (Tour Finale)  July 23 14:00 Yokosuka Arts Theatre (1,806 seats)

July 21 https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu9AsrFRU2c Official instagram [No Clips] "Today is the 2nd performance in Gifu #Takayama Civic Cultural Center. There are only two performances left. When the end is in sight, it becomes lonely. It's very hot in Takayama today..." The concert took place without incidents, and Kapustin is reportedly one of the encores.  After a day's rest, the tour finale takes place Sunday July 23 in Kanagawa, an hour's ride from Tokyo on a bullet train.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happen.

July 20 It took a little snooping to find out what encores were played, but I was richly rewarded by this excelletn blog post by a concert goer https://www.tomokosensei.site/entry/20230720/1689862943  "The hall was packed; the woman next to me was in tears, and I was fascinated and felt that the time was short. The encores were Moonlight [Debussy/Beethoven?] and Grieg's March of the Trolls ... This concert was really good. 100% satisfaction. I will definitely go to Mr. Tsujii's concert again! "

NEXT: penultimate performance TODAY July 21 19:00 Takayama Civic Cultural Center 

July 20 On the Nobuyuki Tsujii YouTube channel, there is now a  video about the August streaming of his May performances with RPO & @VasilyPetrenko, with footage from all 4 performances + detailed streaming information in the description.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v67BtMMU7M0 

More about the streaming at   Nobuyuki Tsujii with RPO May performances to be paid-streamed.

July 19 Instagram by festival de musique de menton, with a clip of Nobu performing CHOPIN's sonata no. 3 on stage https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu5kSWQIdVD/  [translated] before the opening of the Menton Music Festival - a beautiful memory of last summer with the breathtaking Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, blind from birth. What emotion in Chopin's 3rd Sonata in B minor 👏 More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the 2022 Menton Music Festival.  

July 19 "Nobuyuki Tsujii's Thoughts on 'Mt.Fuji Kawaguchiko Piano Festival' "

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/.../b40b0b8328436396d6e575be8162...

" 'Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Piano Festival 2023' will be held for four days from September 15th (Friday), where world-famous pianists will gather at the foot of Mt. Fuji. Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii , who played a central role in the festival last year & the year before, spoke about his thoughts on this year's event."  "As guests, Les Freres( Moriya Saito , Keito Saito), Kazune Shimizu, Fazil Sai, Maika Miura, Fumiaki Miura and other diverse faces will gather at the festival." More at Nobuyuki Tsujii's Thoughts on "Mt.Fuji Kawaguchiko Piano Festival"

July 19 Twitter nana was at the concert last night at Tokyo Opera City. 2 solo encores & 1 orchestra encore.  https://twitter.com/nana26139176/status/1681694349137162240 . " "Before the encore, the maestro spoke in English then in Japanese", calling his co-star Nobu and showing great respect. "I was deeply moved by his gentlemanly behavior".  With 4 photos, including this elegant flower display complimentary to Nobu.  NEXT UP: PERFORMANCE no. 6 TODAY July 20 19:00 Gifu Salamanca hall. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happen.

July 19 Instagram by a Tokyo concert goer https://instagram.com/p/Cu4TrELypqC/

"One of the most mentally healthy & clean-cut renditions of Schumann’s piano concerto I’ve ever heard live, and of course it was performed by  Nobuyuki Tsujii His signature sparkly sounds were prevalent  in every passage. With a great photo of Nobu taking a bow on stage.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happen.

July 18 Good newsI was able to purchase a ticket for the streaming of the May 27 Nobuyuki Tsujii - Vasily Petrenko- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performance using an American credit card at https://w.pia.jp/t/rpo2023-pls/  You do have to register for an account for 'PIA livestream' but it's easy to do. There is a language choice on the top of the page but I used Chrome browser for the translation.   More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii with RPO May performances to be paid-streamed.

July 18 Just announced: Vasily Petrenko conducts the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Piano: Nobuyuki Tsujii Fans -- 4 performances in May 2023 held in Japan will be paid-streamed online in August.  See Nobuyuki Tsujii with RPO May performances to be paid-streamed.

It is not clear if the delivery will be available outside of Japan, and whether tickets can be bought with a foreign credit card.  To be investigated.

July 17  Hokkoku News:"Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii's impressive piano performance with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa at Himi ... Mr. Tsujii captivated the packed audience with his overwhelming skill and moving performance... Conductor Marc Leroy-Calatayud said about his co-star Mr. Tsujii: 'He is a great pianist with great musicality. He uses different expressions every time & tries to show a high quality performance.' " More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happen

July 17 https://twitter.com/FebMilk/status/1680920856049098754 Performance no. 4 of Nobu with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in Himi City is over.  A concert goer wrote: "The piano and the live performance is wonderfulThank you, Mr. Tsujii. Your gentle heart was overflowing with sounds in such a rural area, and everyone was crying. I can feel your personality through your voice... music is great." Two encores: Bach cantata & La Campanella -- 7 different encore songs so far.

NEXT  PERFORMANCE no. 5 July 19 19:00 Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. Your gentle heart was overflowing with sounds in such a rural area,

July 16 twitter.com/icoyuraco/status/168052232983777689 Twitter Yura-san was at the concert yesterday.  "Nobuyuki Tsujii × Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa oek  in Wakayama... 3 mvts & 3 times he wiped away sweats."  2 encores - 5 different ones so far on this tour.   

NEXT: PERFORMANCE no. 4 Today July 17 15:00 Himi City Arts and Culture Center Hall

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happens

July 16 Official Nobuyuki Tsujii instagram from #Wakayama Prefectural Cultural Hall. " Marc Leroy-Calatayud conducts Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa ...  The maestro went to the audience stands during rehearsal, It was impressive for him to check the sound balance. I walked a little before going to the hall; the cicadas had a concert earlier. Everyone, please be careful as it is very hot. See you later at the venue." 2 clips: clip 1 is sound of the cicadas as Nobu would hear it; clip 2 is Nobu in rehearsal.  He is wearing the Hawaiian shirt that he wore at his ANA gig in Honolulu last year!  Today's concert starts soon as I write.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happens

July 15 https://twitter.com/Reeyama3/status/1680200028533706753  July 15 Shiga concert-goer: "I listened to 辻井伸行 Nobuyuki Tsujii's piano performance in the front row. Schumann's piano concerto was too wonderful." Encore 'Elsa's Procession.' NEXT UP: July 16 14:00 Wakayama Prefectural Citizens' Culture Hall (2nd of 3 consecutive days).   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happens

July 15 Nobuyuki Tsujii Official instagram, with a clip of Nobu practicing Schumann's concerto.

"I arrived in Shiga yesterday, and today's rehearsal ended without incident. When I was walking around Lake Biwa last night. Opposite bank? Fireworks were going up and the sound was pleasant and I was able to feel the summer. Thanks to that, I'm fired up! ⁡" Today's concert in Shiga is happening right now.

July 14 A July 13 concert goer wrote: "I heard that Nobuyuki Tsujii will be performing tonight, so I went to the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa concert♪ I listened to him for the first time, but it was a more wonderful  performance than I imagined" 

TODAY July 15 14:00 performance no. 2 at Shiga Prefectural Art Theater Biwako Hall, a "Modern, lakeside performing arts venue." 

July 13 TODAY PERFORMANCE no. 1 at 19:00 Ishikawa Prefectural Music Hall Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa & Conductor Marc Leroy-Calatayud with soloist Nobuyuki Tsujii. Mozart "Don Giovanni" Overture; Schumann Piano Concerto Beethoven Symphony No. 5 . Our best wishes to all performers News, comments, etc at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happens

July 12 https://topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp/article/asahi_region/nation/asahi_region-ASR7C7K1LR7CPISC012

Asahi News 7/12 (Wed) Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii will challenge Schumann's "Piano Concerto" for the first time with the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa and-coming conductor Marc Leroy-Calatayud. With photo of rehearsal. 

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happens

July 6 💐Happy 85th birthday 🎂 to maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy (born 6 July 1937), conductor & all-time pianist great who retired publicly on 17 January 2020. He is much missed, and his kindness to Nobuyuki Tsujii has not been forgotten 🙏 (Image shown is from their Japan tour in 2013.) 

July 4 I am grateful that Ms. Jackie Rosenberg, a poet, graces the Facebook page of mine for Nobuyuki Tsujii.  Jackie previously shared a poem " THE PIANIST..... NOBUYUKI TSUJII " with us.  And now, she gifts us with a new piece: "ODE TO NOBU".  Thank you, Jackie, and bravos. Please enjoy her new poem at Ode to Nobuyuki Tsujii by Jackie Rosenberg.

June 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• June 2 Friday 2 19:30 & June 3 Saturday  22:30 Troldhaugen, Norway, Bergen International Festival

• June 7 19:30 Festival Hall, London.  Tchai 1 with Vasily Petrenko & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

• June 10 8PM  Beethoven-Liszt-Ravel-Kapustin recital, Hong Kong

• June 14 7:30PM Esplanade Concert Hal  Singapore 

NEWS 

July 9 In June, at the end of his thrilling Bergen-London-Hong Kong-Singapore tour, Nobu's official instagram says: "I returned to Tokyo ASAP.  I'll be in the practice room morning till night readying for my upcoming performances. We're looking forward to a busy & fun July!"  Well, the fun begins this Thursday July 13, Nobu Nobu performs the Piano Concerto in A minor by Robert Schumann for the first time, with the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa & conductor  Marc Leroy-Calatayud.  We wish them great success!  News, photos, etc. are being collected at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto July 2023, as it happens

July 3  Nobu's recital in Hong Kong  is now available on archive of RTHK 香港電台  (Hong Kong public radio)  at https://www.rthk.hk/radio/radio4/programme/Liveon4/  Excellent audio quality.  The Liszt pieces are especially lovely.

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hong Kong June 10 2023 -- as it happens

June 29 On July 1 8PM Hong Kong time: RTHK 香港電台  (Hong Kong public radio) airs an audio recording of Nobuyuki Tsuji's June 10 Beethoven/Liszt/Ravel/Kapustin recital, presented by HKU MUSE 港大繆思樂季. Listen LIVE at this link https://www.rthk.hk/radio/radio4/programme/musegala?lang=en Please note the LIVE button on the page.  UPDATE June 30: "Archive will be available after live webcast"! I believe the archive is posted at this link www.rthk.hk/radio/radio4/programme/Liveon4_rpt/ 

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hong Kong June 10 2023 -- as it happens

June 29 If only I were in Japan🤤Mt.Fuji Kawaguchiko Piano Festival Chopin GALA Sunday, Sept 17. Nobuyuki Tsujii piano solo: 12 Etudes, Op.25 - Aeolian Harp, Butterfly, Winter Wind, Ocean Etude.　 Nobuyuki Tsujii & Fumiaki Miura & Friends. Chopin Piano Concerto No.2 (chamber version).   Tickets on sale - General sale available only at Kawaguchiko Stellar Theater.  More at 2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival.

June 26 slippedisc.com/2023/06/review-pollini-has-a-nightmare-in-london/ I have great respect for pianist Maurizio Pollini, age 81.  He is a virtuoso who has earned loyal support worldwide for his genius, skills & discipline, without resorting to flamboyance or flash.  So it saddens me deeply to read what happened when he held a recital at Royal Festival Hall in London last Friday. Old age is unkind. I wish Mr. Pollini the best, and  I hope Nobu will step off the stage graciously when his time comes.    More at  Great Pianists and Old Age.

June 24 WQXR (New York Public Radio Station) audio story (58 minutes): Nobuyuki Tsujii at The Greene Space, New York City 2014 - Chopin, Mussorgsky, 'Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair.' Listen here https://beta.prx.org/stories/109578Andante

June 23 Advance sale for the 2023 ARK Classics by Avex Classics & Suntory Hall, headlined by by Nobuyuki Tsujii & Fumiaki Miura, have begun. According to twitter @sunsoon16, tickets are going FAST⚡️And why not? 11 programs & great performers (including foreign artists trumpet player Sergei Nakariakov & cellist Jonathan Rosemann) . 2023 Suntory Hall ARK Classics  

June 21 Exciting new gig for Nobu! HK Philharmonic announced its  23-24 season.  Stars include Yo Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, & "In December [1 & 2], Nobuyuki Tsujii, who just finished playing for @HKUMuse, returns to play Ravel's Piano Concerto, with 'Daphnis et Chloé' " conducted by Vasily Petrenko.  https://www.instagram.com/p/CtwwBFPP8H1/  UPDATE: These performances are part of the HK Phil's "Great Pianist I" season package. : "A pianist with extraordinary skills, the eternal charm of black and white keys." Lang Lang is another pianist in the series. Booking  period July 4th-July 31st. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Vasily Petrenko in Hong Kong Dec 1&2 2023

June 18 2023 Mt Fuji Kawaguchiko PIANO FESTIVAL promotional video www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRxJhPA262g  '富士山河口湖ピアノフェスティバル ／Mt Fuji Kawaguchiko PIANO FESTIVAL', with CHOPIN's Heroic Polonaise played by Nobuyuki Tsujii as background music; excellent footage from previous editions of the festival -- check out the scenic setting and spectacular venues.  More about the festival at 2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival.

