Recorded for a later TV broadcast at her Yokohama recital (Philia Hall) in November 2011. Here she's playing the very first notes of the Appassionata sonata. © NHK TV 2011/2102.

2010 — Age 14 to 15

Concert in Poznan, Poland, February

Part of Chopin Nocturne no. 20 in C sharp minor (encore). (YouTube, 2:41) Poznan, Poland, 21 February 2010. Also on the Polish Press Agency website here. Aimi was playing with the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marek Pijarowski.

Chopin, Waltz no. 14 in E min Op. posth. (YouTube, 2:19) Audio only from Poznan, Poland, 21 February 2010.

Chopin, Scherzo no. 1 in B min, Op. 20 (audio only). (YouTube, 9:58) Track from Aimi’s Debut CD posted by PTNA Japan. This CD is the one recorded in New York June 2008 but only released in Feb 2010.

Extracts from NHK TV feature on Aimi broadcast 29 March 2010. (YouTube, 1:36) This clip appears to be from a mangled rebroadcast by a TV station in Taiwan. The original 10 min feature by NHK TV was based around the performance at the Art Space Gallery, Machida City, Tokyo, the day before the broadcast. Probably unique on YouTube for showing Aimi’s handsome dad. The interviewer asked him: “Are you proud of Ms Aimi?” He replied “No, I don’t think [of it] like that. Her life is hard. She has little time to do anything apart from piano. When one tries to accomplish something difficult, one has to sacrifice a lot. As parents we sometimes feel that our daughter’s life is hard.”

Chopin, Etude 10 no. 4. (YouTube, 2:13) From TV Asahi Music Concert, broadcast 9 May 2010. More in next entry.

Chopin, Nocturne no. 20 in C sharp minor. (YouTube, 4:17) TV Asahi Music Concert (continued), broadcast 9 May 2010. Also on YouTube in a lower-resolution (360p) version. Between the étude and the nocturne she was asked by the program host, Yutaka Sado, why she paused so long before starting to play the étude. She replied that she has to wait for the music to sound in her head before she is ready to play.

Interview after NiuNiu’s “mini-concert” at Ginza Yamaha Concert Salon, Tokyo, 26 May 2010. Two clips (4:30 and ca 19 min) from this MusicNews link; Real Player add-on required. All in Japanese and Chinese. Once you’re on the MusicNews page that has the first clip you’ll find the second, longer clip under “Related Videos” on the right. Note that the interview was held after NiuNiu’s recital and not Aimi’s at the same venue on 17th April. Hence much of the conversation is with him. NiuNiu’s real name is Zhang Shengliang.

Chopin, Etude Op. 10 no 4 (part). (YouTube, 0:45) Crystal Café, RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka, Osaka, 24 October 2010.

Chopin Piano Concerto no. 2, complete. (YouTube, 32:26) In three HD links: 1st mvt (14:10); 2nd mvt (9:25); 3rd mvt (8:51). From TV Tokyo “Late Night Concert” with Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kimbo Ishii-Eto on 28 October 2010. Venue: Hitomi Memorial Hall, Showa Women’s University, Tokyo. Nocturne no. 20 encore played at this concert may no longer be available.

Chopin, Piano Concerto no. 1, first mvt. (YouTube, 19:32) NHK TV “Everyone’s Favourite Chopin” with Tokyo Junior Orchestra Society conducted by Toshiaki Umeda. Part of 4-hour live broadcast 31 October 2010. Aimi describes this concerto as “kakkoi”, or very loosely perhaps, “sexy”. Interviewed after the performance, she said: “This piece is more difficult to play technically and expressively [than concerto no. 2]. But I like it very much.” She plays it scintillatingly well, and the youthful orchestra is astonishingly good. A must watch despite the indifferent quality of the image.

2011 — Age 15 to 16

Trailer for film “Sleep” directed by Katsumi Sakaguchi. (YouTube, 1:24) Aimi played the piano soundtrack for the film, Japanese title “Nemuri Yusurika” (2011, 96 min), submitted as the country’s official entry at the 40th International Film Festival in Rotterdam. The film was released in Japan in November 2011.

