21. WRR Classical 101.1 FM: The First Radio Station In Texas, Est. 1921 Celebrated pianist jon nakamatsu visits the WRR Studios in Fair Park. Back Row Greg Davis, jon nakamatsu, Philip Lewis Front Row Mike Holbrook. http://www.wrr101.com/wrr_info/event_photos/nakamatsu.shtml

Celebrated pianist Jon Nakamatsu visits the WRR Studios in Fair Park. Back Row: Greg Davis, Jon Nakamatsu, Philip Lewis Front Row: Mike Holbrook Past Photo Features Dallas Bach Society 2002 Picnic In The Park 2002 Ultimate Electronics Plano 2002 July 4th Irving Symphony ... Picnic In The Park 2001 This site is optimized for viewing at 1024 X 768 pixels, with text size set to "medium." Listen Live Bulletin Board Playlist Arts Calendar ... Home

22. Metroactive Music | Jon Nakamatsu The Real Draw pianist jon nakamatsu is a classical marquee name. Idol Hands. pianist jon nakamatsu enjoys localhero status at San Jose Symphony performance. http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/06.14.01/nakamatsu-0124.html

Music Index San Jose Metroactive Central Archives The Real Draw: Pianist Jon Nakamatsu is a classical marquee name. Photograph by Ellen Appel Idol Hands Pianist Jon Nakamatsu enjoys local-hero status at San Jose Symphony performance By Scott MacClelland J UDGING FROM the applause between movements, it must have been a long time ago when Leonid Grin and the San Jose Symphony played Brahms' Piano Concerto no. 2. Just when you think an audience was inspired to attend because "absence makes the heart grow fonder," you run right into that rock-hard disillusionment known as "out of sight, out of mind." Silly me! It was neither of the above, but rather "local boy makes good," Jon Nakamatsu, who was the real draw. Winner of the 1997 Van Cliburn Competition (without benefit of a conservatory education), Nakamatsu continues to enjoy matinee-idol status here at home. Brahms, eat your heart out. For better or not, Nakamatsu made the German composer his own. That is to say he exchanged the work's familiar muscle and grandeur for a kind of miniature version of itself. From the evidence of last Saturday's performance (and the list of concerto collaborations in his bio), Nakamatsu is still on the scanty end of orchestral experience. Where a minimal loudness is required by the terms of orchestral collaboration, Nakamatsu indulged himself in an intimacy that at times disappeared from the aural radar screen altogether.

23. MetroActive Music | Jon Nakamatsu pianist and the string quartet will make the sort of impression that will compel their return in another season. The Miami String Quartet with jon nakamatsu http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/01.12.00/nakamatsu-0002.html

Music Index Santa Cruz MetroActive Central Archives Conservatory Values: Not conservatory trained, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition winner Jon Nakamatsu has an artistry of personal insight. Miami Virtues Jon Nakamatsu soars on Schumann with the Miami String Quartet By Scott MacClelland U NFORTUNATELY FOR THEM, the ambassadors from Fort Worth, do not enjoy diplomatic immunity. As soon as the glare of celebrity shines on them, legions of critics are waiting in the darkness behind the bright lights to eat and digest them in print. Such is the price of winning the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held in Texas. And like those who have gone before him, Jon Nakamatsu, gold medalist of the 1997 Van Cliburn, has learned to put distorting critics behind him and to focus on his art instead. After all, his mastery in competition only opened the door to his real education, that of mastering the repertoire, coming to terms with the great composers of different centuries, searching his instincts for vision and growing his art. The high school German teacher from Cupertino who electrified audiences and competition judges alike in Fort Worth makes his local post-Van Cliburn debut Thursday with the Miami String Quartet at UCSC's Music Recital Hall. However, the occasion does not give primary billing to Nakamatsu, who is scheduled to appear in only one of three works on the program, Schumann's celebrated Quintet in E flat, Op. 44.

