1st letter from LA 1/12/09

January 12, 2009

Hi!

Happy New Year! I hope your 2009 is going wonderfully.

We had a cold weather from Christmas to New Year, but it has been a Blue Sky with 70-80 degrees. It is beautiful to feel the outside air and sun!

I have many exciting concerts opportunities in LA this spring-summer. Please check my concert schedule. I love to play my solo recitals as well as chamber music with great musicians. I am lucky to have these performances! To be able to manage all kinds of concerts my days are planned with practice. My late cat, Justin, was always sitting with me on the piano bench when I practiced. He went to Neko (cat) Heaven last spring. Now I have his brother, Jester (Japanese Name-Gonta, Nick Name-Gonchan) , who does not care about my music life much. He loves to play with me! So I excuse myself from practice to play with him. He is a very good cat!

One of my hobbies is to watch Sumo on Japan TV. Sumo Tournaments are held 6 times a year in odd months. It is time to watch their 2nd day in this January basho(tournament).

I will write to you soon!

Warm regards, Junko