June 18 A review, titled '聽眾回饋：只聽音樂，其餘免談 [Just listen to the music, no further discussion necessary' is posted by the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao 明報. It contains some criticisms, but is overall positive: "poetic and virtuoso"  I especially appreciate that the reviewer got that Nobu "is purely using sound to bring out the music; instead of rubato for dramatic effect, he is using instead touch, sound quality and harmony to do the work," and that "Tsujii’s blindness is not mentioned, because I don’t think it needs to be mentioned at all."  Read an English translation at Nobuyuki Tsujii recital in Hong Kong, Mingpao Review June 18 2023. 

June 17  "Ways of Hearing: Interview with Nobuyuki Tsujii" by Hong Kong newspaper 星期日生活 Sunday Mingpao. Nobu was interviewed shortly after he arrived in Hong Kong.  This is a fairly lengthy article, written in traditional Chinese. "Q: In terms of pursuing & realizing dreams, what can you share with young people? A:  The most important thing is to find something you like ..."  Read an English translation at Nobuyuki Tsujii interview by Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao

June 17  Not only did Nobuyuki Tsujii receive a rousing response from the audience for his June 14 recital in Singapore, but he also garnered critical acclaim from The Straits Times: "fluid sonorities"  "Tsujii has over the years developed as an artist." "Tsujii took [the Kapustin etudes] in his stride [and whiped] out the most convincing of readings."  "The overwhelming applause from a full house was rewarded with three delightful encores." "Miracles do happen."

More at Concert review: Nobuyuki Tsujii plays barnstorming second gig in Singapore.

June 16  Jiro.Shima -san commented on the latest instagram by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii (mother of Nobuyuki Tsujii): "What a bounty of cherries. Japan's four seasons. That's great ☆ Did Nobuyuki Tsujii -san return home safely? I'm sure there must have been a lot of fun stories I'd like to hear it! " And Mrs. Tsujii replied: "Yes! He returned home in good spirits & told a lot of sourvenir stories.  So Now, I have to plan a menu of home-cooked meals every day [sweat]." Ah, I know well the feeling of having to come up with good meals for the family every day, and Nobu is a gourmet! :-) :-)  But it's good to hear that Nobu has returned home safely.

June 16 Nobuyuki Tsujii official instagram: "I'm very busy, so I returned to Tokyo ASAP.  I'll be in the practice room morning till night practicing for my upcoming performances.  Schumann's Piano Concerto with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa & Mo. Marc Leroy-Calatayud, then ARK sinfonietta tour with #FumiakiMiura. We're looking forward to a busy & fun July!" 

June 16 Official Instagram: "It was the first recital in ten years in Singapore. I was very much looking forward to this trip because I had very strong memories of my visit 10 years ago. Unfortunately, the organizer of 10 years ago passed away this year, and this recital has come true in the form of inheriting his will. When I learned that the hard work was shared by everyone in the limited time leading up to the day of the recital, I was grateful for their passion, and I performed with all my might to respond to the feelings of the audience. " "The organizer said, "Singapore is a food country! There are many delicious foods!" I will seriously question the manager later why I was only able to stay for 3 days in such a fun country! And next time I want to enjoy Singapore. " More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Singapore, June 14 2023, as it happens

June 15 💐Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii wrote: "海外公演に  旅立った伸行が無事帰れますように…" [For overseas performances, may Nobuyuki return home safely...] Nobuyuki Tsujii should be home now and enjoying some much deserved rest, after his excellent adventure from Japan to Norway to London to Hong Kong to Singapore, May 20-June 14. ❣️ More at Nobuyuki Tsujii's Excellent Adventure May 20 - June 14 2023 

June 15 A newspaper review came up today. Sadly, the article cannot be read without a subscription. www.straitstimes.com/life/arts/concert-review-nobuyuki-tsuji-plays-barnstorming-second-gig-in-singapore 

"Concert review: Nobuyuki Tsujii plays barnstorming second gig in Singapore "

About the concert:  Nobuyuki Tsujii in Singapore, June 14 2023, as it happens

June 14 SOLD OUT! @bbcproms concert (SEPT 8) of @liverpoolphil, #DomingoHidoyan & Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行, although returned tickets may yet show up; & standing-only tickets will be available on the day.  3 months in advance & the last show before final night!   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to the BBC Proms 8 September!    It's a pity that this concert is not scheduled to be aired on TV in U.K. -- and we may not get to see footage of it at all :-(:-(  UPDATE June 15 The Royal Albert Hall have released limited seats mainly in Box areas for all sold out performances, perhaps previously saved for VIPs? So there're still chances to purchase some good seats for the @bbcProms SEPT 8 concert of Nobuyuki Tsujii - click here https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ev9n5v 

June 14  Singapore recital is over. There was not much advance publicity, but numerous tweets and instagrams have shown up after the concert, like these. No official Nobuyuki Tsujii instagram has surfaced - I suspect there will be one in due time. Nobu and manager are probably busy returning to Japan - safe journey home! 3 encores - Bach cantata, Grieg March of the trolls, La Campanella.  I expect to see an official instagram some time.  Meanwhile, more at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Singapore, June 14 2023, as it happens

June 13 Today in Singapore,  Nobuyuki Tsujii hosts a recital at Esplanade Concert Hall June 14 7:30 PM. This will be Nobu's last public performance this  month, after a whirlwind schedule that spanned Japan, Norway, U.K. & Hong Kong.  News, etc. Very little has been heard from Singapore.  Our best wishes and safe journey home to Tsujii-san! More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Singapore, June 14 2023, as it happens

June 13 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra & Nobuyuki Tsujii play Schumann, Chopin [Piano Concerto no. 1] & Natalie Joachim. Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall | New York JAN 27 2024 | 7:00PM. Tickets on sale August 1 2023

"It’s always a party when Nobuyuki Tsujii sits in with Orpheus, especially when they revel in the shimmering virtuosity of Chopin. "  See https://orpheusnyc.org/tickets-and-concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-at-carnegie-hall 

June 12 Embarrassment of richness: Ten more outstanding photos, from

HKU MUSE 港大繆思樂季 photographer Kurt Chan -- some of the best photos of Nobuyuki Tsujii in performance  I've seen!  They capture Nobu's on-stage demeanor & spirit perfectly. https://instagram.com/p/CtYmwxOJKQd/

Backstory Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hong Kong June 10 2023 -- as it happens

June 12 twitter.com/hkumuse/status/1668183187493904384  Tweet by HKU MUSE [organizer of Nobu's June 10 recital], with 4 fine photos - a big thanks to them  for inviting Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 to Hong Kong & for their warm welcome for him!

"What a  breathtaking season finale with Nobuyuki Tsujii!  THANK YOU everyone for  celebrating our 10th season with us. "

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hong Kong June 10 2023 -- as it happens

June 11 Official Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 instagram https://twitter.com/mlliu2006/status/1668151880319664128 : "I appeared in the MUSE series sponsored by the University of Hong Kong," "I was warmly welcomed by the organizers" [photo, Nobu looks big for a change :-)] "ate delicious porridge" " And now on to the airport! Singapore is next!"   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hong Kong June 10 2023 -- as it happens

June 11 Announced: ARK Hills Music Week 2023 at Suntory Hall Sept 29 - Oct 1.  Eleven performances (not all include Nobu).

Details in Japanese  at https://avex.jp/classics/arkclassics2023/

Notable -- OCT 1 Nobuyuki Tsujii recital: Chopin 4 impromptus & etudes Op.25 (12 pieces), and more. 

Details to come.  (Echoing Nobu: "I am too busy to keep up with the updates!" :-)

June 11 Next up for Nobuyuki Tsujii: a recital in Singapore June 14, Esplanade Concert Hall 7:30 PM. This will be Nobu's last public performance this  month, after a whirlwind schedule that spanned Japan, Norway, U.K. & Hong Kong.  News, etc. at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Singapore, June 14 2023, as it happens

June 10 The Nobuyuki Tsujii  recital is over in Hong Kong.  The audience response was enthusiastic. 4 curtain calls; 3 encores, including La Campanella. https://www.instagram.com/p/CtUOiY8v7_T/

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii in Hong Kong June 10 2023 -- as it happens Next: June 14 7:30PM Esplanade Concert Hal  Singapore 

June 10 Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 recital in Hong Kong today June 10 8PM Instagram by SOIN events, in Chinese

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtTIyb-OYRl/ 

【奇蹟的音樂家：看不見 卻能演奏得扣人心弦 】"Miracle Musician: He can't see but he can play grippingly" 

More at Nobuyuki Tsuji in Hong Kong June 10 2023 -- as it happens

June 9 The long-awaited Official Nobuyuki Tsujii instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CtSx-HxxZe8/  "It's a long-awaited performance in London, so I went to say hello to the CD sales booth [see photo]. It was the last performance of the tour, so I had a lot of fun playing it. The encore played was No. 8 "Finale" from Kapustin's concert etudes. I was very satisfied because I was able to listen to Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8 in the audience, the latter half of the concert program that I could not hear in Japan. The day after the London performance, we moved from London to Hong Kong! Recital in Hong Kong tonight! I'm too busy to keep up with updates!"  Indeed, I can barely keep up with all the Nobu news :-)

June 9 medici.tv tweet https://twitter.com/medicitv/status/1667188729000210433  "Nobuyuki Tsujii gave us a fiery interpretation of Chopin’s Scherzo No. 1 in B minor at last year’s Biarritz Piano Festival! Check out the last bars of this magnificent rendition!"  The full recital is still available at https://iiil.io/jnRY  Back story at Nobuyuki Tsujii at 2022 Biarritz Festival  

June 8 Critic's review: "Powerful Tchaikovsky & Shostakovich from Vasily Petrenko & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra"  bachtrack.com/es_ES/review-vasily-petrenko-nobuyuki-tsujii-royal-philharmonic-june-2023 

"In this performance, by Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, all the feverish emotions were very much on the surface, as they should be."  "In the long first movement, the clarity of Tsujii's finger-work and his weight of tone shone through the thick orchestral textures. " More at Critic's Review: Royal Philharmonic, Vasily Petrekno & Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Royal Festival Hall June 7 2023

June 8 From Bergen (June 2 & 3) to London (June 7) - our beloved busy boy Nobuyuk Tsujii  will next perform in Hong Kong June 10  8PM , at a Beethoven-Liszt-Ravel-Kapustin recital organized by  HKU MUSE 港大繆思樂季.  Safe journey & all our best for great success to Tsujii-san!  News, comments, etc. at Nobuyuki Tsuji in Hong Kong June 10 2023 -- as it happens

June 8  The RPO very graciously answered numerous inquiries about the encore played by Nobuyuki Tsujii on June 7! "The encore was Nikolai Kapustin's Concert etude, Op.40 No.8!" like this https://youtube.com/watch?v=zVobKW 

June 7 It is 10:43 PM in London. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Vasily Petrenko Nobuyuki Tsujii concert in the Royal Festival Hall is over. Here is Nobu being guided by Vasily on stage (not large, I've been there) after their Tchai 1 performance in the first half. A big thanks to twitter Mariko for the eyewitness account and photo"... It was a collaboration between the London orchestra and pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii It was Tchaikovsky's piano concerto that even I know. . .played with the whole body, with a very gentle voice. . ." Another concert-goer wrote that "the standing ovation and the foot-stomping never stopped." More at Nobuyuki Tsujii with V. Petrenko & the RPO at Festival Hall June 7 2023

June 7  A concert-goer confirmed that Nobu played an encore at today's concert, but
"…. I don’t know the name of the tune he did; It was jazzy and very fast!!!! He was amazing" Dare we guess that it's "Prelude", 8 Concert etudes No. 1 by Nikolai Kapustin.  Oops - just been told it's not Prelude. My next bet is 'Toccatina'   And I was told it's not that one either, but perhaps the finale of Kapustin's 8 concert etudes.

