Notable web postings - October 2016
Continued from Notable web postings - September 2016
Older notable web postings are collected at Notable web postings archival
♪ October 27 -- November 8 Japan tour with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe "Best of Mozart"
News, comments, videos and photos about this tour can be found at => Nobuyuki Tsujii & COE Japan Tour
♪ Yours Truly was in Sydney October 18 through 24 => Nobu's Magnificent Sydeny Opera House Debut
and also My Journey to Down Under
♪ ALERT: Get ready for Nobu's Sydney performance to air on November 10 1PM on 92.9 ABC (Australia Broadcast Corp.) radio
Good news, I did some more snooping and now it seems the performance to air on Nov 10 on Australia's ABC Classic radio is the final concert held on Oct 22 (I was there) at which Nobu played his improvisation of "Waltzing Matida" that delighted the audience and the orchestra. => http://www.abc.net.au/classic/program/afternoons/music-listings/?date=2016-11-10
If you are interested in listening to the broadcast (one-time only, it seems), may I suggest that you check out the "listen live" button on the page. The broadcast time is I believe November 9 6PM California time (taking into consideration the end of daylight savings time in the U.S. this weekend.)
I have had to update the Adobe software on my laptop for it to work.
October 25 Nobu's Australian radio interview
I was unaware that Nobu was interviewed by Japanese radio when he was in Australia, but the interview is now listenable on the Internet. => https://player.fm/series/japanese-31597/nobuyuki-tsujii-pianist
It is in Japanese only ...
October 25
Not sure where this photo was taken -- perhaps Sydney?. The original twitter who posted the photo didn't even know Nobu's name. Nogu is being led by Mr. Nick Asano, his manager, and I believe the gentleman in front is Mr. Nakashima, president of Avex International.
October 20 School Visit Concert Report on Nobu's Official Site
The Nobuyuki Tsujii Official Site has not yet posted a report for his performance yesterday, but there is a report on his Sydney school visit that I didn't notice before. "Prior to the performance at the Opera House, I was invited to visit the Sydney Japanese school. and interacted with students. Played the 'Polonaise in A-flat major', 'Cortona in the morning', and answered questions from the students. And students sang the school song to us, thank you. In return, I played 'La Campanella' and an impromptu performance of a famous Australian song ['Walzing Matilda']." The report comes with one photo.
October 20 Free for your listening: Nobu's Central Park Concert
The Central Park concert of Nobu with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra can now be listened to whenever you like, indefinitely; thanks to WQXR radio => here
October 18
Bruce Miller, Australian Ambassador to Japan, tweeted with a new photo from the event at the Australia Parliament House 2016:
https://twitter.com/AusAmbJP/status/788245619399725056
日豪友好協力基本条約40周年を記念し、オーストラリアの国会議事堂で14日に祝賀会が開催されました。ターンブル首相を始め両国関係者200人が列席し、盲目のピアニスト、辻井伸行さんがお祝いの演奏をされました。日豪関係は今後も幅広い分野で絆を強めてまいります Photo posted by Australian ambassdor to Japan Bruce Miller: "To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Australia-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Basic Treaty, a celebration was held on the 14th at the Houses of Parliament of Australia. About 200 people, including prime minister Turnbull, were in attendance. Blind pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii performed for the celebration. Australia-Japan relationship will continue to strengthen.
Comments and photos about the event are collected here => Nobuyuki Tsujj at the Australia Parliament House 2016
October 19
There is now a YouTube video clip about Nobu's school visit on the 17th
October 2016 辻井伸行氏 シドニー日本人学校訪問／Nobuyuki Tsujii's Visit to Sydney Japanese International School:
世界的なピアニストとして活躍される辻井伸行氏がシドニー日本人学校を訪問。生徒・児童との交流会の中で、辻井氏がサプライズで演奏されたオーストラリアの民謡「ワルチング・マチルダ」に子ども達が歌声を合わせる感動的な一場面。 "
Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujiim who is active worldwide, visited Sydney's Japanese International School and met with students. Mr. Tsujii [performed classical works and then] the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda" as a surprise, to the singing of the children in an impressive scene.