24. SHIMMERING PREMIERE, UNRUFFLED PIANIST SHIMMERING PREMIERE, UNRUFFLED pianist By Paul Hertelendy artssf.com, the independent observer of San 107 SAN RAFAELI want to see jon nakamatsu muss his hair http://www.artssf.com/marinsym06107.html

SHIMMERING PREMIERE, UNRUFFLED PIANIST By Paul Hertelendy artssf.com, the independent observer of San Francisco Bay Area music Week of May 3-10, 2004 Vol. 6, No. 107 SAN RAFAEL-I want to see Jon Nakamatsu muss his hair. Either figuratively, or literally. This unlikeliest of piano stars with that Cinderella background comes meticulously prepared, every note in place, just so, every pedaling and crescendo as if programmed. But some time soon, he will have to inject some abandon, spontaneity and true emotion to make his concertos come fully to life. You know that fabulous Nakamatsu saga: An Education major out of Stanford, he was an obscure German teacher in a South Bay high school bent on a piano career despite his small stature, his small hands, his lack of prestige-conservatory pedigree, and his reluctance to blow his own horn. Astonishingly, he came out of nowhere and won two gold medals against top competition at the 1997 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Texas, which provided the space-shot launch for an excellent career in the Beethoven-to-Rachmaninoff romantic repertory. (Returning from the Cliburn win, the soft-spoken Nakamatsu delivered a classic one-liner when asked what would say to his German class: "Auf Wiedersehen!")

25. Bronson Piano Studio Date, Review, Organization. 10/10/99, pianist jon nakamatsu, Salinas Concert Association. pianist jon nakamatsu. By Lyn Bronson. On a warm http://www.bronsonpianostudio.com/reviews/101099r1.htm

Reviews of Musical Events on the Monterey Peninsula Lyn Bronson, Editor P.O. Box 1801 Carmel, CA 93921 Phone: (831) 624-7971 Fax: (831) 625-3717 E-mail: LBronson@redshift.com http://www.BronsonPianoStudio.com/reviews.htm Date Review Organization Pianist Jon Nakamatsu Salinas Concert Association Pianist Jon Nakamatsu By Lyn Bronson On a warm Sunday evening, October 10, The Salinas Concert Association launched its 1999-2000 concert season with a bang by presenting Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medal winner, pianist Jon Nakamatsu in a solo recital on the main stage of the Hartnell College theater. With a highly dramatic backdrop depicting the afterglow of a New Mexico sky and the pianist illuminated by a brilliant spotlight in a darkened hall, there was a touch of Las Vegas showbiz about the event, but when it came to the playing it was all genuine, no nonsense music making. A capacity audience was there to enjoy the event, and, as it turned out, they were not to be disappointed. The program for the evening consisted of solo works by Bach, John Field and Chopin. Looking supremely elegant in his concert tails (two sets of custom-made, full dress tails from Neiman-Marcus were part of his Gold Medal award at the 1997 Van Cliburn Competition), Nakamatsu projects an air of self-confidence in his demeanor that is echoed in his music making. He is always in control and the music pours forth effortlessly from his fingers.

26. Bronson Piano Studio Date, Review, Organization. 01/04/04, pianist jon nakamatsu in Recital, Steinway Society The Bay Area. pianist jon nakamatsu. by. David Beech. http://www.bronsonpianostudio.com/reviews/010404r1.htm

Reviews of Musical Events on the Monterey Peninsula Lyn Bronson, Editor P.O. Box 1801 Carmel, CA 93921 Phone: (831) 624-7971 Fax: (831) 625-3717 E-mail: LBronson@redshift.com http://www.BronsonPianoStudio.com/reviews.htm Date Review Organization Pianist Jon Nakamatsu in Recital Steinway Society The Bay Area Pianist Jon Nakamatsu by David Beech The internationally celebrated Bay Area pianist Jon Nakamatsu made a welcome return visit to Le Petit Trianon, San Jose for the Steinway Society The Bay Area, filling the 360-seat hall on both Saturday, January 3 and Sunday, January 4, 2004. Although his first appearance in the hall years ago had seen him placed second in the Society’s Young Artists’ Competition, he went on, of course, to win the Gold Medal at the 1997 Van Cliburn competition with exceptional performances of classical, romantic and modern works. The concert under review here found him in excellent form, with only a slight regret that there was no modern music in the program, which was limited to the period between about 1800 and 1860. Nakamatsu has recently been advocating the sonatas of Joseph Wölfl (1773-1812), having recorded four of them, and he began his recital with the E major sonata, Op. 33 No.3. The opening