Let's hope Nobu's official instagram will come through with the encore title.  But it seems this might have been the 11th different encores that Nobu played for the RPO, including the 10 that he played in Japan!

June 6 I asked and received a response from a kind person who was at the first concert (June 2), and they confirmed that there was no sign of any filming at the event, as I speculated (based on photos posted). I am afraid this dashes my hope to see footage of Nobu's Norway journey in a new episode of BS-Fuji's Nobuyuki Tsujii music travel series (dormant since COVID). This makes it all the more regrettable that I had to give up traveling to Bergen due to health reason. Such is life :-( 

June 5 This Wednesday June 7: Vasily Petrenko, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Nobuyuki Tsujii regroup at London's Royal Festival Hall 🇬🇧. Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 & Shostakovich’s Symphony No.8. Here is a clip of them in rehearsal in Suntory Hall Japan 🇯🇵 on May 26.  twitter.com/rpoonline/status/1662134468646256645 and https://www.facebook.com/royalphilharmonicorchestra/videos/618924693291326  We wish them the best success.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii with V. Petrenko & the RPO at Festival Hall June 7 2023

June 4 The Official Nobu instagram www.instagram.com/p/CtEoHUZNTTv/ came through, with a clip of him practicing [I believe] Grieg's Erotika, and several priceless photos, including one of Nobu holding the dolls of Mr. & Mrs. Grieg :-) "it was very meaningful for me to perform Grieg's works in this place where Mr. and Mrs. Grieg are buried, and I feel that it was a truly precious time. The concert started late at 10:30 pm, but the sunset was late at this time of year, so the view of the sunset from the window of the venue was beautiful. For the encore, Chopin's posthumous Nocturne and Liszt's La Campanella were performed.  We are moving again tomorrow! Oh busy!"  A big thanks to Team Nobu for posting these fine clips and photos from Norway, amid their busy schedule.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens 

June 3 It is June 3  6:30PM in Norway, 4 hours from the second concert of Nobuyuki Tsujii at Bergen International Festival.  A small audience will soon be at the villa of Edvard Grieg to enjoy Nobu playing Beethoven's Moonlight, Grieg's lyric pieces, & 3 works by Chopin.  It is not raining in Bergen and the sun does not set until 11PM there at this timeBest wishes for great success to Tsujii-san.  The concert is sold out even though on screen it says "few tickets left".     See Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens.

June 3 twitter.com/icoyuraco/status/1664855716249698304 Twitter Yura posted this clip of Nobuyuki Tsujii playing Chopin's Berceuse (lullaby) at the 2009 Cliburn but rarely since. Nobu will play it tonight at the Bergen International Festival at a concert titled "Grieg on music sheets for ears" I would be there just to hear him play that piece live :-(   See Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens.

June 2/3 https://www.instagram.com/p/CtAX038t0gL/ Official instagram, posted after midnight, from Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen. "It was a concert in a hall on the grounds of Grieg's house. It is a wonderful hall with about 200 seats where you can see the waterside hut that Grieg used when composing in the background of the stage. The distance with the customer was very close, and the feeling of concentrating and listening was very transmitted. For the encore, R. Wagner/Liszt Arr.: Procession to Elsa's Cathedral and Liszt: La Campanella --  received warm applause from the audience." With a clip of Nobu playing [I believe] Grieg's nocturne, and photos of the venue. Sunny weather! 

June 2 We have heard from Norway after Nobu's first concert --

www.instagram.com/p/Cs__qHqLFqC/ 

"[Translated]The audience was filled with enthusiasm! What a gift from God! And two encores don't put any dampener on the mood!" With an artistic photo of Nobu in silhouette against a background of tall glass panes looking out on a picture-perfect scene of the villa and the water.  This was an evening concert that started at 7:30PM, and please note that the outdoor is still bathed in sunlight!  Tomorrow June 3rd second concert in the villa - Beethoven-Grieg-Chopin [including Berceuse] starts at 22:30!  See Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens.

June 2 The interview mentioned by yesterday's Nobuyuki Tsujii official instagram has appeared in the Bergens Tidende [5th largest paper in Norway] https://www.bt.no/kultur/i/Q7Oe8J/det-japanske-fenomenet"34-åringen har vært blind siden fødselen. Nå spiller han på Festspillene. Nobuyuki Tsujii har aldri sett tangentene som han er blitt verdenskjent for å spille på. [The 34-year-old has been blind since birth. Now he plays at the Festspillene. Nobuyuki Tsujii has never seen the keys that he has become world famous for playing.]" Unfortunately, reading the full article requires a subscription. But there is a video clip of Nobu playing I believe a Grieg lyric piece, and I was able to find some photos accompanying the article.   See Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens.

June 2 TODAY in Norway at 19:30 Nobuyuki Tsujii Bergen International Festival CONCERT 1 ​'Moonlight on Troldhaugen'.   BEETHOVEN-Grieg- Liszt. Venue: Troldhaugen [home of Edvard Grieg], Troldsalen [The Hall of Wizards].  See  Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens

June 1 Back in 2015 I wrote this post: "Play Grieg's Lyric Pieces, Mr. Tsujii!"  And now Nobu is actually playing some of those lovely works, in the composer's own home no less. It really breaks my heart that I cannot be there. Here is the first piece, 'Arietta', as played by pianist great Sviatoslav Richter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dJ2nNQYl5o  More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens

June 1 I wasn't expecting to hear much from Bergen, since the concerts have already sold out and there is no need for promotion. But apparently I was wrong :-)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs9jphCN6be/ "I'm in Bergen, Norway.  The weather is cool, the air is clear, & the wind feels good. Today I was interviewed by the local paper Bergens Tidende (website https://www.bt.no/    ) And  practice starts immediately for tomorrow's performance! Oh busy!" 

I hope the weather holds for Nobu -- Bergen is one of the rainiest cities in the world.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens

May 31 Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2 & 3 2023: both concerts have been declared sold out.  For news, comments, photos as it happens, please visit this page Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023, as it happens

May 31 I was all set to travel to Norway for the two Festspillene i Bergen concerts of Nobuyuki Tsujii  June 2 & 3 at the home of composer #EdvardGrieg. Sadly, health condition intervenedI wish the Bergen International Festival & Nobu great success

News & comments will be collected at  Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023

May 30 June 2023 is upon us! Nobuyuki Tsujii will be globe trotting this month: 

• June 2 Friday 2 19:30 & June 3 Saturday  22:30 Troldhaugen, Norway, Bergen International Festival  🇳🇴

• June 7 19:30 Festival Hall, London.  Tchai 1 with Vasily Petrenko & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra  🇬🇧

• June 10 8PM  Beethoven-Liszt-Ravel-Kapustin recital, Hong Kong 🇭🇰

• June 14 7:30PM Esplanade Concert Hal  Singapore 🇸🇬

More to come on these concerts. Please stay tuned.   

UPDATE: it seems Nobuyuki Tsujii has already headed for Norway!    Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii Instagram : "海外公演に  旅立った伸行が無事帰れますように… [For overseas performances - May Nobuyuki return home safely...]"  Every mother can relate to that sentiment. 

********************

May 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• May 10 & 11  20:00 Southam Hall . Ottawa debut.  Rach 2 with conductor Alexander Shelley, & the The National Arts Centre( NAC)  Orchestra 

• May 11, 8pm Free Live Streaming from the National Arts Center of Canada nac-cna.ca/en/event/32867,  www.facebook.com/events/1331351804293733 ,  nac-cna.ca/en/series/naco-live-ocna-direct-series 

• May 22 - 28  Japan tour with Vasily Petrenko & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra :May 22 (Suntory Hall), May 24 文京シビックホール Bunkyo Civic Hall of Tokyo,  May 26 (Suntory Hall ), May  28 (Saitama Muse Hall) 

NEWS 

May 28 It went like a whirlwind, but what a trip that was - @rpoonline , @VasilyPetrenko &amp; Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 Japan Tour (May 20-28). Congratulations on great success in spite of a superhuman schedule"8 concerts, 6 bullet trains, 6 cities, 3 hotels", as said in the "story" posted on the RPO instagram account.  There are great photos in the story, including one of Nobu flanked by 4 beautiful female orchestra members :-)  More at  Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens

May 28 Tweet by concert venue https://twitter.com/Tokorozawa_MUSE/status/1662774505977290752, with 3 photos: "Tsujii & Petrenko Royal Philharmonic ♪

On the last day of the Japan tour, a passionate Bravo voice was heard from the packed venue to Tsujii's gorgeous concerto and Petrenko's lamenting "Pathétique" The soloist encore is Liszt: La Campanella. The orchestral encore was Silvestrov: Evening Serenade."  Bravos! Safe journey home to the U.K. visitors to Japan! 

The concert was not without an incident: "While Nobuyuki Tsujii was playing the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, the piano's treble string broke. Mr. Tsujii (who has cut it several times in the past) stopped after playing to the end of the movement. Mr. Tsujii gave an explanation on the microphone, and the tuner strung the strings in about 10 minutes. " More at  Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens

May 27 https://twitter.com/k_an_ata32/status/1662427265421148161 "5/27 Aichi Prefectural Art Theater [Nagoya] Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, (Conductor) Vasily Petrenko, (Piano) Nobuyuki Tsujii - goosebumps felt from another dimension ♪ It was the best Rach 3 I've ever heard! The Royal Phil  is perfect in everything, and Chaiko's "Pathetique" is a masterpiece! It was a series of impressions "With photos, one shows that the solo recital was: Rachmaninov Prélude "Bell" in C-sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2.  Yes, another new encore on this tour, and one that Nobu will perform on his next recital program.

Even though every one on stage must have been dog tired from so many performances and so much traveling, the show went on and went well.  TODAY May 28 tour finale 14:00 Tokorozawa.  More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens

May 26 New on YouTube: Rachmaninoff Prelude in G-Sharp Minor: A Spellbinding Performance by Nobuyuki Tsujii. https://youtu.be/48EvmjMW8y8  - music score with soundtrack from Nobu's 2012 St. Petersburg White Nights performance. "

Playing this prelude is no easy feat. The technical challenges lie in the demanding fingerwork, the delicate balance between voices, and the ability to convey the deep emotions embedded within the music.  Nobuyuki Tsujii, a truly remarkable artist, brings a unique perspective to this masterpiece."  Full story at Nobuyuki Tsujii: Rachmaninov - Prelude in G-Sharp Minor .

May 26 Tweet by British Council Director for Japan Matthew Knowles, with a backstage photo that includes Nobu in tux https://twitter.com/mattintokyo/status/1662108480541708288 "nobuyuki tsujii treats us @suntoryhalle to two encores as @rpoonline sell out in japan #tokyo"  Nobu played 2 encores, keeping up with playing different pieces at each tour performance.  NEXT UP: Today May 27 in Nagoya -- next to last performance.  More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens

May 25 The 2023 Biarritz Festival has been announced "Biarritz : l’ambitieuse affiche du festival de piano" "The evening concert, given last year by Nobuyuki Tsujii, will feature Vikingur Olafsson this year."  It is good that Nobu is mentioned like that -- I think he has helped to elevate the profile of that festival.  But it seems like this year Nobu will not be found on the beach of Biarritz, which he apparently enjoys.  Nobu's recital last year can be viewed on Medici TV www.medici.tv/en/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-biarritz-piano-festival-2022 .

May 25 The solo encore for the 5th performance May 24 was BEETHOVEN pathetique 2nd movement.  So far, Nobu has made good on his words spoken in the past that he tries to play a different encore at each show while on tour with an orchestra, to keep the musicians from boredom :-)  .  More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens

May 24 twitter.com/eriko_musashi/status/1661373281838985227  " Bergen International Festival opening ceremony was held . This year,  Nobuyuki Tsujii will  perform! Here is the opening video:  https://www.fib.no/en/programme/what-is-the-city-but-the-people/ " Yeah, it rains a lot in Bergen, so I heard.  Sadly, I am not able to travel to Norway, but I hope to see footage of Nobu's recitals at Grieg's residence on a new episode of the splendid BSフジ Fuji TV travel show. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival June 2023.