A tweet to be investigated, from Yura, with photos from a video of some TV contest show that show glimpses of Nobu's home environment
https://twitter.com/icoyuraco/status/787581865221775360
13'映像からキリトリ
素敵なリビングダイニング
コンクール優勝のフォトフレームもチラッと…💫辻井伸行邸
October 18
This tweet is from someone in Fukuoka, with a photo of Nobu
https://twitter.com/Takashi_no/status/787955589489897472
【うれしい出来事】 7/15のことですが、僕と同志でもある有名な盲目のクラシックピアニスト『辻井伸行』さんにお会いした。 彼の姿勢、心持ちからして、僕の仲間だと思った。というか仲間です。同志です。 そんな同志に会えるのはめったにないことなので、とても嬉しかった。イエイ
October 17 Nobu played for Japanese school children in Sydney
Nobu is in Sydney, getting ready for his performances at the Opera House on October 20-22. He somehow found time to visit a school and performed for the children. He also answered questions and listened to the children's choir, Lots of good photos. Hopefully, there will be footage of this visit in an upcoming TV documentary.
http://nichigopress.jp/ausnews/133084/
See here for some English translation (pending) => Nobuyuki Tsujii played for School Children in Sydney
October 17 A poem for Nobu
http://neelav-stillfree.blogspot.com/2016/10/to-nobuyuki-tsujii.html
Still Free
Monday, October 17, 2016
To Nobuyuki Tsujii
Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Rachmaninoff
sing to your fingers on the reeds
The Royal Carnegie breaks down for you,
for your elegy,
for your blindness,
for your talent
for your spirit,
for you Nobuyuki Tsuji
While all I could muster up are a few drops of tears.
and play you on loop on a sad rainy day...
Posted by Neelav Bose at 5:57 AM
October 15 Nobu's Aussie debut virtually sold out!
Nobu's Australia debut with conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra happens in 4 days. It seems all three performances (Oct 20, 21, 22) have sold very well and are virtually sold out. This attests to the popularity of Maestro Ashkenazy and the orchestra in Sydney, and I am happy that Nobu will be playing to full houses for his first appearances in the Sydney Opera House
October 15 "Pianist Tsujii performs at Australia's parliament"
This article was posted by the English version of Mainichi News [Everyday news]. It doesn't add much new, but the photo is new.
I suspect the reporters descended on Nobu soon after he got off the plane, hence the somewhat messy hair. And, if you look at the photos from the performance on the next day: Nobu got a hair cut just in time!
"http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20161015/p2g/00m/0et/082000c
CANBERRA (Kyodo) -- Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii performed at Parliament House on Friday in celebration of the 40th anniversary of a friendship and cooperation treaty between Japan and Australia.
Tsujii, 28, played Claude Debussy's "Arabesque No. 1," Frederic Chopin's "Heroic Polonaise" and his original "Still We Live," a work he composed after the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, in front of an audience of about 200.
After the performance, Tsujii, who is blind, said he was "highly honored as a Japanese citizen to have played in a grand parliament building."
Tsujii won first prize at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Texas in 2009. He has since been performing in Japan and other countries.
This TBS article comes with a short clip of Nobu's recital at the Australia Parliament House yesterday; please click link to see => http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye2892400.html
http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye2892400.html
"Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii is a great pianist. Thank you all very much. And, congratulations." (comment of Australia Prime Minister Turnbull)
PHOTO below: Nobu with Australia Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull - source: Ehime News
There is so much from this event that I made a page to collect the comments and photos, please visit => Nobuyuki Tsujj at the Australia Parliament House 2016
♪ October 12 Mrs. Tsujii on Nobu's encounter with conductor Yutaka Sado
「たくさんの出会いに感謝」
子育て法を紹介
全盲のピアニスト辻井伸行さんの母
紀南新聞ONLINE
2016/10/12
http://www.kinan-newspaper.jp/?p=5398
This article posted on Kinan Newsr ONLINE reports on a talk given by Mrs . Itsuko Tsujii in Shingu.
She gave thanks to several significant encounters while bringing up Nobu, including this one"
- Pushing for a meeting with a global conductor
A particular large event in the life of Nobuyuki is his encounter with world-active conductor Yutaka Sado while he [Nobu] was still in junior high school. A friend of Mrs. Tsujii had an opportunity to interview Mr. Sado. She passed along a tape of a recording of Nobuyuki's performance for Sado to listen, and Mr. Sado contacted with the message, "I want to meet."
