(also known as Nobu Tsujii) is a Japanese pianist and composer. He was born blind due to microphthalmia. Tsujii performs extensively, with a large number of conductors and orchestras, and has received critical acclaim for his unique techniques for learning music and performing with an orchestra while being unable to see.
Early life and education Nobuyuki Tsujii was born blind due to microphthalmia. From an early age, he exhibited exceptional talent and musical ability. At age two, he began to play "Do Re Mi" on a toy piano after hearing his mother hum the tune. He began formal piano study at the age of four. In 1995, at age seven, Tsujii won the first prize at the All Japan Music of Blind Students by the Tokyo Helen Keller Association. In 1998, at age ten, he debuted with the Century Orchestra, Osaka.
He gave his first piano recital in the small hall of Tokyo's Suntory Hall at age 12.Century Orchestra Osaka website Subsequently, he made his overseas debut with performances in the United States, France, and Russia. In October 2005, he reached the semifinal and received the Critics' Award at the 15th International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition held in Warsaw, Poland."Artist Profile: Nobuyuki Tsujii" - Avex Classics (classical record company) website
In April 2007, Tsujii entered Ueno Gakuen University majoring in music performance in piano, graduating in March 2011.interview,Chugoku Shimbun, evening edition, April 11, 2011
Career
Tsujii competed in the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and tied for the gold medal with Haochen Zhang.Jean-Pierre Thiollet, 88 notes pour piano solo, Neva Editions, 2015, p.72. He was also awarded the Beverley Taylor Smith Award for the best performance of a new work. He played all twelve of Frédéric Chopin's Études (Op. 10) as part of his performance in the preliminaries. Tsujii was one of the competitors prominently featured in the Peter Rosen documentary film about the 2009 Van Cliburn competition, A Surprise in Texas, which was first broadcast on PBS TV in 2010."A Surprise in Texas: The Thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition", PBS, premiered Wednesday, September 1, 2010.
In addition to being a pianist, Tsujii is a composer. At age 12, he performed his own composition "Street Corner of Vienna". He has since released numerous albums of his own compositions. He is also a film music composer and the 2011 recipient of the Japan Film Critics Award for Film Music.
On November 10, 2011, Tsujii made his debut in the Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall in New York, as part of the Keyboard Virtuosos II series."Nobuyuki Tsujii The debut of the blind pianist at Carnegie Hall (2011)", EuroArtsChannel, Dec 7, 2017 "A Pianist's Composition Rounds Off Debut Recital" New York Times Music Review, November 13, 2011 Tsujii debuted at the BBC Proms on July 16, 2013, with a performance with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Juanjo Mena.
Tsujii is featured in a 2013 English textbook for high schools in Japan."School textbooks feature 'hip' topics" , The Yomiuri Shimbun, Mar. 29, 2012 A 2014 film Touching the Sound, also by Peter Rosen, documents Tsujii's life from birth to his 2011 Carnegie Hall debut, including footage of his visit to the region in Japan that suffered the devastating aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
He won the 1st Prize at the InterArtia 2015 international competition by the International Art Society in Volos, Greece. In 2016, he performed with the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts, in the Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, in the summer series.
On April 21, 2024, Tsujii became the first Japanese pianist to sign an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon
Music Method
Tsujii learns new musical works strictly by ear. A 2009 Time article explains: "Certainly, being blind hasn't made it easy. Tsujii can use Braille music scores to learn new pieces, but this kind of translation is usually done by volunteers. Because demand is so low, the variety of scores available does not meet the needs of a professional performer, so Tsujii has devised his own method. A team of pianists records scores along with specific codes and instructions written by composers, which Tsujii listens to and practices until he learns and perfects each piece."Oda, Yuki,"'Nobu' Fever: Japan Falls for a Blind Piano Prodigy",Time (magazine). Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Tsujii said in a 2011 interview, "I learn pieces by listening, but it doesn't mean I'm copying CDs or another person's interpretation. I ask my assistants to make a special cassette tape for me. They split the piece into small sections, such as several bars, and record it (one hand at a time). I call these tapes 'music sheets for ears.' It takes me a few days to complete a short piece, but it takes one month to complete a big sonata or concerto."Foote, Alexander, "Blind piano virtuoso Nobuyuki Tsujii plays in Scottsdale", The Arizona Republic, April 19, 2011
In 2026, an episode of a Japanese TV program aired on July 19 shows that instead of listening to recordings, Tsujii now learns a new work by listening to the notes being played by an assistant seated at an adjacent piano. "Passion Continent Nobuyuki Tsujii / Pianist", TBS (Japan TV channel), July 19, 2026
Performance technique
In 2017, a reporter from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Monique Schafter, asked Tsujii "How do you stay in time when you can't see the conductor?" The pianist replied: " By listening to the conductor's breath and also sensing what's happening around me." The late conductor Bramwell Tovey commented: "He must have very acute hearing, I'm sure."