May 23 Last night in Gunma, 4th performance in as many days. https://twitter.com/satosat934.../status/1661021392593354753 "Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Vasily Petrenko & Nobuyuki Tsujii at Takasaki Arts Theater.  Very beautiful, beautiful strings I like the thickness of Cb. I've never heard Vn's sense of unity and Va is good! ... there is no limit Tsujii's powerful performance makes you feel the great earth." With 4 photos, one of which shows one encore each was played by Nobu & the orchestra.  Nobu played Bach's cantata "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring". NEXT: PERFORMANCE no. 5 May 24 19:00 Bunkyo Civic Hall Tokyo -- Rach 3.  The tour gets a one-day break after this performance and will finish with 3 more performances in the Tokyo area.  More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens

May 22 Twitter Yura shared an announcement by Avex Classics International that 4 of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Vasily Petrenko & Nobuyuki Tsujii  Japan Tour performances (May 22, 26, 27, 28) are being filmed for future distribution - looking forward to the production (presuming we are privy to it). More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens

May 22 Last night's concert Suntory Hall was a winner!

twitter.com/D_Kameliendame/status/1660690287147241472  "The afterglow still hasn't cooled down. It was truly a beautiful concert." Nobuyuki Tsujii played 2 encores (Katpustin & Chopin); orchestra 1 (Satie).  Today PERFORMANCE no. 4 May 24 19:00 in Gunma (Tchai 1). More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens

May 21 twitter.com/satsuki.../status/1660199703810801664  Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko, Nobuyuki Tsujii Japan Tour --  May 21 Osaka show concluded successfully. "A passionate performance that reverberates. Tsujii's smile, the best... Tsujii's encore was Wagner's 'Elsa's Procession'. The orchestra was listening intently." Many more comments, to be collected at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens.    UPDATE: Orchestra, encore Silvestroff Evening Serenade from "Music of Silence"

May 20 www.instagram.com/p/CsfPoD7xi8-/  Official Nobuyuki Tsujii instagram, with a photo then a clip of Nobu practicing Tchai 1: "May 21 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra  conducted by Vasily Petrenko #festivalhall⁡. Excited from rehearsal with Vasily's splendid conducting. The more I played, the more I felt a sense of unity with the orchestra."  Today's concert in Osaka starts in about an hour. More at  Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens.

May 20 www.instagram.com/p/Csd6-R7y0Qx Instagram by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii (Nobu's mom): "A safe opening day of the Royal Philharmonic tour with conductor Petrenko. Welcome! It was Rafuma [Rachmaninov]'s No. 3, so he [Nobu] sweated like he took a shower It was the first time in a while that the dressing room was opened to close friends, and everyone was smiling♪"  With backstage photo of Nobu, Mrs. Tsujii and guests. The RPO & Mr. Petrenko received praises on the web, and Nobu's Rach 3? "The appearance of Mr. Tsujii listening to the applause coming down from the 3rd floor to the 1st floor was impressive."  I haven't yet come across any mention of an encore.  More later.  Next up: Today 14:00 May 21 in Osaka [Tchai 1]. 

May 19 Nobuyuki Tsujii official instagram, with a photo of the rehearsal on stagehttps://www.instagram.com/p/CscxElWRvL9/  "The domestic tour with Vasily and the Royal Philharmonic started today in Fukuoka. I was able to perform Rachmaninoff No. 3 after a long absence with the Royal Philharmonic for the first time, and I had so much fun during the rehearsal that I got really excited lol. I'm already excited about the performance. We are looking forward to seeing you!" Sounds like the rehearsal went well, but I bet the orchestra is on jet lag.  More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens.

May 19  medici.tv subscriber broadcast of Nobuyuki Tsujii's recital at the 2022 Biarritz Festival - Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 5:00 AM (GMT-07:00) www.medici.tv/en/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-biarritz-piano-festival-2022   ...  This was a terrific recital. BEETHOVEN's 'Moonlight', Liszt's Rigoletto, consolation 3, Mephisto Waltz; CHOPIN 4 scherzos; encore Elsa's procession.  After the concert, a hungry Nobuyuki Tsujii ended up eating quiche with chopsticks in his hotel room  Backstory: Nobuyuki Tsujii at Biarritz August 1 2022  Watch a preview at https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-biarritz-piano-festival-2022  UPDATE: It can be viewed in full with a free trail subscription www.medici.tv/en/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-biarritz-piano-festival-2022 

May 19 TODAY in Japan 🇯🇵 First of eight performances on Japan Tour of Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 🇬🇧, conductor @VasilyPetrenko & Nobuyuki Tsujii Rach 3. May 20 14:00 Fukuoka Symphony Hall 福岡シンフォニーホール (1,867 seats). Best wishes to all! More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens.

May 18  Royal Philharmonic Orchestra tweet twitter.com/rpoonline/status/1658862500278878209 : "we've just finished our rehearsals and are about to set off! Find out about everywhere we're playing at http://rpo.co.uk/japan "  Bon voyage! NOTE: In the past, Nobu traveled to U.K. to rehearse with the orchestra in advance, to minimize the number of days of hosting a full orchestra in Japan. Not this time, perhaps due to scheduling constraints. I guess the Tchai 1 &  Rach 3 rehearsal will have to take place in Japan with the full orchestra.  More at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens.

May 17 instagram.com/p/CsVH6-epgaf/   by HKU MUSE 港大繆思樂季: "The return of Nobuyuki Tsujii to Hong Kong University [June 10 recital] is, again, a FULL HOUSE! A big thank you for your overwhelming support — we look forward to experiencing Nobu's magic with you next month!"  performed in Hong Kong for the 1st time in 2019, with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. It was a great success!  He was invited to perform with the HK Philharmonic the next year, sadly cancelled due to COVID.  Story at FULL HOUSE: Nobuyuki Tsujii recital in Hong Kong June 10.

May 17 This month, May 20 through 28 2023,  Conductor Vasily Petrenko & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) of United Kingdoms tour Japan with Nobuyuki Tsujii.  This upcoming Japan Tour marks the reunion of the two old friends for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, this time with a new orchestra.  We wish them the greatest success on this jam-packed tour of 7 stops over 8 days!   Details at Vasily Petreko & RPO with Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Japan Tour - As It Happens.

May 15 Just announced -  Sunday Jan 21 2024 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii.  Admission-free concert, Brooks Center for the Performing Arts Clemson University, South Carolina . "The Brooks Center will also celebrate the 37th year of the admission-free Utsey Series of chamber music concerts. That series, which has hosted such luminaries as superstar classical pianist Lang Lang, is often featured on American Public Media’s national radio program 'Performance Today.' Among the four Utsey programs will be a January performance by the top-tier Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, featuring Nobuyuki Tsujii, the blind Japanese pianist who won the Gold Medal at the 2009 Van Cliburn Piano Competition.  This performance comes one day after their performance in Palm Beach, Florida.

May 14 From a Nobu fan in London: tickets for Nobu's SEPT 8 BBC Proms concert are selling well: "Only 3 [out of 10] sections are available right now which are Rausing Circle Mid & Rear , Restricted View sections -- basically high up seats far from stage... Good for Nobu, even though his performance is the last one before the famous last day event."  Tickets can be purchased at  https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ev9n5v.  More about the concert at Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to the BBC Proms 8 September!

May 14 www.instagram.com/p/CsN8QipOtTy/ Instagram by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii, mother of Nobuyuki Tsujii: [translated] Nobuyuki sent this to me before he went abroad.  Mother's Day flowers... this year's is my favorite white hydrangea."  Happy Mother's Day!  I trust that Nobu has safely returned home from Canada. 

May 13 2023 Details of the festival have been announced https://pianofes.stellartheater.jp and https://avex.jp/tsujii/live/tour.php?id=1002320

Among this year's artists is Turkish pianist Fazil Say, who, as the director of the Antalya Piano Festival, invited Nobu to perform in Turkey in 2011.  So, this is Nobu returning the favor.  More at 2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival

May 13 NEW on YouTube! May 11 2023 Ottawa 🇨🇦 Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 / Canada's National Arts Orchestra @NACOrchCNA, @ShelleyConduct with Nobuyuki Tsujii  https://youtu.be/1spdlqu84Lc  posted by the orchestra on their YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/@NACvideosCNA , where many of their past performances can be viewed.  Special note: The cover photo chosen for the video is similar to  a screen-grab from the live stream that I previously posted!  Delighted!!

May 12 I posted the Nobuyuki Tsujii official instagram https://instagram.com/p/CsKH93DRsb_/  to my facebook page for Nobu fans. It makes me happy that the post was seen/liked/loved by both the conductor Alexander Shelley and the composer Keiko Devaux!

May 12 Official instagram instagram.com/p/CsKH93DRsb_/   with a photo of Nobu with Mo. Alexander Shelley & concert master Kawasaki of the National Arts Centre Orchestra.  "... my first visit to Ottawa, & the weather was perfect. I enjoyed playing with the beautiful orchestra & the support of Mo. Shelley &  concertmaster Yosuke Kawasaki. I look forward to visiting again. Many people were able to watch the live streaming & thank you for all the messages. Last night's live streaming will be available for a while at the following URL. https://vimeo.com/823198059 @Alexander Shelley @Keiko Devaux" 

May 11 The live streaming has concluded.  Thank you, @NACOrchCNA for the excellent live streaming of Nobuyuki Tsujii  Rach 2 with Mo. @ShelleyConduct -- outstanding video and sound quality. That was one of Nobu's best performances with an orchestra (and I have seen MANY of the performances.) And, look, the video is now viewable ON DEMAND  at the same link as the streaming https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/32867 UPDATE: The video is also now viewable at vimeo.com/823198059 AND also on the orchestra's YouTube channel, at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1spdlqu84Lc 

May 11 Counting down!! Thanks to the generosity of our Canadian friends, we can all enjoy a live performance via streaming ***TODAY May 11***  of the National Arts Centre Orchestra | l'Orchestre du Centre national des Arts, conductor Alexander Shelley ShelleyConduct  & Nobuyuki Tsujii, at this link nac-cna.ca/en/event/32867

Story at Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to Canada May 10 & 11 2023

May 11 twitter.com/RDMR1/status/1656584938139820032 

JUST ANNOUNCED | Royal Liverpool Philharmonic & Chief Conductor #GarciaHindoyan present their 2023/24 season https://bit.ly/3MffG0I In addition to the SEPT 8 Rach 3 performance at BBC Proms,  Nobu is listed as one of "world renowned soloists" who will perform with the orchestra, on May 4. "Conductor Laureate #VasilyPetrenko returns with 2 Russian works."  It's so great that the orchestra keep up with their great friendship with Nobu over the years.  Bravos and all our best!

May 10 It seems the first performance in Ottawa was indeed a great success, as reflected in this photo that warms my heart.  It is the first of 19 photos posted on the FB page of National Arts Centre Orchestra (THANK YOU, MERCI).  Nobu is seen being embraced by conductor Alexander Shelley as he stands on stage to accept the applause of the audience and orchestra members.  (Nobu, resplendent in tux & a new light-colored bow tie, has been splendidly transformed from the mop-headed/hoody-clad youth that we saw in rehearsal photos.)  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to Canada May 10 & 11 2023

May 10 Thank you, National Arts Centre Orchestra | l'Orchestre du Centre national des Arts Ottawa, for your warm welcome to our beloved Nobuyuki Tsujii. Our very best to the orchestra, Mo. Alexander Shelley for great success tonight and tomorrow. Tweet by the orchestra (epic on stage), with a photo album that includes Nobu in rehearsal twitter.com/NACOrchCNA/status/1656390636818378756 

"Thrilled to have the one and only, Nobuyuki Tsujii in our hall today! ..."