Some time later at the first chance, Mrs. Tsujii took Nobuyuki to a concert of Sado-san in Tokyo. In the dressing room Nobuyuki played Chopin's "Scherzo no. 2" in front of Mr. Sado. Sado-san wept and hugged Nobuyuki , saying, "Let's perform together one day." As a result, Nobuyuki was more eager than ever to practice. And later they performed at a concert together in Paris.
I heard elsewhere that Mr. Sado was in his bathtub when he listened to that tape of Nobu, and the conductor was so impressed that he stepped out of the tub to turn up the volume. Yutaka Sado became a mentor of Nobu -- that's him with Nobu in the YouTube video below.
♪ October 12
This article by a Japanese disability advocate in a wheelchair mentions the U.S. Embassy reception at which Nobu performed
https://www.accessible-japan.com/ada-pioneer-senator-tomas-harkin-visits-u-s-embassy-in-tokyo/
"The ambassador’s residence was quite full with approximately 100 guests who are disability advocates, or who are working for the Japanese disabled community or the government. I even found Nobuyuki Tsujii who is a very famous Japanese blind pianist, as well as a family of victim from the Sagamihara stabbings that happened in July."
♪ October 11 Famous Japanese quotes on Twitter
音楽には国境が関係ないように、障害も関係ないと思っています。障害があるから特別な音が出せるとか、そういうふうに思ったことはなくて、一人のピアニストとして聴いていただきたいなって思っています。
辻井伸行 In music there are no boundaries, nor handicaps. Perhaps I do put out a special sound because of my handicap, but instead of thinking that way, I would rather that you listen to me as one of the pianists. - Nobuyuki Tsujii
♪ October 9
The Fuji-TV special 『辻井伸行×ニューヨーク ～解き放たれた天使の翼～』 "Nobuyuki Tsujii × New York -- Angel-Wings Unleashed was aired in Japan. This is a brilliant production, with footage of Nobu on and off-stage while he was on tour in the U.S. with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra back in June.
Photos, comments and videos about the show collected here => "Nobuyuki Tsujii × New York" TV Special Part 2
♪ October 12 Set of 3 Nobuyuki Tsujii DVDs available on Australia classical music site
This is a packaging that I have not seen before: 3 DVDs (White Night, Carnegie Hall debut, Touching the Sound) in a bundle for the bargain price of $45 Australian dollar (~34USD) => HERE
♪ October 10
Yura tweeted:
最近ママの講演聞きに行った。コンクール優勝のビデオも流れ客席では涙拭いてる人も多々。特にコンクール3週間母子ホームスティ裏話は面白かった。いつ子さんの母は97才の今も元気に孫のコンサートに行くそう✨厚かましくCDブックにサインを頂き握手まで。辻井伸行【ピアノ】辻井いつ子【文】
Recently I went to listen to a talk of mom (Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii, mother of Nobuyuki Tsujii). Many in the audience were wiping tears when a video was shown of Nobu winning the contest. In particular, her story about three weeks of staying with Nobu at the competition [at the host family's home] was interesting. Itsuko's mother is 97-year-old and even now cheerfully attends concerts of her grandson. I shook hands and brazenly asked Itsuko for an autograph on the CD book. Nobuyuki Tsujii [piano] Itsuko Tsujii [text]."
Judging from her autograph, Mrs. Tsujii's calligraphy is excellent.
♪ October 10 辻井伸行の母はどう息子の才能を見抜いたか How the mother of Nobuyuki Tsujii detected the talent of her son
There is yet another article on Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii. I believe the contents is similar to the one below, but here is the link to the article => http://zasshi.news.yahoo.co.jp/article?a=20161010-00104010-diamond-soci
♪ 辻井伸行の母 大の泣き虫がピアノでは泣かなかった (Nobuyuki Tsujii's Mother: My Big Crybaby stopped crying at the Piano)
Recently, an interview of Nobu's mom appeared on http://dual.nikkei.co.jp/. Translation of the Japanese text is way over my head, but I managed to come up with something that captures the essence of what she says in the interview, about the trial and tribulations of bringing up Nobu.
Please read the original article (in Japanese) here => http://dual.nikkei.co.jp/article.aspx?id=9146
and my translation here => Mrs. Itsuko Tsujii interview -- "My Big Crybaby stopped crying at the Piano."
UPDATE
It turns out that this is not the end of the interview, but with more to come!
This is the next installation => http://dual.nikkei.co.jp/article.aspx?id=9147
The translation is going to have to wait.
♪ October 6
Yura tweeted
定員に達しましたので応募は終了しています🌟 ANAカード会員限定『シークレット・コンサート』 🎹 辻井伸行
Application completed as we have reached capacity has been completed 🌟 ANA Card-members-only "secret concert" 🎹 Nobuyuki Tsujii
♪ The 2017 Overseas Schedule on The Nobuyuki Tsujii Official Site was updated on October 4: A Bach, Mozart, Beethoven recital in Stuttgart on February 25 has been added.
(The schedule has been updated again on October 6, to including the April 1 Wigmore Hall recital).
That makes it 4 recitals in 5 days, in 4 German cities in February. And this will be Nobu's fourth recital in Stuttgart.
This is how the schedule shapes up for Nobuyuki Tsujii in Europe, Winter 2017:
Greig concerto with Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg and conductor Marco Letonja.
February 9 20:00, February 10 20:00 Salle Erasme, Strasbourg, France
February 12 20:00 Graf-Zeppelin-Huas Friedrichshafen, Germany
February 14 19:30 Martinskirche, Basel
February 15 20:00 Tonhalle Düsseldorf
February 16 20:00 Rosengarten, Mannheim
February 22 19:30 Stadttheater Fürth (Bavaria, Germany. ) Bach-Mozart-Beethoven recital Organizer concert info Venue Concert & ticket Information
February 24 20:00 Prinzregententheater Munich Concert & Ticket Information
February 25 20:00 Liederhalle Stuttgart, Mozart-Saal
February 26 20:00 Kammermusiksaal Philharmonie (Berlin Phiharmonic Chamber Concert Hall) Bach-Mozart-Beethoven recital Concert Information
♪ Coming out soon on LP: ラ・カンパネラ～ヴィルトゥオーゾ・リスト! 辻井伸行 NOBUYUKI TSUJII plays LISZT
AVJL-25895 - recorded in Berlin, Germany
The CD version of this album was released on September 24, 2014 and available on U.S. Amazon
Now, a limited edition of the album, in LP (vinyl) will be released on October 19:
♪ Which version of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 cadenza does Nobu play?
I was unaware that there are multiple versions of cadenza for the first movement of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1.
Beethoven himself wrote three different versions for the cadenza in the first movement, "all of which vary in length and difficulty" (wikipedia). And, some prominent pianists (Wilhelm Kempff and Glenn Gould among them) wrote their own cadenza.
Nobu performed this concerto with conductor Sylvain Cambreling & the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra this past February (see video below). Some Nobu fans have noticed that Nobu played a very long cadenza in the first movement (and beautifully, I might add). Yesterday, U.S. Nobu fan Linda asked me if I knew whether Nobu wrote the cadenza that he played. And my curiosity got the better of me and I broached the question to Nobu's manager Mr. Nick Asano. To my great surprise and infinite gratitude, the answer came quickly:
This is easy to answer.
Beethoven wrote 3 versions of Cadenza in 1st movement of Piano Concerto No.1.
Nobu played the longest one of Beethoven's.
As was the case with Rachmaninov 3, it seems to me Nobu always goes with the most challenging one among alternatives, although Nobu himself never gives me explanation.
I like that answer! I am so proud of Nobu for choosing the most challenging cadenza among the alternatives.
♪ October 3 Wigmore Hall only 3 days after end of his Japan Recital Tour )!
It has just been brought to my attention that Nobu's Wigmore Hall April 1 2017 recital comes only 3 days after the last stop of his Japan Recital Tour, in Hokkaido.
I know Nobu is very strong, but this seems a daunting undertaking, especially for such a demanding performance (90 minutes non-stop playing the full recital program.)
