English Blog

A Movie “Blue Jasmine” 8/23/13 August 23, 2013

It is a fantastic movie. Woody Allen has made another excellent movie with Cate Blanchett’s exceptional acting. Blanchett is Jasmine. All of casts are so special, Alec Baldwin as her husband, Hal, Sally Hawkins as Jasmine’s sister, Ginger, Bobby Cannavale as Ginger’s fiancé, Luis C. K. as Al, Ginger’s lover, Andrew Dice Clay as Augie, Ginger’s […]

3 Hollywood Bowl Concerts – Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 and Verdi: Aida Aida, and Requiem 8/15/13 August 15, 2013

I am writing 3 amazing programs all together today. LA Summer tradition is to attend Hollywood Bowl for “Music under Stars” with beautiful breeze, and possibly with wine. I attended Tuesday August 6 for Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1. Helene Grimaud was the piano soloist, one of the leading pianists in her generation, and she […]

6th Performance of Goldberg Variations in Japan and Travel Through the Country 8/3/13 August 3, 2013

I came back to LA from the trip in Japan, the longest stay in Japan for many years. I spent about 3 weeks there. The concert was at the church in Odate City where I played at my teacher’s studio recitals at the age of 5 to 8. Odate City is my second home town in […]

The World of Music According to Starker  Janos Starker           Indiana University Press    7/20/13 July 20, 2013

I read this book on the way to Japan, and during my traveling in Japan. It is truly a fun book. As you know, Starker was one of the very very best cellists of our time. He passed away several months ago. I love his recordings. I never heard his live performance, but I once […]

A Movie “20 Feet from Stardom” 7/8/13 July 8, 2013

This movie tells us about an untold true story of the backup singers behind some of the greatest musical legends of the 21st century. So they are top backup singers. Yes, their lives are mostly behind the scene, but there are many many more singers who would like to be in their positions. Bruce Springsteen, […]

A Movie “Frances Ha” 6/22/13 June 22, 2013

It is a real “Must See” movie. The director is Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig is on the main character “Frances”. It is all about Frances, it means Greta Gerwig’s amazing acting. I understand now Baumbach and Gerwig are a couple, and they co-produced this movie. They wanted to film this movie in their familiar […]

Salisburg Steak and Japanese Dark Sauce 5/31/13 May 31, 2013

The life is always very interesting. One day, I cooked Japanese style round shaped Hamburg Steak, which is much similar to American Meat Loaf. First day, I prepared sauce de demi-glace to put it on. Second day, for the left overs I prepared mushroom Ankake (Japanese thick dark sauce with Shiitake and other mushrooms) to put […]

A Movie “Mud” 5/31/13 May 31, 2013

It is an amazing movie. True! This film is an adventure drama, like Tom Sawyer, with two 14-year boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and his friend, Neckbone (Janob Lofland), who have their secret hide-away place in a small island in Mississippi, and one day find the interesting man named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) living in their secret […]

Beethoven: Choral Fantasy with Chorale Bel Canto on Sat. June 1 in Pasadena, CA 5/31/13 May 31, 2013

I will be performing Choral Fantasy with Chorale Bel Canto at First United Methodist Church of Pasadena on Sat. June 1 at 4pm , www.choralebelcanto.org and  www.fumcpasadena.org. It is very interesting and coincident that I am playing both Piano Concerto no. 4 and Choral Fantasy by Beethoven in the same season. I wrote the special reason […]

Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – Dudamel and LA Phil Production 5/20/13 May 20, 2013

I went to “Don Giovanni”, the first of Mozart-De Ponte trilogy, last year, and went to see the dress rehearsal of “The Marriage of Figaro”, the second of trilogy, last Wednesday. This trilogy production by Dudamel/LA Phil have been set in Disney Hall, and inviting different cast and staff for each time. The last of the trilogy […]