May 10 The first Ottawa performance starts in less than 6 hours as I write. This official instagram was posted about an hour ago www.instagram.com/p/CsEet-aRIYq/ 

"[ In the end, as a result of worrying, today's performance will be performed on an upright in the dressing room! … Just joking, of course; I decided to practice on the first piano available. And Friday's concert will be live-streamed. Ladies and gentlemen, please take a look at the following URL nac-cna.ca/en/event/32867  "

With 3 fine photos: first of Nobu practicing on said upright piano, 2nd of Nobu standing next to a mounted concert poster, 3rd of him practicing on a grand piano on stage

May 9 https://www.instagram.com/p/CsBq4qgseC_/ Instagram by conductor SESTO QUATRINI: "This morning the @sinfonica_mi [Milan Symphony Orchestra] presented the 2023/2024 season to the press, that of the thirtieth year of life of this team which is one of the excellences of Milan and Italy. So I share with the top management of the institutions and those of the Concert Foundation the pride of a thirty-year anniversary that promises to be extraordinary. And thank you all for the invitation to conduct one of the most interesting concerts on April 12 and 14, 2024, 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙚, including Grieg's 'Concerto in A minor op. 16' with the overwhelmingly talented pianist @nobuyuki_tsujii_ on the piano official, the world premiere of "Maggese" by @fdelcorno and 'Pini di Roma' by Respighi."  The performance is also mentioned in this article www.mentelocale.it/milano/articoli/96388-orchestra-sinfonica-milano-compie-30-anni-programma-stagione-2023-2024.htm 

May 9 https://www.instagram.com/p/CsCWhMDuu_n/ Nobu has arrived safely in Canada❣️🇨🇦 And his official instagram posted clips of Nobu trying out 2 grand pianos.  "Which piano shall I play?"  Nobu, dressed in a hoodi, is all business, but looks to be in good form.  Mother Itsuko also posted an instagram, mentioning Nobu's concert in Ottawa but she herself is staying put in Japan.

May 7 💐REST IN PEACE pianist great Mr. Menahem Pressler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menahem_Pressler.  Maestro Pressler was a juror at The Cliburn Competition 2009, and he is seen in the competition's documentary. Quote: "I have the utmost admiration for [Nobuyuki Tsujii]. For him to play the Chopin concerto with such sweetness, gentleness & sincerity-it's deeply touching. I had to keep from crying when I leave the room."   In the  familiar photo shown of Nobu receiving his medal from Mr. Cliburn , Mr. Pressler is the second figure from the right.

May 7 Rebroadcast of Nobuyuki Tsujii's 2022 Beethoven-Liszt-Ravel-Kapustin recital at an Osaka temple, first aired Jan 2 2023.

wowow.co.jp/detail/185670/-/01 

wowow 5/10 0:15

wowow 4k 5/14 14:30

Backstory Nobuyuki Tsujii's recital at a temple

May 4 Nobuyuki Tsujii at Wigmore Hall April 6 2024 - Bach, Chopin and Rachmaninov recital  avex.jp/tsujii/tsujii-en/live/tour.php?id=1002302 .  Tickets sale NOW open to everyone at https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/.../nobuyuki-tsujii-202404061300

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Wigmore Hall April 6 2024

April 30  This post about Nobu's upcoming concerts in Ottawa contains an interest line: https://www.todocanada.ca/city/ottawa/event/an-alpine-symphony/

"Tonight’s guest artist, Japanese pianist Nobu (Nobuyuki Tsujii), first found himself at a keyboard at the age of 2 picking out a tune he heard his mother hum. Nobu has gone on to become a composer and much sought-after guest pianist, with a legion of fellow concert pianists as admirers."   I have never seen mentioning of the fellow concert pianists as admirers before -- I believe so, and glad to see it in print! 

The performances are:
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 | 8:00 PM
Thursday, May 11, 2023 | 8:00 PM

And May 11, 8pm Free Live Streaming from the National Arts Center of Canada nac-cna.ca/en/event/32867,  www.facebook.com/events/1331351804293733 ,  nac-cna.ca/en/series/naco-live-ocna-direct-series 

Photo shown: Nobuyuki Tsujii's first performance in Canada, Edmonton, 2011

April 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• April 8, 10 19:00 Sumida Tokyo Rach 2 with the New Japan Philharmonic conducted by Yutaka Sado

• April 14, 15, 16 14:00 Sumida Tokyo Rachmaninov's Variations on a theme of Paganini  with the New Japan Philharmonic conducted by Yutaka Sado

NEWS 

April 27 The Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival 2023 will be held SEPT 15 - 18, once again with Nobuyki Tsujii as resident pianist. See 2023 Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko Music Festival. The festival was started in 2021 during COVID lockdown. Nobu is the headliner for marathon outreach events & concerts. Last year's was a great success despite some stormy weather.  Let's hope for sunny☀️days this year!  

April 27 Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to Singapore June 2023 for a Beethoven-Liszt-Ravel-Kapustin recital at the venerable Esplanade Concert Hall at 7:30 PM on June 14, days after his recital in Hong Kong on June 10.  See Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to Singapore June 2023

April 24 Disappointing news.  A Nobu fan who has received the 2023 BBC Proms Festival Guide reported that, unlike in 2013, the September 8 performance of Nobuyuki Tsujii is NOT scheduled to be aired on U.K. television.  This year, "only limited performances will be on TV", perhaps due to BBC's budget constraints.  This means there will not be a video of the performance that can be viewed on demand on BBC Player (like the popular 2013 Nobu performance video).  

Let's hope we will get to see some footage, perhaps from other sources.  Avex Classics? Liverpool Phil?

April 23 Yesterday in Tokyo, Nobuyuki Tsujii gave some medical professionals a special treat by performing a mini-recital at the closing ceremony of the 31st General Assembly of the Japanese Medical Association 2023 -- La Campanella & God's Chart, etc.

Did you know that Nobu also performed with doctors in Boston in 2015⁉️ See https://mlliu2006.blogspot.com/2023/04/nobuyuki-tsujii-special-treat-for.html 

April 22 Nobuyuki Tsujiii & Fumiaki Miura with the ARK Sinfonietta

2023 SUMMER TOUR schedule announced July 28 - August 4.

Bach duo violin concerto; Beethoven piano concerto no. 4; Mendelssohn Symphony. avex.jp/tsujii/live/tour.php?id=1002272 

More at 2023 ARK Sinfonietta Tour.

April 21 Official Yutaka Sado Instagram, with great photos instagram.com/p/CrTdQ5op-uo/ " New Japan Philharmonic 新日本フィル & I welcomed pianist #辻井伸行 Nobuyuki Tsujii (I call  him 'Nobu-rin') as the soloist for our concerts, & my appointment for  the Music Director was boosted by his presence ..." It seems Sado-san was treated to that lavish seafood feast (with the King Crab) by Nobu as a belated celebration of his 60th birthday.  [Trigger warning to animal lovers: do not watch the video :-)]  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic.

April 20 Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to the BBC Proms 8 September 2023! Hurray to the @liverpoolphil for being a loyal friend of Nobuyuki  Tsujii over the years and congratulations  to the orchestra, Mo. Domingo Hindoyan & Nobuyuki Tsujii!

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii returns to the BBC Proms 8 September!   UPDATE:  More good news❣️The SEPT 8 concert will be broadcast live on @BBCRadio3  [& available on demand thereafter.]www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_three . The audio quality should be top-notch 👍

April 19 Japan's "Friends of Music" magazine talks to 7 prize-winning pianists on their preference between Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2 vs No.3. ontomo-mag.com/article/interview/rachmaninov-piano-concerto202303/   Only one chose Rach 2, guess who? :-)

More at "7 pianists! Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2 vs No.3"

April 17 With the New Japan Philharmonic tour behind him, Nobuyuki Tsujii has no public performances scheduled until May 10, when he is slated for orchestral performances in Canada and a Japan tour with Vasily Petrenko & the Royal Phil.  Nobu will be kept plenty busy this summer and fall, with new works to learn that include: Grieg's lyric pieces [Norway, June & Georgia, September ]  Schumann's concerto [Japan, July] & Shostakovich Piano Concerto no. 2 [Japan , October] ... Onward and forward, Tsujii-san!

April 17 https://twitter.com/yomiuri_o_bunka/status/1647861770122584066 Published in the evening Yomiuri News (Kansai) today (17th): "Prior to his performance at the Festival Hall, we asked Nobuyuki Tsujii about his thoughts on music & his memories of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. What are the words entrusted by Mr. Cliburn? " We in U.S. would also like to read this❣️  UPDATE:  We've heard from a kindly reader about the Yomiuri article & what Nobuyuki Tsujii says in the article about the late Mr. Van Cliburn is similar to what he said in a previous reenactment video of his final meeting with Mr. Cliburn.  See here 'Nobuyuki Tsujii meets his hero Van Cliburn 2013' [with enactment video, in Japanese] Nobuyuki Tsujii meets his hero Van Cliburn 2013 

April 16 www.instagram.com/p/CrF1hx8Pn7N/  Nobuyuki Tsujii Official Instagram. "April 16, 2023. Conducted by Yutaka Sado. New Japan Philharmonic, orchestra #Yokohama Minatomirai Hall. We were able to finish the last day of the tour with Sado-san and the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. It's kind of a pity that it's over, but I'm honored to be invited to Sado's inaugural concert to commemorate his inauguration as a music director." With a photo of Nobu practicing and a clip of the enthusiastic applause that he got after the performance - Nobu is seen waving at the audience as Sado-san held his other hand up.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic.

April 15 twitter.com/partenaire_0829/status/1647226023178797057  According to this tweet, Nobu played for encore yesterday (April 15) LISZT's pilgrimage year 2 Venice & Naples No. 3 Tarantella.  He has played a different encore for each of the 4 performances so far. Elsa's procession on April 10. "It was Kapustin at Suntory Hall on Monday, and it seems like yesterday it was Rachmaninov, so I'm already envious of people who go there wondering what tomorrow will bring".  Stay tuned.  Last of 5 performances today Sunday April 16 14:00 in Yokohama.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic.

April 14 Nobuyuki Tsujii official instagram https://instagram.com/p/CrAkCgJvPQs/

新日本フィルハーモニー交響楽団 New Japan Philharmonic orchestra conducted by #YutakaSado. Today is Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody. It's the 1st time that I played it with Sado-san, but oddly it doesn't feel like that. Video is before & after the performance [no music]! "  With a perfectly framed backstage photo followed by 2 clips (no music) - these give a great idea of what goes on behind the stage ...   Also of interest is that Nobu plays for encore Rachmaninov's prelude "The Bell".  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic

April 13 TODAY APR 14 in Japan: Nobuyuki Tsujii performs Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody with New Japan Philharmonic, first of 3 consecutive days. Twitter Yura posted soundtrack clips of that work from the 2018 CD of Nobu with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic & conductor Vasily Petrenko.  If not for COVID, they would have performed that at the 2020 BBC Proms  (See Nobuyuki Tsujii was to return to the Proms this year!)

April 11 "Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 2 - Nobuyuki Tsujii with Seattle Symphony Orchestra, " A YouTube video  of the Jan 26 2023 Seattle performances has materialized without fanfare.  It includes Nobu's encore of J.S. Bach/ arr. Myra Hess: "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyazuAiWrhI

Backstory Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 2 in Seattle, Washington Jan 26 & 28 2023 - as it happens

April 11 Someone just posted this year-old video www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJClmS8_lZk  of figure skater 浅田真央 (mao asada) performing to「神様のカルテ」"In his Chart" composed by Nobuyuki Tsujii.  It is the theme music for a 2011 film released in Japan, for which Nobu was named the 2011 Film Music Artist by the Japan Film Critics Award. 

April 10 Nobuyuki Tsujii Official instagram, with one photo of rehearsal on stage @SuntoryHallE yesterday April 10 www.instagram.com/p/Cq2dtVKvy-v/  Encore was Kapustin prelude (etude no. 1).  NEXT UP: April 8 14:00 Rach 2 Sumida Triphony Hall Large Hall - Paganini Variations.   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic

April 8 As expected, there is a cornucopia of postings about the concert yesterday.  Nobu's Rach 2 performance garnered praises and reportedly he played an encore of perhaps his own composition (perhaps in tribute to Sado).  Also mentioned is that Sado-san reported he has safely recovered from a fall from stage in Vienna.  Photos galore -- Nobu appears to be in good form and good health.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic

April 8 Starting  today Saturday April 8, Nobuyuki Tsujii makes 5 Rachmaninov performances with long-time mentor conductor Yutaka Sado 佐渡 裕 & 新日本フィルハーモニー交響楽団 New Japan Philharmonic, orchestra.  Their 1st joint performance since 2018, these concerts are eagerly looked forward to by their fans.  April 8 14:00 Rach 2 Sumida Triphony Hall Large Hall; April 10 19:00 Rach 2 Suntory Hall; April 14 (Fri)  Paganini Variations14:00 2023 Triphony Hall; April 15 (Sat)  Paganini Variations114:00 Triphony Hall; April 16 (Sun) Paganini Variations114:00 Yokohama Minatomirai Hall.   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic

April 7 It's good to see a fresh Nobuyuki Tsujii  official instagram www.instagram.com/p/CqwwkPDvjYd/ "Today is Sado-san's first day as music director of the New Japan Philharmonic! congratulations. I am very happy to be with you today. Mr. Sado & Rach 2 -- 10 years since 2013..." With photo of Nobu in rehearsal with the maestro & the orchestra. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic

April 7 www.instagram.com/p/CqKnYyTv2e_/ 

Belated find of March 24 Instagram by violinist-conductor Fumiaki Miura, good friend of Nobuyuki Tsujii.  Wth photos of him & Nobu & figure skater #MaoAsada; plus clip & photo from Miura-san's 30th birthday bash!