Aimi recording soundtrack for film Nemuri Yusurika (Sleep). (YouTube, 4:46) Most of this clip is Aimi having a conversation in the control room, though the audio of that has been replaced by the piano soundtrack. Probably recorded back in 2010 when she was 15 as the clip released by Supersaurus in January 2011 (above) already had the piano on it.

Statement and interview related to 2nd CD release posted on a “Listen Japan” download page for tracks from the CD. There are two video links there (statement, 0:22, and interview, 3:26). Date unknown but ca 2nd CD release on 9 Mar 2011.

Clips from recital at Weill Hall (Carnegie Hall), New York, 3 April 2011. (YouTube, 3:37) Clips from a video of the event made by a Japanese TV team. Follows Aimi backstage, and perhaps especially interesting for showing how Mrs Ninomiya buoys Aimi’s spirits in those anxious moments before she goes on stage. In Japanese.

Excerpt from Appassionata sonata, end of 1st mvt. (Unavailable, 2:50) From TV Asahi “Untitled Concert” program broadcast 9 July 2011.

Fifth Yasuko Fukuda Scholarship auditions, Tokyo, August

Prokofiev, Sonata no. 3 in A minor, Op. 28. (YouTube, 7:07) Played at Fifth Yasuko Fukuda Scholarship Auditions, Tokyo, 23-26 August 2011. This is the performance on the last day, August 26th. Aimi won the competition. More in next entry.

Chopin, Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35. (YouTube, 20:36) Played at Fifth Yasuko Fukuda Scholarship Auditions, Tokyo, 23-26 August 2011, on the finals day, August 26th. Aimi’s third piece for the competition was Appassionata, but she didn’t play this on the last day.

Recital, Philia Hall, Yokohama, November

Recital, Philia Hall, Yokohama, 26 November 2011. Broadcast (in part) by NHK TV on 19 January 2012. Four links: Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 23, “Appassionata” (23:14); Chopin, Sonata no. 2, “Funeral March” (22:48); Chopin, Etude Op. 10 no. 5, “Black Keys” (2:07); Chopin, Mazurka no. 41, Op. 63 (3:20). Not included in the broadcast were Chopin Scherzo no. 1 and Prokofiev Sonata no. 3, which she also played at the recital.

Recital, St Petersburg, December

Mozart, Piano Sonata no. 18 in D major KV 576. (YouTube, 14.10) From recital in St Petersburg, Russia, 24th December 2011. Recorded by Christina Shatuho from the auditorium with handheld camcorder. Also see next entry.

Prokofiev, Piano Sonata no. 3 in A minor, Op 28. (YouTube, 8:01) From recital in St Petersburg, Russia, 24th December 2011. Recorded by Christina Shatuho from the auditorium with handheld camcorder.

2012 — Age 16 to 17

Chopin, Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23. (YouTube, 8:54) Played at 35th PTNA Piano Competition Prizewinners’ Concert held at Dai-ichi Seimei Hall, Tokyo, 20 March 2012. Aimi played at this event as the winner of the Yasuka Fukuda scholarship auditions held by the PTNA in August 2011.

Chopin, three études from Op. 10. (YouTube). No. 1 in C maj (1:58); No. 2 in A min (1:34); No. 5 in G maj, “Black Keys” (1:46). Played at PTNA charity concert 27 April 2012 at the Shibuya Cultural Center Owada (Densho Hall), Tokyo.

Scriabin, Sonate Fantaisie no. 2 in G sharp minor Op. 19. (YouTube, 11:26) Played in the 2nd round of the Gina Bachauer Young Artists Competition held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in June 2012. In the finals Aimi was placed third, after outright winner Leonardo Colafelice, 16, from Italy, and Bolai Cao, 15, from China.

Aimi discusses the film Natsunoinori with director Katsumi Sakaguchi. (YouTube, 9:11) In Japanese, recorded 12 August 2012. English title of the Film is “Atomic Bomb Home”, and Aimi appears to have contributed to the soundtrack (see video), as she did for this director’s previous movie “Sleep”.

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Page created 27 January 2010; last modified 31 December 2012

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