Learning to Play the Piano

I started learning the piano a week ago. Until I leave Japan next March, I will meet with a teacher three times a month and practice by myself every day. Since I was new to the instrument (and I even didn’t know how to read music scores), I had to start with a correct posture and positions of fingers—literally the baby stuff; however, I absolutely enjoy practicing the piano. If I could “restart” my life, I would become a pianist and conductor/composer. Even if not for music in particular, I believe I have a talent for becoming a good artisan-artist because I am the kind of person who is able to devote his life to perfection of an “art,” be it Yoga or Sociology.

There are three people who inspired me to learn the piano. The first person is Sviatoslav Richter. When I heard his brilliant performance of Rachmaninoff’s Prelude, Op. 32 for the first time, I was so shocked that I felt like falling down from my chair. The second is Maurizio Pollini and his mind-blowing execution of Stravinsky’s Petrouchka; I couldn’t believe such perfection was possible. The third is Leonard Bernstein. I learned tremendously from his wonderful lectures on music--“Young People’s Concerts” and “Whither Music?” Most importantly, from him I learned to love music.