27. Jon Nakamatsu In The Bay Area 25 Piano Concerto 16 in D Major, K. 451 jon nakamatsu, pianist. Thursday, August 5, 2004 - 730pm Villa Montalvo, Saratoga. Friday http://www.nichibeitimes.com/wwwboard/messages1/10314.html

Jon Nakamatsu in the Bay Area Follow Ups Post Followup Nichi Bei Times Discussion Board FAQ Posted by Hiko Ikeda on March 10, 19104 at 09:21:25: Piano Concerto #16 in D Major, K. 451 - Jon Nakamatsu, Pianist Thursday, August 5, 2004 - 7:30pm Villa Montalvo, Saratoga Friday, August 6, 2004 - 8:00pm Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 6:30pm Gundlach Bundschu Winery, Sonoma Sunday, August 8, 2004 - 7:00pm St. John's Presbyterian Church, Berkeley Click Follow Ups: cialis: cialis Cialis cialis ... Post a Followup Name: E-Mail: Subject: Comments: : Piano Concerto #16 in D Major, K. 451 - Jon Nakamatsu, Pianist : Thursday, August 5, 2004 - 7:30pm Villa Montalvo, Saratoga : Friday, August 6, 2004 - 8:00pm Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco : Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 6:30pm Gundlach Bundschu Winery, Sonoma : Sunday, August 8, 2004 - 7:00pm St. John's Presbyterian Church, Berkeley Optional Link URL: Link Title: Optional Image URL: Follow Ups Post Followup Nichi Bei Times Discussion Board FAQ

28. INKPOT CONCERT REVIEWS: 7th International Piano Festival - Jon Nakamatsu - 29 Ju the favorite the favorite was Yakov Kasman, the outstanding Russian pianist. hearing the Gold Medal disc by nakamatsu there is no wonder that jon took the http://inkpot.com/concert/pf00naka.html

Thursday 29th June, 2000 Victoria Concert Hall 7th International Piano Festival Rising Stars of the New Millenium Haydn Sonata No.33 in C minor Chopin Fantasie in F minor, Op.49 Chopin Three Mazurkas, Op.59 Chopin Scherzo No.3 in C-sharp minor, Op.39 Tchaikovsky Theme and Variations in F, Op.19 No.6 Rachmaninov Sonata No.2 in B-flat minor, Op.36 Encores Severac Waltz Romantic Chopin Fantasie Impromptu Chopin Heroic Polonaise Mendelssohn Songs without words No.? Chopin Nocturne Op 9 No 2. Jon NAKAMTSU piano OVERALL NOISE RATING: 4.5 (Mobile phones still going off, plastic bags being shuffled around, people coming late despite the new time of 8.30- Well that’s our gracious society for you.) The Noise Rating Index is a partially-objective measurement of pager and handphone blasts, 9pm and 10pm watch beeps, coughing-during-the-pianissimo-bits, intra-audience conversation and other mind-bogglingly inept noises emitted in the concert hall during actual performance of music. It is measured on a scale of to 5, in increasing annoyance. This review has been kindly sponsored by the Singapore Symphonia Co. Ltd

29. INKPOT#73 CLASSICAL MUSIC REVIEWS: 10th Van Cliburn International Piano Competit jon nakamatsu piano (Gold Medallist). to homecoming winning basketball teams like the Chicago Bulls or Olympic medallists; but for a pianist that s practically http://inkpot.com/classical/vanclib10g.html

Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (1998) Igor Stravinsky Four Études, Op.7 Johannes Brahms Sonata in C Major, Op.1. Frederic Chopin Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise in E-flat major, Op.22 William Bolcom (b.1938) Nine Bagatelles (Commissioned specially for the competition) JON NAKAMATSU piano (Gold Medallist) HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907218 [62'32"] full-price by Johann D'Souza INKTRODUCTION. It is not uncommon for Americans to give ticker-tape parades to homecoming winning basketball teams like the Chicago Bulls or Olympic medallists; but for a pianist- that's practically unheard of. Well, that is exactly what happened to Van Cliburn, the tall Texan, when he won the First (ever) Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow in 1958. A virtual unknown on Russian soil, he was soon to be the favourite going into the finals. The Russians were shocked but not surprised for Cliburn possessed charm, charisma, stature and not forgetting good technique. Practically every major classical recording star has won a major competition, Martha Argerich - the Chopin Competition; Vladimir Ashkenazy - 2nd Tchaikovsky Competition 1962; Murray Perahia - Leeds Piano Competition; Kristian Zimmerman - Chopin Competition and the list goes on and on. In fact it is now a great belief that one needs a major competition to bolster one's career. Major competitions like the Leeds, the Arthur Rubinstein Competition, Tchaikovsky and Chopin Competitions give the winners major career breakthroughs, with engagements at various major halls and festivals, recording contracts with major labels like DG, EMI or Teldec (who can normally afford the crème de la crème). Past winners of the Van Cliburn competition in recent years have included Jose Fenghali and Alexei Sultanov.

30. Featured Artist On June 8, 1997, pianist jon nakamatsu was named the Gold Medalist of the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He http://harmoniamundi.com/featured_artist.asp?Artist=34

31. Featured Artist On June 8, 1997, pianist jon nakamatsu was named the Gold Medalist of the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He http://harmoniamundi.com/hmuk2/featured_artist.asp?Artist=34

32. Pianist - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia A performing classical pianist usually starts playing piano at a very young Ivan Moravec; Benno Moiseiwitsch; jon nakamatsu; Tatiana Nikolayeva; John Ogdon; Garrick http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pianist

Pianist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A pianist is a person who plays the piano A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an orchestra or smaller ensemble , or accompany one or more singers or solo instrumentalists A performing classical pianist usually starts playing piano at a very young age, some as early as three years old. Many well-known classical composers were able pianists themselves; for example, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ludwig van Beethoven Franz Liszt Frederic Chopin ... Robert Schumann , and Sergei Rachmaninov were all virtuoso pianists. Some pianists have special preferences as to which composer's music they play. Most western forms of music can make use of the piano. Consequently, pianists have a wide variety of forms and styles to choose from, including jazz classical music , and all sorts of popular music Well-known or influential classical pianists: Martha Argerich Claudio Arrau Vladimir Ashkenazy Gina Bachauer ... Rosalyn Tureck (also famous for her harpsichord playing) Fou Tsong Mitsuko Uchida Arcadi Volodos André Watts ... Ben Folds See List of jazz pianists Well known blues pianists include: Ray Charles also jazz, and

33. Honolulu Star-Bulletin Features said. It really wouldn t mean anything if there wasn t the human side to it. . Asian Youth Orchestra with pianist jon nakamatsu. In http://starbulletin.com/1999/08/26/features/story4.html

Thursday, August 26, 1999 By Nancy Wilcox, Special to the Star-Bulletin Jon Nakamatsu performs with the Asian Youth Symphony. Pianist exhibits gentle mastery of his music By Tim Ryan Star-Bulletin HONG KONG Pianist Jon Nakamatsu steps off the silver train that takes 20 minutes to reach downtown Hong Kong from the airport. He pulls a small, wheeled suitcase as he searches the 5 a.m. crowd at Central Station for his ride to the hotel. When someone mistakes him for one of the 106 students attending the Asian Youth Orchestra "Rehearsal Camp" in Hong Kong, Nakamatsu smiles, saying: "You're very kind." "I'm the soloist playing with AYO," the 30-year-old whispers. "I'm Jon Nakamatsu." The former high school German teacher from Sunnyvale, Calif., who two years ago won the Gold Medal at the 10th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, is as modest as he is talented. The AYO kids with whom Nakamatsu plays tomorrow and Saturday at first eyed Nakamatsu with admiration and disbelief. "He looks so young," one says. "Look how strong his hands are, but he touches the keys so gently," says another.