April 6 It makes me happy that my article "On Bent Back & Pianist Injuries"  has gotten some great comments, including this latest one:  "日本だけではなく、世界でもそんな彼の事大切にしてくれている方々がいるの知り，とても嬉しく思いました。[I was very happy to know that there are people who care about him (Nobuyuki Tsujii) not only in Japan but also in the world.]"  See "On Bent Back & Pianist Injuries"  -- scroll to bottom.

April 6 Mainichi Shimbun [Everyday News] 2023/4/6 Tokyo Evening Paper https://mainichi.jp/articles/20230406/dde/018/040/016000c interview: "Nobuyuki Tsujii delighted with a sense of unity with the audience on National Tour with the Royal Phil Royal Philharmonic Orchestra next month. Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii will tour the country in May with a concerto that he has been listening to since he was in his mother's womb ... [Nobu will perform Tchai 1 and Rach 3 with the orchestra. SeeNobuyuki Tsujii & Vasily Petrenko reunited in Japan May 2023 ] .  The rest of the article requires a paid subscription to read.

April 4 すみません Sorry if this is considered rude in Japan, but I care about him & can't help but worry about that bent in the back of Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii [see photo], possibly from stooping over the keyboard so much.   Please take care of your back, Tsujii-san!  UPDATE Please see a follow-up article: "On bent back & pianist injuries"

April 4 Nobuyuki Tsujii is prominently mentioned in a Harrison Parrott posting of Spring highlights www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2023-04-04/spring-highlights-for-creative-partnerships-and-tours 

"... ... an 8-concert tour with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Music Director Vasily Petrenko... in Japan,  joined on the stage by Nobuyuki Tsujii ...​'definition of virtuosity'. The tour takes place from 20 May to 28 May ..."

April 3 Tweet by medici.tv with a clip  twitter.com/medicitv/status/1642970417097834497 

"[NEW RELEASE] Last year, at the Biarritz Piano Festival in France, Nobuyuki Tsujii brought the house down in an electrifying recital. Take a look at his pristine rendition of one of Chopin's classic hits: his Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 31!cutt.ly/n4ML4G2 "  By all accounts, the full concert is well worth watching even if a subscription is required.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at Biarritz August 1 2022.

April 3 Starting  this Saturday April 8, Nobuyuki Tsujii makes 5 Rachmaninov performances with long-time mentor conductor Yutaka Sado 佐渡 裕 & 新日本フィルハーモニー交響楽団 New Japan Philharmonic, orchestra.  Their 1st joint performance since 2018, these concerts are eagerly looked forward to by their fans. 

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Yutaka Sado with the New Japan Philharmonic

April 3 💐NEW on YouTube - click to watch👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGPSVCQfRNk 辻井伸行 亜麻色の髪の乙女 ドビュッシー作曲 Nobuyuki Tsujii plays DEBUSSY La fille aux cheveux de lin "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair"

April 2 It's been quiet on the Nobuyuki Tsujii front. But spring is here, & please allow me to share a joyful 2021 clip of him playing BEETHOVEN's Spring Sonata with his good friend Fumiaki Miura ...Viewable on Twitter [short] or Facebook  [longer]. Nobu returns to action in Japan this month [April 2023] to perform on stage with his long-time mentor conductor Yutaka Sado.. Then, next month [May 2023] will see him travel overseas to Canada before returning to Japan on a tour with Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonia Orchestra. 

*****************************************

March 2023 

March 30 Nobuyuki Tsujii  returns to London's Wigmore Hall April 6 2024 with a  a Bach, Chopin & Rachmaninov recital wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/nobuyuki-tsujii-202404061300  This is the first appearance of Nobu at the Wigmore since 2017.  The event is part of the 5th Avex Classics International Recital Series.  Priority bookings only. Photo below - Nobu at the hall in 2017.

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Wigmore Hall April 6 2024

March 29 medici.tv World Piano Day video https://twitter.com/medicitv/status/1641051544840806400

Nobuyuk Tsujii is seen at 1:28, playing Mussorgsky's "Great Gate of Kiev" at his 2011 Carnegie Hall debut. 

March 28 medici.tv subscriber broadcast of Nobuyuki Tsujii's recital at the 2022 Biarritz Festival - Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 5:00 AM (GMT-07:00) www.medici.tv/en/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-biarritz-piano-festival-2022   ...  This was a terrific recital. BEETHOVEN's 'Moonlight', Liszt's Rigoletto, consolation 3, Mephisto Waltz; CHOPIN 4 scherzos; encore Elsa's procession.  After the concert, a hungry Nobuyuki Tsujii ended up eating quiche with chopsticks in his hotel room  Backstory: Nobuyuki Tsujii at Biarritz August 1 2022  Watch a preview at https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-biarritz-piano-festival-2022 

March 27 It saddens me to read that the "Tsujii Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic" in Tama Plaza [Yokohama] closed [permanently] on March 20, 2023.  www.instagram.com/p/CqSaPSep2Vf/  The clinic was operated by the family of Nobuyuki Tsujii, including Nobu's grandfather (Dr. 信孝 Nobutaka Tsujii, age 99)  and father (Dr. 孝さ Takashi  Tsujii) .  It was said that growing up, Nobu often played piano in the clinic's lounge to entertain the guests.  We wish happy retirements for the doctors, whose tireless lifetime work must have benefited many families in Japan.

Mar 24 NEW! Nobuyuki Tsujii recital  September 1 2023 at Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 19:00. 

avex.jp/tsujii/tsujii-en/live/tour.php?id=1002281 

tsinandalifestival.ge/event/sep-1-day-2-2023-1900/ 

Nobuyuki Tsujii Sept 2023 recital at Tsinandali festiva, Georgia

March 23 Tremendous news! www.theatrechampselysees.fr/saison-2023-2024/instrument-musique-de-chambre/nobuyuki-tsujii-4 

Nobuyuki Tsujii is listed in the 2023-24 season of Paris' Theatre des Champs Elysees, where he performed almost every year except this.  He is listed for a recital April 10 2024 at 20:00, with an exciting brand new program of Bach-Chopin-Debussy-Rachmaninov.  

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2024 Paris recital

March 25 A 2011 Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 video "What the Wind Brings"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPjyFsQL8Xo helped me get through a serious health situation last week.  The wind brought hope and healing.  I am grateful to Tsujii-san 💐  More at  What the wind brings ..

February 2023 

UPCOMING EVENTS

• FEB 20 - March 17 2023 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour Part 2     NEXT: PERFORMANCE NO. 8 [of 15]  February 20 (Mon)18:30 Kochi Prefectural Culture Hall Orange Hall 

• Feb 2, 3, 4, 5 Florida USA. Rach 2 with Sarasota Orchestra 

• Feb 11 "The Challenge & World View of Kapustin" on 'Untitled Concert', Asahi-TV

NEWS 

March 30 Nobuyuki Tsujii  returns to London's Wigmore Hall April 6 2024 with a  a Bach, Chopin & Rachmaninov recital https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/.../nobuyuki-tsujii-202404061300  This is the first appearance of Nobu at the Wigmore since 2017.  The event is part of the 5th Avex Classics International Recital Series.  Priority bookings only. Photo below - Nobu at the hall in 2017.

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Wigmore Hall April 6 2024

March 29 medici.tv World Piano Day video https://twitter.com/medicitv/status/1641051544840806400

Nobuyuk Tsujii is seen at 1:28, playing Mussorgsky's "Great Gate of Kiev" at his 2011 Carnegie Hall debut. 

March 28 medici.tv subscriber broadcast of Nobuyuki Tsujii's recital at the 2022 Biarritz Festival - Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 5:00 AM (GMT-07:00)  ...  www.medici.tv/en/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-biarritz-piano-festival-2022 This was a terrific recital. BEETHOVEN's 'Moonlight', Liszt's Rigoletto, consolation 3, Mephisto Waltz; CHOPIN 4 scherzos; encore Elsa's procession.  After the concert, a hungry Nobuyuki Tsujii ended up eating quiche with chopsticks in his hotel room  Backstory: Nobuyuki Tsujii at Biarritz August 1 2022  Watch a preview at https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/nobuyuki-tsujii-biarritz-piano-festival-2022 

March 27 It saddens me to read that the "Tsujii Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic" in Tama Plaza [Yokohama] closed [permanently] on March 20, 2023.  www.instagram.com/p/CqSaPSep2Vf/  The clinic was operated by the family of Nobuyuki Tsujii, including Nobu's grandfather (Dr. 信孝 Nobutaka Tsujii, age 99)  and father (Dr. 孝さ Takashi  Tsujii) .  It was said that growing up, Nobu often played piano in the clinic's lounge to entertain the guests.  We wish happy retirements for the doctors, whose tireless lifetime work must have benefited many families in Japan.

March 25 A 2011 Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 video "What the Wind Brings"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPjyFsQL8Xo helped me get through a serious health situation last week.  The wind brought hope and healing.  I am grateful to Tsujii-san 💐  More at  What the wind brings ...

March 25 Nobuyuki Tsujii's  Jan 19 recital at Carnegie Hall remembered by a Japanese media interviewer Yasuko, with a good photo of Nobu & interviewer https://instagram.com/p/Cp5XAhsOvnc/ "✨Interviews with the greatest Pianists in the world.✨ Concert tickets for Nobuyuki Tsujii (blind pianist) at Carnegie Hall in NY were sold out, and it was an amazing concert. The encore was a standing ovation, and while some people were crying, Tsujii was smiling more than anyone else. I Interviewed him and found out that he is really charming personality. 😊 " Nobuyuki Tsujii at Carnegie Hall 2023  Twitter sunsoon found the radio interview at sakura-radio-e42b7d0b.simplecast.com/episodes/now-ep21new-york-now-with-yasuko 

Mar 24 NEW! Nobuyuki Tsujii recital  September 1 2023 at Tsinandali Festival, Georgia 19:00. 

avex.jp/tsujii/tsujii-en/live/tour.php?id=1002281 

tsinandalifestival.ge/event/sep-1-day-2-2023-1900/ 

Nobuyuki Tsujii Sept 2023 recital at Tsinandali festiva, Georgia

March 23 Tremendous news! www.theatrechampselysees.fr/saison-2023-2024/instrument-musique-de-chambre/nobuyuki-tsujii-4 

Nobuyuki Tsujii is listed in the 2023-24 season of Paris' Theatre Champselysees, where he performed almost every year except this.  He is listed for a recital April 10 2024 at 20:00, with an exciting brand new program of Bach-Chopin-Debussy-Rachmaninov.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2024 Paris recital

March 23 Nobuyuki Tsujii & violinist Fumiaki Miura appeared  as guests of figure skater Mao Asada at one of her performances.  There is a YouTube video of the performance, where Nobu and Fumi play Liszt's 'Love Dream' to accompany the dancers.  See 浅田真央、アイスショーで華麗なスケーティング披露　辻井伸行の生演奏で一夜限りの夢の共演　アイスショー『BEYOND』スペシャルプログラム.  News article www.oricon.co.jp/news/2272488/full/ 

March 17 Dear Nobuyuki Tsujii Fans: I want to let you know that I am experiencing a health situation, and may not be posting on this page for a while.  My support for our beloved pianist continues, and I hope it is the same for you.   His upcoming concerts can be found at Nobuyuki Tsujii Upcoming Concerts.

March 17 Bravos to Nobuyuki Tsujii for the successful conclusion of his 2022-23 Japan recital tour. 15 Sold-out performances. Enthusiastic audience responses. Official instagram: "Finally, it's time for the Japan Tour finale, Akita performance....To all of you whom I met all over the country, Let's meet again." With a clip of Nobu at practice and another of him speaking.   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2.

