With Stanislav Bunin at Matsuo Hall, 1st March 2010

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Interview published by Yomiuri Online on 16 March 2010. Conducted and written up by Taro Yamoto, it’s a more probing and intelligent interview than most. The interview took place after the joint discussion/recital event with Russian pianist Stanislav Bunin and music journalist Yoshiko Ikuma held at Matsuo Hall in Tokyo on 1st March 2010. Bunin won the 11th International Chopin Competition in 1985 and enjoys a huge reputation in Japan. I am grateful to mimiporu for the translation.

Text of Interview

This 14-year-old pianist’s clips on YouTube have been viewed more than 4 million times, and she is watched with keen interest all over the world. Her sound has an attractive expressiveness, and the emotive movements of her body at the keyboard already radiate the power of a professional pianist. The name of this girl is Aimi Kobayashi. In February this year, Chopin [bicentenary] Year, she made her CD debut.

At the age of 9 she won the all-Japan student contest, and at 10 she played

with the Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra

This year, on March 1st, a salon concert was held in Matsuo Hall (Tokyo) in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth. The piano was a Pleyel, which was in its heyday in Chopin’s time. Ms Kobayashi and Stanislav Bunin, who is enormously popular in Japan, “competed” in playing pieces by Chopin. Aimi performed Nocturne no. 20. To concentrate, she closed her eyes for about 15 seconds in front of the piano. Then, with deliberation, she sounded the first note. She drew the audience steadily into her music world in which she was so absorbed.

Mr Bunin said: “She is a wonderful pianist. She gave an excellent performance in the way she used strength and delicate expression.”

“I hate practising. However, if I don’t practise piano, I feel that something’s missing”

She has the atmosphere of a precocious prodigy. What is is she really like? Visiting her dressing room after the concert, we found a contemporary girl with rugged honesty.

Q: It has been said that one of Ms Kobayashi’s characteristics is her high concentration. What do you think of your concentration?

A: When I concentrate, I can devote myself to music and become happy with it. I think so. While performing, I sing with all my heart

Q: You always perform with your whole body. Do you get tired? (laughs)

A: After a concert, I feel some tiredness. Like tiredness after athletics… (laughs). As you will understand, one sweats when moving intensely. As for the performance, more physical strength is needed than you might imagine.

At the age of three, Aimi began to attend music cramming school to cure her shyness. That’s where she first came across a piano.

Aimi said: “The teacher became pregnant and left the school. My parents thought about taking me away from the school. At the time I said that I wanted to learn piano. But I don’t remember this myself — I heard it from my parents.”

Q: If not piano, what do you aim to do in the future?

A: For instance, a beautician. But I’m only able to become a pianist.” (laughs).

She clearly says that she “hates practising”. After school she practises the piano most every day.

Q: Do you hate piano?

A: I don’t think I really hate practising. Certainly I wasn’t able to play [with friends etc] during the summer vacation because I took part in competitions every year after becoming a grade-schooler. However, I don’t feel I hate it that much and I think I should practise (laughs). If I don’t practise, I think ‘I’m not playing piano today, I should be practising.’ When travelling abroad by airplane, I can’t play the piano for two days. Then my fingers don’t move as usual. Though my fingers move, I feel that they are still sleeping. If I take a break from practising to play with friends, I make arrangements the day before. I tell my teacher [Mrs Ninomiya]. I don’t take a break just like that.

Q: You are still 14 years old. If you find you don’t like piano, will you want to give it up?

A: I don’t want to give up piano. Without piano I feel something strange.

“I have a hard time with exams. My mum will kill me!”

It is hard to strike a balance between schoolwork and piano practice. In February she went to Poland, Chopin’s home country, to perform one of his concertos at his centenary festival. While on the concert tour she realized that Chopin is loved by the entire nation. On her return home what awaited her was routine [school] examinations. As soon as we raised the topic of exams, her face showed dissatisfaction like a 14-year-old girl.

Q: Then you had a tough time with the examination, didn’t you?

A: Yes, tough! . . . My mum will kill me! (laughs). The night before I worked hard, but I found I wanted to listen to music. I interrupted my work to listen to some music. Then my mother came into my room and said ‘What are you doing?’ (laughs). I got sleepy when studying in the airplane. Although I took my school textbooks to Poland, I didn’t do anything.” (laughs)

Q: What is your favourite recreation? Is it playing with your friends?

A: Playing is fun. I’m happy shopping and listening to CDs.

At such times she listens to contemporary pop music like Amuro, Tohoshinki and BOA.

Q: She who likes Amuro says “I like Chopin”. Is there a difference between those “likes”?

A: I think there is a difference. As for “liking” Chopin, the sense is different from the others. What do I mean? (laughs) . . . Chopin’s music is very deep. The feeling with which he composed a piece is deep. I play Amuro’s melodies on the piano a little when my friends ask me to play the themes. But I don’t play them for myself. I sing Amuro with karaoke. I don’t want to play non-classical music on the piano.

Q: What aspects of Chopin do you like?

A: I can empathize with Chopin’s wide range of moods. When listening his music, I really do think he is a wonderful composer. One is allowed to play Chopin with some freedom in the tempo.

“Learning a lot, I want to make the best use of it for music”

On that day [at Matsuo Hall] she played Chopin’s Waltz no. 14 as well as the Nocturne. She said “I feel that the Waltz is fresh and I like it because I have not performed it so much.” Devoting herself to the piece, the tempo of her performance quickens a little — a habit she is conscious of. On that day, although she received praise from Mr Bunin for her performance, he commented with a wry smile that “The tempo of the waltz is a little fast.” However, she said “ I am honored that my problem was pointed out by Mr Bunin. People feel differently about the same piece of music. Listening to the opinions of various people, I want to make the best use of these for my performance.”

Q: Your characteristics, colourful tone etc, were especially obvious in the waltz. I think you should release a collection of waltzes!

A: I’d like to try to do that some time! (laughs).

Q: Which composers do you want to play in the future?

A: I haven’t played the works of modern composers . . Ravel, Debussy etc. . . so much. I would like to set myself the challenge of performing them.

Q: You have already given recitals at Carnegie Hall and Suntory Hall. What are your aims now?

A: I want to meet different people and to learn a lot, and I’ll make the best use of it for [my] music.

Overcoming her dislike of practising, she performs brilliantly by contemporary standards. What kind of pianist will she grow up to be in the future? Our expectations pin our eyes on her.

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