UPDATE: I have heard from Nobu's manager on this, and he said Nobu is aware of the tight schedule and okayed it himself.
♪ October 2 More great news -- Nobu reappears at Wigmore Hall April 1 2017
Thanks to a tip from a blogger, I got wind of this recital. No, it's not one of the big-deal Wigmore-Hall sponsored events, but another of the Avex Lunch-time Concerts like the Wigmore Hall debut recital in London, April 16 2016. But Nobu will play the entire Bach, Mozart, Beethoven recital program, NON-STOP in 90 minutes.
Concert announcement => https://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/nobuyuki-tsujii-201704011300 Tickets are already on sale!
PHOTO ABOVE: Nobu at his Wigmore Hall debut recital in London, April 16 2016 Source: The Nobuyuki Tsujii Official Site
The blogger laments that like the previous recital, this is not a prestigious regular Wigmore Hall concert.
しかし、いつも心に染みる演奏を聞かせてくれる辻井さんの演奏はとても楽しみなのですが、ひとつ残念なことが・・むっ。
ロンドンの音楽通が集まる格式高いウィグモア・ホールに出てくれるのは嬉しいのですが、今回もまたウィグモア主催のシリーズではなく場所だけ借りるだけなんですよね・・。 これではロンドンで認めてもらったことにはならないし、第一、耳の肥えたウィグモアの常連さんたちの知らないところで日本人だけが切符が買うことになっちゃうのも勿体無くてたまりません。 おまけに、この手のコンサートには付きものの「ベストな席はごっそりスポンサーのために確保」してあって、お金を出して聴きたい人がないがし
I responded with this comment, now shown with the post => http://ameblo.jp/peraperaopera/entry-12205590255.html
Thank you for the tip about Nobu-kun reappearing at Wigmore. I am American and was at his recital there this past April and immediately purchased a ticket for this one. No, it's not a regular "prestigious" Wigmore Hall concert, but good music will prevail. The main concern of Nobu-kun is NOT prestige, but he wants to honor the words of Mr. Van Cliburn to spread classical music to all ears. I say "bravo" to him and his supporters!
O
October 1 New ALL-CHOPIN CD to release on November 23
I didn't see this new CD coming, but I should have. There is usually a Nobu CD released by Avex in time for New Year presents. And I am aware that when he was in Germany earlier this year, Nobu recorded the tracks that he played on his 2016 All-Chopin Recital JapanTour. This CD is to release on November 23, and with tracks of Chopin's Op 10 (12 etudes) and four ballades.
The cover photo has not been revealed; it is not likely to be the one below.
http://shop.mu-mo.net/avx/sv/item1?jsiteid=AVCL&seq_exhibit_id=181246&categ_id=6056
Chopin:Etudes & Ballades
Nobuyuki Tsujii
Release Date November 23, 2016
Recorded April 2016
AVCL-25913
JAN/ISBN 4988064259137
12 Etudes Op 10
ballade No. 1 in G minor Op 23
ballade No. 2 in F major Op 38
ballade No. 3 A-flat major Op 47
ballade No. 4 in F minor Op 52
ショパン：エチュード＆バラード（CD）
辻井伸行、6年ぶりのオールショパン・アルバム。 Nobuyuki Tsujii, the first all-Chopin album in six years.
2016年11月23日発売
2016年4月の最新録音
・12のエチュード 作品10
・バラード第1,2,3,4番
♪ Fuji-TV Special to air October 9!
NEW TITLE 『辻井伸行×ニューヨーク ～解き放たれた天使の翼～』 "Nobuyuki Tsujii × New York -- Angel-Wings Unleashed"
When Nobu was on tour in the U.S. with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra back in June, Fuji-TV traveled with him. And now, as promised, we will get to see some of the footage filmed, including Nobu's performances at New York's Central Park. There will be scenes of Nobu performing in a jazz club and dancing with a tap dancer!
http://www.bsfuji.tv/pub/tsujii/pub/006.html
＜ＢＳフジサンデースペシャル＞
2016年10月9日(日) 21:00～22:55
<BS Fuji Sunday Special>
2016 October 9 (Sun) 21:00 to 22:55
Program description with my English translation here => "Nobuyuki Tsujii × New York" 2016 Fuji-TV Special