March 14 Photo source: twitter.com/fumichooooooo/status/1635663134844403713 

Nobuyuki Tsujii  Mar 14 Kitara Concert Hall, Sapporo, Hokkaido. 4 encores: Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring; Liszt: Consolation No. 2; Grieg: Troldhaugen's Wedding Day; Liszt: La Campanella.Next : Tour finale March 17 (Fri)18:30 Akita Arts. 

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2.March 13 Today in Japan -  Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Tour PERFORMANCE no. 14 March 14 (Tue) 19:00 Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara Large Hall (2,008 seats). Sold out.  Next to last performance!  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2.

March 12 It's been a while since Japanese writer Yoshiko Ikuma 伊熊よし子さんwrote about Nobu. But Nobu is the subject of her March 11 blog post. http://yoshikoikuma.sblo.jp/article/190226509.html   "It is said that Nobuyuki Tsujii devoted himself to practicing when there were no concerts due to the corona disaster. He expanded his repertoire, refining some of his earlier works and further honing the beauty of his sound. The fruits of that effort bloomed at Carnegie Hall, and is now captivating audiences on his Japan Tour. "

March 11 There are countless virtuosos pianists in this world, and many fine pianists who are sightless. Nobuyuki Tsujii is at a level that the world has never seen. "His playing is remarkable by any standards", so wrote music critic Ivan Hewitto of the Telegraph. And now, Nobu has earned yet another distinction: An ode to him by an admirer across continents & across language barriers. Not many pianists -- if any -- have earned that honor. It makes me happy. Thank you, Ms. Jackie Rosenberg.  More at A poem for Nobuyuki Tsujii

March 10 https://www.instagram.com/p/CpnS3ACyJPW/ Luxurious flower arrangements on display at Suntory Hall for Nobuyuki Tsujii recitals Mar 7 & 8.

Today: PERFORMANCE no. 13 (of 15)  March 11 (Sat) 14:00 YCC Prefectural Cultural Hall Large Hall, Kofu, Japan.   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2  UPDATE March 11  Performing far from home yesterday (Kofu),  Nobuyuki Tsujii gave it his all.  https://twitter.com/Yui6681/status/1634525387110907904 "Amazing concert. The Liszt was great & Kapustin was the coolest!

A masterpiece performance of 4 encores."  NEXT:  PERFORMANCE no. 14 of 15 March 14 (Tue) 19:00 Sapporo.

March 9 Prof. Kawakami wrote on his blog about Nobuyuki Tsujii's recital yesterday. https://www.masahiro-kawakami.com/archives/5987 "The program includes Kapustin's 8 etudes; I was happy to have gotten a call from the person himself [Nobu, that is] , so I went with my wife." "The response [to the Kapustin] was astonishing even for me." More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2

Mar 8 Mr. Kawakami & his wife [both taught Nobu piano] were at Suntory Hall last night. Instagram by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii www.instagram.com/p/Cpi_J2KywI4/  "At the concert on the second day, teacher Mr. Kawakami and Ms. Yukari [wife of Mr. K] ... Mr. Kawakami is the leading authority on Kapustin, and had a relationship of mutual trust with Mr. Kapustin when he [Kapustin] was still alive! ..."  With 3 photos, the first one with the Kawakamis.  This is so wonderful.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2

March 8  Nobu held two recitals at Suntory Hall on consecutive days --  Mar 7 TUESDAY matinee and Mar 8 evening concert.  He treated the audiences to exactly the same 4 encores www.suntory.co.jp/suntoryhall/perform/encorelist.html .   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2.  NEXT: PERFORMANCE no. 13 (of 15) March 11 (Sat) 14:00 YCC Prefectural Cultural Hall Large Hall.

March 7 www.instagram.com/p/CpfUtl9SP9L/ Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii was at Suntory Hall yesterday: "4 encores after Kapustin Thank you for the standing ovation", and she shared photo of a dim-sum lunch. "Lunch at Fureika in a rush before the concert... Nobuyuki ate a lot before the performance, but so did I. "  Standing ovations are rare in Japan, where shouting bravos is still "banned".  I don't think it's typical for Nobu (or most performers) to eat a lot before a performance, but the recital seemed to have gone well anyway, judging from the numerous enthusiastic postings.  Tonight is the 2nd recital at Suntory and it starts 19:00.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2

Mar 7 Official Nobuyuki Tsujii instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CpeVR87vam5/ "#Suntory Hall. I'm back in Tokyo! I have performed at Suntory many times, but there is always a good sense of tension. The sound of the piano is very wonderful, so I would be happy if you could enjoy it. See you at the venue." With a photo of Nobu at practice, more dressed up than usual.   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2

March 6 Today Mar 7 TUESDAY and tomorrow, Nobuyuki Tsujii will hold performances no. 11 &12 (of 15) on his 2022-23 Japan recital tour Suntory Hall (2,006 seats); both are sold out (in fact all 15 performances have been declared sold out.) These Suntory Hall performances attract Tokyo dignitaries and celebrities, and Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii can be expected to be present to greet the guests. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2

March 5 Indeed lots of enthusiastic posts came up after the Osaka recital, such as this. twitter.com/ettieeir/status/1632302140399161344 "Nobuyuki Tsujii Japan tour. Applause didn't stop. He came out again & again. Osaka customers, how much can he play! How much do you want to hear! Mr. Tsujii closes the keyboard & leaves the stage as if to say, 'Please excuse me.' It became a concert of great laughter."  4 encores.  NEXT: two performances at Suntory Hall March 7 (TUE) & 8 (WED).  More at  Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2

March 4  Today March 5 (Sun)  14:00 in Japan --   Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour PERFORMANCE no. 10 (of 15).  The Symphony Hall (1,704 seats), Osaka.  Sold out. There are  usually quite a lot of web posts from Osaka whenever Nobu performs there.  Please stay tuned.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2

March 3 It escaped my attention, but the full schedule of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Japan tour with Vasily Petrenko & Nobuyuki Tsujii has  been published avex.jp/tsujii/live/tour.php?id=1002208 , and it's quite a marathon! There are 8 performances from May 20 through May 28 (with a one-day break on May 25).  Three programs.  The opening performance in Fukuoka & the May 23 performance in Takasaki  have been declared sold out.  Tickets come on sale soon for most other performances.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Vasily Petrenko reunited in Japan May 2023

FEB 28 'Rachmaninov - Sound of a Russian Soul' - the 2020 film by Mr. Peter Rosen, will be shown on WDR TV March 26 7.45 - 8.30  www.wdr.de/programmvorschau/wdrfernsehen/sendung/2023-03-26/07-45/whatson_10700710616527/rachmaninov-klang-einer-russischen-seele.html 

Nobuyuki Tsujii briefly appears in the film; see Nobuyuki Tsujii participates in a new Peter Rosen Film

Feb 27 I was wondering why there was a big gap between Nobu's last Japan tour recital performance in Tochigi (FEB 24 Fri) and his next performance in Osaka (MAR 5 Sunday). It turns out there was an unannounced private concert that took place in Suntory Hall, by invitation only.  As reported by an instagram writerwww.instagram.com/p/CpKyO22Bp4K/  The program was "luxurious": Beethoven &Liszt solo first half, and Chopin & Ravel concertos  2nd half, with Conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama & the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra -- encore Kapustin.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2  

FEB 27 These succinct words from the heart ♥️ are better than some learned critic's review https://www.instagram.com/p/CpL_jdePthm/ "I went out looking forward to seeing Mr. Tsujii perform live. The music glides like silk from the start. Tears at the very first note. A night immersed in sound. On the way home I didn't want to hear anything." #SuntoryHall #NobuyukiTsujii  

FEB 26 Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto with Marc Leroy-Calatayud conducting the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa July 23 Yokosuka Arts Theater. The performance came on sale in Japan FEB 26, and promptly sold out online.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Schumann's Piano Concerto.

FEB 24 Tweet by a concert goer  https://twitter.com/koinasubi/status/1629124725036429317 "Today, after work, I went to Nobuyuki Tsujii's concert. I wonder if the instrument called piano was born to be played by this person." Bravos! What a nice turn of the usual saying that 'he was born to play this instrument'! With a great photo of the concert poster in the hall lobby, labeled with SOLD OUT.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2 .  UPDATE: 4 encores. NEXT: PERFORMANCE no. 10 March 5(Sun) 14:00 The Symphony Hall, Osaka 

FEB 24 New on his official YouTube channel: Nobuyuki Tsujii  plays「糸」 Tapestry by 71-years old female singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima (中島みゆき)  辻井伸行 /「糸」作詞・作曲 中島みゆき　NobuyukiTsujii / Tapestry Miyuki Nakajima . This is another video of Nobu playing his rendition of a well-known song in Japan; these Nobu videos are very popular in Japan.

FEB 23 TODAY in Japan Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour PERFORMANCE no. 9 February 24 (Fri) 19:00 Tochigi Prefectural Cultural Center Main Hall (1,604 seats). この公演は完売致しました This performance is sold out. https://www.sobun-tochigi.jp/performance.html Photos, news, comments at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2  

Feb 23 I take this as a sign that Nobuyuki Tsujii has become a cultural icon.  The website  "All Poetry", is currently calling for entries to a contest for poems on "Blind Pianist".  "In case you have never heard of him before, I would like to introduce you via youtube to my favorite pianist: Nobuyuki Tsujii ... Van Cliburn called him 'a gift from God.'  I tend to agree.He has since gone on to concertize all over the world.  No other blind pianist has achieved his level of virtuosity (that I know of).  In fact, very few pianists of any kind have achieved his level. " The contest initiator goes on to list some of Nobu's YouTube videos and invites people to submit poems of  TWENTY LINE limit by March 6.  See   https://allpoetry.com/contest/2827944-Blind-Pianist  NOTE: Nobu himself does not particularly care for the label "blind pianist", but I appreciate the sentiment of the contest initiator.  UPDATE on the AllPoetry "blind pianist" poem contest mentioned in an earlier post here https://allpoetry.com/contest/2827944-Blind-Pianist . I contacted the site to point out that (1) Nobu is blind but not autistic, & (2) he does not "learn piano pieces by listening to his teacher play them slowly" -- I referred them to Nobu's English wikipedia page. 

FEB 21 There is more on The reunion of Nobuyuki Tsujii with conductor Yutaka Sado, previously mentioned by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii on Instagram.

FEB 20 yutakasado_official instagram It seems the occasion was the 60th birthday party for the president of Avex Classics thrown by Nobu, attended by many Avex artists. This instagram includes a clip of a surprise performance [Chardash?] by violinists Akihiro Miura & Fumiaki Miura [father & son],  accompanied by Nobu.   A big thanks to the blog reader who points me to this instagram.

FEB 20 The Aichi Prefectural Arts Theater 愛知県芸術劇場 (Nagoya) hosts a "Super Concerts" series each year (except during the pandemic). This year (5.27 - 12.20) Nobuyuki Tsujii #辻井伸行 is featured in two orchestral performances (May 27 with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Vasily Petrenko & Oct 21 with Klaus Makela & the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets come on sale soon. https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5jzHXyOZI/ 

FEB 20 As previously reported, this May the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vasily Petrenko will tour Japan, with Nobuyuki Tsujii on piano. A detailed interview of Maestro Petrenko has just been published by Japan's Ontomo (Friends of Music) Magazine. The entire interview, in Japanese, is viewable at https://ontomo-mag.com/article/interview/petrenko/ It comes with this photo labeled as Mo. Petrenko performing with Nobu at Suntory Hall in 2015, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ロイヤル・フィル. The 2015 orchestra is actually the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic リバプール・フィル. The similar names of these two orchestras are bound to cause continued confusion in Japan :-(   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii & Vasily Petrenko reunited in Japan May 2023

FEB 20 www.instagram.com/p/Co4KlusPflo/ This official instagram photo looks rather forlorn compared to sunny Florida, but Nobuyuki Tsujii was in good form last night in Kochi, the first performance in Japan after returning from U.S. Packed house, 4 encores, piano-lid closing.  "I arrived in Kochi yesterday, and I'm full of energy with delicious bonito. The weather was nice, so I went for a little walk in the afternoon."  NEXT:  PERFORMANCE no. 9 February 24 (Fri) 19:00 Tochigi.   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour -- part 2  

🎹FEB 19 TODAY Feb 20, Nobuyuki Tsujii will be back on stage in Japan for part 2 of his 2022-23 Recital Tour. PERFORMANCE NO. 8 [of 15] February 20 (Mon)18:30 Kochi Prefectural Culture Hall Orange Hall (1,507 seats) all seats sold out. The program is BEETHOVEN ('Tempest') LISZT RAVEL KAPUSTIN💐More at https://mlliu2006.blogspot.com/2023/02/nobuyuki-tsujii-2022-23-japan-recital.html 

Feb 17 Tweet by New Japan Philharmonic https://twitter.com/newjapanphil/status/1626523758642216961  This April, Yutaka Sado appointed as the 5th @newjapanphil music director! Mo. Sado opens with performances with pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii'! 4/8・10 Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, etc. ; 4/14・15 Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, etc.  Season tickets on sale.