At a 2023 BBC Proms concert, BBC Radio 3 narrator Martin Handley asked conductor Domingo Hindoyan whether he has to adjust to Tsujii's blindness in any way. Hindoyan replied, "I don't do anything different, absolutely not anything. We worked as I'd work with any soloist. And, probably the fact that he has a special way to learn pieces -- he learns them in a way that is so logical, and he is extremely sensitive. So, he really feels every instrument and every breath from myself, from the concert master and from the orchestra. It's just like he understands the piece from the very soul of it, from very deep. It's really fantastic.""BBC Proms 2023 Prom 70: Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto", BBC Radio 3 broadcast, September 8, 2023
Recordings Tsujii has an extensive discography.http://www.nobupiano1988.com/discography/ Discography - Nobuyuki Tsujii Official Web Site
In 2024, Tsujii entered an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
His current discography can be found on his DG artist page https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/artists/nobuyuki-tsujii
Following is a list of his previous CDs and DVDs: Album title Label Release date Notes BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No. 29 "Hammerklavier". An die ferne Geliebte Deutsche Grammophon November 29, 2024 recorded at Teldex Studio Berlin. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 & Kapustin 8 Concert Etudes Avex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonSeptember 7, 2022 with Vasily Petrenko and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; recorded live 2019 at the Liverpool Philharmonic Symphony Hall. Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3Avex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonSeptember 7, 2022 with Vladimir Ashkenazy and Sydney Symphony Orchestra; recorded live 2016 at the Sydney Opera House. Maurice Ravel WorksTonkünstler OrchestraFebruary 14, 2020with Yutaka Sado and Tonkünstler Orchestra; piano concerto recorded live at the Vienna Musikverein.Franck & Brahms Violin Sonatas, Fumiaki Miura & Nobuyuki TsujiiAvex ClassicsJune 26, 2019Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2, Nocturne, Nobuyuki Tsujii × AshkenazyAvex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonOctober 31, 2018with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Vladimir AshkenazyGrieg Piano Concerto, Rachmaninov Paganini RhapsodyAvex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonMay 9, 2018with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic & Vasily PetrenkoBeethoven Pathetique, Moonlight, AppassionataAvex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonJanuary 31, 2018 recorded at Teldex Studio BerlinDébut 10 yearsAvex ClassicsNovember 8, 2017Chopin:Etude&BalladAvex ClassicsNovember 23, 2016Liszt Sonata in B minor & Ravel Gaspard de la nuit Avex ClassicsJuly 20, 2016Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 & 2Avex ClassicsOctober 21, 2015ImpressionsAvex ClassicsJuly 22, 2015 14 tracks of compositions by Debussy, Ravel and the pianist himselfNobuyuki Tsujii Works Piano with Orchestra (Maestro!) Avex ClassicsJanuary 28, 2015Tsujii's own compositions with orchestraEmperor & Coronation Nobuyuki Tsujii & Orpheus Chamber OrchestraAvex ClassicsJanuary 21, 2015Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Liszt (La Campanella -Virtuoso Liszt! : Nobuyuki Tsujii)Avex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonSeptember 24, 2014 recorded at Teldex Studio BerlinTouching the Sound: The Improbable Journey of Nobuyuki Tsujii (documentary)EuroArts MusicJuly 2014月の光～辻井伸行 plays ドビュッシー (Clair de Lune - Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Debussy) CDAvex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonSeptember 11, 2013 recorded at Teldex Studio BerlinNobuyuki Tsujii at White Nights (DVD/Blu-ray)EuroArts Musicジェニーへのオマージュ 自作集CD+自作 LIVE DVD 'Tribute to Jeanie' self-composition CD and DVDAvex ClassicsDecember, 2012辻井伸行 plays 花は咲く Nobuyuki Tsujii plays 'Flowers Bloom'Avex ClassicsOctober 17, 2012辻井伸行 モーツァルト・アルバム Nobuyuki Tsujii - Mozart AlbumAvex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonSeptember 5, 2012はやぶさ 遥かなる帰還 オリジナル・サウンドトラック Hayabusa Harukanaru Kikan Original SoundtrackAvex ClassicsFebruary 8, 2012original film music composed by Tsujii辻井伸行 カーネギーホール・デビューLIVE Nobuyuki Tsujii Carnegie Hall Debut Live!Avex ClassicsDecember 28, 2011それでも、生きてゆく オリジナル・サウンドトラック('Still We Live'Original Sound Track)Avex ClassicsAugust 2011神様のカルテ~辻井伸行自作集 Nobuyuki Tsujii Works, 2000-2011Avex ClassicsJuly 2011a collection of Tsujii's own compositionsTchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1Avex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonFebruary 2011with Yutaka Sado and the BBC PhilharmonicMy Favorite Chopin Nobuyuki TsujiiAvex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonMarch 2010 recorded at Teldex Studio BerlinChopin: Piano WorksVictor JapanSeptember 2009two discs, 10 tracks each; recorded at the Chopin Piano Competition, 2005Pictures at an Exhibition Nobuyuki TsujiiAvex Classics, Deutsche GrammophonSeptember 15, 2010 recorded at Teldex Studio BerlinFrédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1; Études, Op. 10harmonia mundi2010Nobuyuki Tsujii Cliburn 2009 Preliminary Round Recitalharmonia mundi2009also available as a DVDNobuyuki Tsujii Cliburn Semifinal Round Recitalharmonia mundi2009also available as a DVDNobuyuki Tsujii Cliburn Competition Final Round Recitalharmonia mundi2009also available as a DVDNobuyuki Tsujii, Gold Medalist, 2009 - Winners CDharmonia mundi2009Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto #2Avex Trax Japan2008with conductor Yutaka Sado and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester BerlinDébut Nobuyuki TsujiiAvex Entertainment2007contains one disc of recitals of works of Chopin, Liszt, and Ravel; and a second disc with five original compositions of Tsujii
Conductors and orchestras
Tsujii has performed with numerous orchestras under the baton of many conductors, both in Japan and abroad. Conductors that he has performed with include: Klaus Makela (Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris) Vladimir Ashkenazy (Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Iceland Symphony Orchestra) Valery Gergiev (Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Orchestra Teatro alla Scala and Munich Philharmonic) Vladimir Spivakov (Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra) Vasily Petrenko (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra) Bramwell Tovey(Sydney Symphony Orchestra) Vladimir Jurowski (London Philharmonic Orchestra) Michael Sanderling (Dresden Philharmonic, Romanian Youth Orchestra) Kent Nagano (Hamburg Philharmonic) Andrew Manze (NDR Radiophilharmonie) Patrick Hahn Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa