Nobuyuki Tsujii meets Rafal Blechacz

"There are no boundaries"  has become a slogan for Nobuyuki Tsujii.  It refers to his impressive accomplishment to overcome his blindness to become a world-class pianist.  For me, it also applies to music in general -- and Nobu's music in particular, which has transcended national borders as Nobu increasingly earns admiration from all over the world. 

This photo is linked from the website Preludia: unofficial website for Rafal Blechacz 

Recently, that slogan came to mind in a different context.  In my search for Nobu news recently, I stumbled upon an impressive  website for another great young pianist, Polish Rafał Blechacz, acclaimed winner of the 2005 Chopin Piano Competition (in which Nobu also participated, reaching the semi-final round and winning a critics' special award).   Mr. Blechacz's win was especially impressive in that the jurors that year chose not to award a second prize.

Upon close examination, I found that this excellent web site http://blog-en.blechaczinfo.com/  was developed and maintained by -- get this -- a Japanese lady, Ms. Akiko Ichikura of Tokyo.  Her website for Mr. Blechacz has existed for over five years.   Her site and this modest one of mine, though developed independently and for different pianists, share striking similarity in contents and approach.  Both are labors of love.

I have exchanged pleasant notes with Ms. Ichikura, and we are enjoying our kinship as avid admirers of foreign pianists: she a Japanese who fell for a Polish pianist, and I an American who became smitten with a Japanese pianist.

The website that Ms. Ichikura built for Mr. Blechacz is classy, and far less cluttered than mine.  Although there is no doubt that Mr. Blechazc holds a higher place in her heart, Ms. Ichikura wrote graciously: "I love Nobu-kun's piano and his charming personality ... He was born to make others happy with the music. He has been gifted great eyes in his big heart, enabling him to see what ordinary people cannot see." 

In a very generously gesture, Ms. Ichikura mentioned this site in  a recent blog entry on her site, adorning it with a rare photo, shown on the top of this page.  It is a great honor to me for her to have done so.

In the photo -- taken in Tokyo during the Chopin Competition Gala concerts in January, 2006 --  Mr. Blechacz, winner at age 20,  greeted  Nobu, then 17 and the youngest semi-finalist at the Chopin Competition.  Two great young pianists who grew up on  different continents reached out to each other. 

It is a privilege to get to see this  historical photo, and it cannot be said better: "There are no boundaries."  I have high hope that both of our favorite pianists will go very, very far in their respective already illustrious careers.