Feb 16 Instagram by Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii https://www.instagram.com/p/Cov7eaYSRvB/ "Reunion with Maestro Yutaka Sado, whom we've known for 20 years♪ From April 8th, the New Japan Philharmonic will perform regular concerts & special concerts [with Nobuyuki Tsujii]  We are looking forward to seeing you at the concert, full of passion & sweat!"  Mo. Sado is the chief conductor of the new orchestra, and Nobu is slated to make 5 performances with them in April: Rach 2 & Paganini Variations. The photo of the conductor (center), Mrs. Tsujii & Nobu is taken at a restaurant -- Nobu is dressed in Business casual and smiling broadly. 

FEB 14 Announced ints.co.jp/arksinfonietta2023.html : Nobuyuki Tsujii x Fumiaki Miura ARK Sinfonietta TOUR 2023.  Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4.  Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 "Italian". July 28th (Friday) 19:00  Tochigi. There should be other performances.   It's good to see a new poster photo of the duo :-)

Feb 14 This is the first known performance scheduled for year 2014: January 20 2024 [2PM] CHOPIN Piano Concerto no. 1 with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Alexander W. Dreyfoos Concert Hall Kravis Center, West Palm Beach, Florida 

"Grammy Award-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has a long relationship with Japanese pianist, Nobuyuki Tsujii—the only visually impaired winner of the Gold Medal prize at the prestigious Van Cliburn Competition. They’ll join forces at the Kravis Center in a program featuring Chopin’s First Piano Concerto and Schumann’s Carnaval. "

FEB 13 Without saying so, Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii implies by instagram that Nobu has returned home safely, enjoying some good home-cooked top beef sukiyaki.  It is back to work next week, when Nobu resumes his 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour  PERFORMANCE NO. 8 [of 15]  February 20 (Mon)18:30 Kochi Prefectural Culture Hall Orange Hall  (News, etc. at 2022-23 Japan Recital Tour Part 2 ).  Also, Nobu has two new concertos that he needs to master by July (Schumann) & by October (Shotakovich no. 2)  while keeping up with a busy concert schedule!

FEB 12 In a fresh blog post posted on the same day [Feb 11] of the show, Professor Kawakami wrote about how Nobu started playing Kapustin. In his self-effacing style, Mr. K minimizes his own influence on Nobu: "I didn't force him to play Kapustin ... We got to know Kapustin almost at the same time."  According to Dr. K., he himself actually first listened to a Kapustin CD at Nobu's home when Nobu was in middle school.  And the famous Etude No. 2 performance of Nobu at age 15  that was aired on TV [viewable on YouTube] was a surprise to the teacher.  An English translation can be read here: Dr. Masahiro Kawakami: "The Connection between Nobuyuki Tsujii & Kapustin".

FEB 11   https://twitter.com/icoyuraco/status/1624422514352082945 Great tweet by Yura! with a clip. " Untitled Concert 'Kapustin's concert challenge by Nobuyuki Tsuji' My teacher, Dr. Masahiro Kawakami, who is a leading researcher of Kapustin, told me about its charms, and I became more and more addicted to Kapustin. It's written in the sheet music, so I'm playing everything according to the sheet music. No. 8 'Finale' from 'Eight concert etudes'."  This is exactly what I hoped Nobu would say on the show, acknowledging his teacher/mentor Professor Kawakami.  Dr. K mentioned the show on his most recent blog post.  I hope Nobu's words reach him and makes him happy.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii on "Untitled Concert" TV show - 02.11.2023

FEB 11 Another great tweettwitter.com/CooSinsai/status/1624409621984325632

"Nobuyuki Tsujii - Kapustin on 'untitled concert'. Among the 8 concert etudes, he performed no. 2 'Dream'  my favorite by far! It's more delicious than the composer's own performance."

Yes! No. 2 has always been my favorite , and I am eternally grateful that I got to hear it live at Carnegie Hall last month. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii on "Untitled Concert" TV show - 02.11.2023

FEB 10 The anticipation for today's 'Untitled Concert' show was palpable, and it does not seem to have disappointed ...

 www.instagram.com/p/CogU21Fvb3D/  "Untitled Concert" #NobuyukiTsujii #kapustin  I was waiting in front of the TV before 6AM. It was amazing. I know how great he is because I've been playing piano seriously. Mr. Tsujii cannot see, but what power of expression! I wish him good health & more success in the future." With a clip and screen grabs from the show.   

More at Nobuyuki Tsujii on "Untitled Concert" TV show - 02.11.2023

Feb 10 The anticipation is palpable, judging from web posts!  Nobuyuki Tsujii to appear on Japan's long-running TV show "Untitled Concert" www.tv-asahi.co.jp/daimei_2017/sphone/Broadcast/cur/   Nobu will discuss the appeal of the 8 Concert Etudes of Nikolai Kapustin, and will play 5 of the etudes.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii on "Untitled Concert" TV show - 02.11.2023

Feb 11 10AM Asahi TV. 

Feb 12  8AM BS Asahi. 

Feb 10  It's never too soon to plan a trip to a strange land. I'm looking forward to my first foray to Scandinavia in June, for the 2 concerts of Nobuyuki Tsujii at the Bergen International Festival this June. I am aware that the Norwegians are a rugged people, but I wasn't expecting a 15 minute-walk after concert to catch a bus, midnight, in rainy weather!! See: 'Midnight at Edvard Grieg's Villa.'

February 9 Seattle's "SoySource" magazine  published an interview with Nobuyuki Tsujii  issuu.com/soysource/docs/ss.23.02.10. An English translation can be read here👉Nobuyuki Tsujii 2023 Seattle Interview. 

Why did he choose to perform Rach 2 in Seattle? How does Nobu choose encore pieces? What further challenges?  And more.

FEB 9 News came that Japan is bracing for heavy snow, including Central Tokyo.  Nobu must be thinking about the warm weather he enjoyed just last week in Florida.

I'm still hoping for a U.S. tour concert report to show up on the Nobuyuki Tsujii official website https://avex.jp/tsujii/photo/

Meanwhile, the Sarasota Orchestra very  graciously 'like'-ed my responses to their excellent post-performance photos posted via Instagram. More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 2 in Florida 2023 - as it happens

FEB 8 📢How to stop coughing at a concert? 🎹 The decision for me to travel to NYC last month for Nobuyuki Tsujii's Jan 19 recital Carnegie Hall was not an easy one. Among my worries was that I had a cold the month before and I feared a coughing fit would come on during the concert. I scoured the web & discovered that there is a technique that can be applied in silence; no external substance required -- no frantic fishing for lozenges or unwrapping candy to annoy those seated next to you at a concert. Read here, if you wish>> How to stop coughing at a concert without cough drops 

FEB 7 https://twitter.com/nikoniko_hazu/status/1622952946253324298/photo/1 Twitter Hazu caught this photo of Nobuyuki Tsujii homeward bound after his successful Jan-Feb U.S. tour. It brings to mind 12 years I go when I saw him live for the first time: he was being escorted unnoticed past the crowds at the San Francisco International Airport, when our paths crossed. He should be home by now ... stay tuned . 

FEB 6 It was a short U. S. tour (Jan 19 - Feb 5), but 3 weeks away from Japan must have seemed a long time to Nobuyuki Tsujii. Let's hope he has safely returned home. But what a tour it was: Carnegie Hall, Seattle, Sarasota -- standing ovations & adoration from the audience & orchestra at every stop. Congratulations to Nobu & his Avex support team (and big thanks for the official instagrams) -- we look forward to a concert report in due time.   

Feb 5 Official Nobuyuki Tsujii instagram www.instagram.com/p/CoTIJIqyz8K/ [posted soon after the last performance was over.] Encores in Sarasota Feb. 3 N. Kapustin; Eight Concert Etudes Op. 40 No. 1 'Prelude'. Feb. 4 R. Wagner / transcripts by F. Liszt; Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral. Feb. 5 F. Liszt; La Campanella & N. Kapustin; Eight Concert Etudes Op. 40 No. 3 'Toccatina' ” The instagram also pays respects to the late conductor Bramwell Tovey.   More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 2 in Florida 2023 - as it happens

FEB 5 A picture-book ending for Nobu's debut with the orchestra, and for his U.S. Tour!!!

instagram by violinist Katherine Baloff-Tenev   www.instagram.com/p/CoTAhhEg-Ts/ 

" What a treat it’s been to play with @nobuyuki_tsujii_official this week. Our audience absolutely adored him and wouldn’t let him leave the stage after our final performance today, resulting in two outstanding encores. And Brahms 1 with Peter Oundjian… doesn’t get much better." With 2 lovely photos, including this one of Nobu looking radiant in this photo taken backstage with some of the string section members and conductor Qundjian -- all in performance garbs.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 2 in Florida 2023 - as it happens

FEB 5 As I write, the final Rach 2 performance in Sarasota is underway.  Meanwhile, I am thrilled to have gotten a 'like' from Nobuyuki Tsujii official instagram for my comment: "Dear Nobu -- so glad you are enjoying some warm weather in Florida. They love your performance! 'The most wonderful concert! Nobu is beyond words.' etc.  Also, it is very cold in New York today -3°C. We were lucky to have very mild weather when you performed at Carnegie. Safe journey home!"

FEB 4 Finally we have heard from Nobu in Florida. In this photo that comes with his official instagram www.instagram.com/p/CoQlg9ySf5E/ , Nobu is wearing a stylish orchestra T-shirt & standing in front of an impressive Sarasota Orchestra monolith under a cloudless blue sky.  There is also a clip that shows Nobu's dressing room backstage & him practicing Rach 2. "It will soon be three weeks since I left Japan. January has flown by and I'll be back home in two more concerts, including today. Sarasota Orchestra #peteroundjian #rachmaninov #pianoconcerto No.2."  Yeah, he is ready for home!  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 2 in Florida 2023 - as it happens

FEB 4 Check out the comments to this Facebook post by the Sarasota orchestra

"The entire performance is stunningly impressive. Nobuyuki Tsujii is a not to be missed. What a thrill to see him perform."

"A magical concert virtuoso performance"

"The most wonderful concert! Nobu is beyond words. "   AND MORE.

Also,  concert-goer wrote that there was no encore at performance no. 1, but a Kapustin etude at performance no. 2.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 2 in Florida 2023 - as it happens

Feb 3 Nobuyuki Tsujii to appear on Japan's long-running TV show "Untitled Concert"  - Next week Feb 11 on AsahiTV.  https://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/daimei_2017/sphone/Broadcast/cur/ Nobu will discuss the appeal of the 8 Concert Etudes of Nikolai Kapustin, and will play 5 of the etudes.  More at Nobuyuki Tsujii on "Untitled Concert" TV show - 02.11.2023

Feb 3 A review of the first performance in Florida has been published by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.  "Musically, the fact that Tsujii has been blind since birth is of no matter. [...] He seemed uniquely one with the score and more than equal to its technical challenges," writes Gayle Williams. "[He] "burned up the keyboard with his virtuosity in Sergei Rachmaninoff’s epic Piano Concerto No. 2."

I am very impressed that reviewer Gayle Williams paid homage to the late Bramwell Tovey & is aware that the Sarasota Orchestra "is one of the few American orchestras  that have hosted the brilliantly talented pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii" INDEED! More at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 2 in Florida 2023 - as it happens

February 2 It is midnight in Florida #NobuyukuTsujii Nobu should have given his first performance of Rach2 at the Neel Performing Arts Center (837 seats).  Nothing has been heard Let's hope he arrived there safely.  Tomorrow Friday February 3 7:30PM the show moves to a larger venue, the  Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall (1,741 seats).  More about the Florida performances at Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 2 in Florida 2023 - as it happens