34. Honolulu Star-Bulletin Features pianist jon nakamatsu, in his third tour through Hawaii in four years, is always a pleasure to hear. Last year, he performed Rachmaninoff s Concerto No. http://starbulletin.com/2002/01/08/features/story3.html

CLICK TO SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Tuesday, January 8, 2002 Pianist Nakamatsu outstanding in concert "Jon Nakamatsu Plays Chopin": Repeats at 7:30 p.m. today at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Tickets: $15 to $55. Call 792-2000. Review by Ruth O. Bingham Special to the Star-Bulletin Pianist Jon Nakamatsu, in his third tour through Hawaii in four years, is always a pleasure to hear. Last year, he performed Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 1 with the Honolulu Symphony; this year, it was Chopin's Concerto No. 2, working with guest conductor Anne Manson. Chopin's Concerto, beloved by many, is not a Concert Hall regular. "It's a piano piece," Nakamatsu said. "Orchestras don't like to program it because the orchestra just has a lot of whole notes while the piano does all the work." Moreover, the tempo varies almost constantly, and in spite of all those whole notes, Chopin's two concertos "are two of the most difficult concertos to put together with an orchestra. To do this in two rehearsals is quite a feat." There are other reasons as well. The first movement is not one of the most inspired and is redeemed only through the second and third movements. Also, that Chopin was not an orchestral composer is something of an understatement, and he was prone to occasional lapses in judgment. To cite only one example, Chopin allows the piano to dominate throughout, only to hand the reins over to the orchestra in the final moments, leaving the pianist to sit through the climactic close. The audience, naturally enough, tries to clap when the pianist finishes and is startled back into silence by the orchestra getting in the last word.

35. CCAC: Where To Find Performing Arts jon nakamatsu, pianist Program for Sunday April 25, 2004 Westminster Presbyterian Church Auburn, New York Joseph Wolfi Sonata in E Major, Op. 33, No. http://www.cayuganet.org/arts/activities/performing/

Pianist Nakamatsu Returns to CNY P ianist Jon Nakamatsu will perform a solo recital on Sunday April 25 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 17 William St, Auburn. The 2 pm concert, hosted by the Cayuga County Arts Council and Westminster Presbyterian Church, concludes Auburn¹s 3rd annual Adams Foundation Piano Recital Series. No stranger to Central New York audiences, Nakamatsu has performed with both the Syracuse Symphony and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestras, in addition to recording with the RPO. ³Jon Nakamatsu is a truly wonderful artist, and a good friend and colleague of myself and the Rochester Philharmonic,² reflects RPO conductor Christopher Seaman. ³We have done many concerts with him, comprising of concertos with the Orchestra, chamber music with some of our musicians, and a most successful CD of Rachmaninov concertos. His mastery of the piano, his artistry and ability to communicate make him one of my favorite soloists.² ³Nakamatsu performed the Rhapsody (on a Theme of Paganini) with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra in October (2001) and captured audiences with his imagination and understated showmanship. He is a craftsman blessed with a compelling mix of emotion and precision...² wrote David Ramsey in a Jan 6, 2002 Syracuse Post-Standard review of Rachmaninov Piano Concert No. 3 , which he recorded with the Rochester Philharmonic on Harmonia Mundi Recordings. The pianist will reunite with the RPO for a June 28 concert at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in Vail, Colorado.

36. National Arts Associates - M-N-O CincinnatiAlumnae 1997. * = deceased. Nadeau, Roland pianist, Boston Alumnae 1983; nakamatsu, jon - pianist, San Francisco Alumnae 1999; Nelson, Dr http://www.sai-national.org/mship/naam.html

National Arts Associates Mabry, George Mabry, Dr. Sharon - educator/vocalist, Delta Pi Macurdy, John - bass, Greater Hartford Alumnae 1992 Mailman, Dr. Martin - educator/composer, Denton Alumnae Mancini, Henry * - composer/performer, Delta Omega Marie, Mother Anne - educator, Philanthropies 1985 Marriner, Neville - conductor/violinist, Minneapolis/St. Paul Martina, Harold - pianist, Greater Hartford Alumnae 1989 Matson, Dr. Sigred - educator/composer, Iota Kappa 1983 Maves, David - composer, NEB Convention 1978 McBeth, Dr. Francis - educator/composer, Epsilon Delta McCarthy, Sr. Margaret Williams * - C.S.J, educator/author, Boston Alumnae McCoppin, Peter - conductor, Epsilon Theta McCormick, Robert M. - percussionist, Delta Chi McCoy, Mark - composer/conductor, Eta Tau McElheran, Brock - educator/conductor, Gamma Delta McEwen, Dr. Douglas - educator/conductor, Beta Eta McGill, Allen - cellist, Fort Lauderdale Alumnae McGlaughlin, William

37. Www.parkerartists.com/nakamatsu.html It s not often that Liszt s Piano Concerto 1 receives the kind of silky lyricism and fleetfingered virtuosity that pianist jon nakamatsu provided. http://www.parkerartists.com/NewPages/nakamatsu.html

A native of California, JON NAKAMATSU claimed a distinguished place on the international musical scene in June, 1997 when named the Gold Medalist of the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, the only American to have achieved this distinction since 1981. A former high school German teacher, he became a popular hero overnight in the highly traditional medium of classical music. Vienna: Scenes from a Musical Revolution . Summer, 2004 includes Mr. Nakamatsu’s returns to San Francisco’s Midsummer Mozart Festival, Connecticut’s famed "Summer Music at Harkness" festival and Colorado’s Strings in the Mountains, and Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival for another performance with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Rhapsody in Blue , hosted by President and Mrs. Clinton. Jon Nakamatsu's extensive recital tours throughout the United States and Europe have featured debuts in New York City (Carnegie Hall), Washington, DC (John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts), Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Miami, Houston, San Francisco, Paris, London and Milan. The recipient of the Steven De Groote Memorial Award for his semifinal round chamber music performances at the Cliburn competition, he has subsequently collaborated with various chamber ensembles, among them the Brentano, Manhattan, Miami, St. Lawrence, Tokyo and Ying String Quartets. In both 2000 and 2002, he toured the United States with the Berlin Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet. In July 1999, Jon Nakamatsu made his debut at France's Evian Music Festival and, one year later, he returned to the Tanglewood Music Festival, the famed summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has also appeared at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival with Christopher Seaman and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Festival Casals de Puerto Rico, performing with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Carl St. Clair, and at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Tacoma International Music Festival, Lincoln's Meadowlark Music Festival and California's Midsummer Mozart Festival.

38. Mercury News 05/09/2004 A PIANO PARTNERSHIP a concert pianist, Derryberry moved to Sunnyvale in 1964, at age 26, and began to teach. By the time David nakamatsu asked for lessons for jon, Derryberry had http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/2004/05/09/living/8625829.htm

39. Mercury News 05/09/2004 Nakamatsu, Tilson Thomas Share nakamatsu played music by Beethoven and a sonata by Joseph Wölfl, a nowobscure contemporary of Beethoven s. ``jon is such a wonderfully stylish pianist and http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/2004/05/09/living/8625816.htm

40. A Hero S Welcome What pianist jon nakamatsu appears in concert as part of Stanford Lively Arts Chopin Celebration. When Show times are 230 and 8 pm Sunday. http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/cover/1999_Oct_15.ARTS15.html

Publication Date: Friday Oct 15, 1999 A hero's welcome Cliburn medalist Jon Nakamatsu returns to Stanford as part of the Chopin Celebration by Jim Harrington Jon Nakamatsu probably dreamed of this on more than one occasion while studying at the Stanford Coffee House or grabbing a quick bite at Tresidder: One day, he would return to the university a hero and perform a sold-out show at Dinkelspiel Auditorium. The demand to hear the young pianist would be so great that organizers would be forced to add a second show. Now it's a reality. The 1997 gold medalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition returns to his alma matter on Sunday for two highly anticipated concerts as part of Stanford Lively Arts' Chopin Celebration. Since winning the Cliburn, Nakamatsu has catapulted to the top ranks of classical pianists and now is in demand all over the world. Nakamatsu, 31, took an unusual route to fame. He grew up in San Jose studying piano in private lessons. After graduating from Prospect High School in San Jose in 1986, he attended Foothill College before transferring to Stanford. At Stanford, he didn't study music but instead chose to get a bachelor's degree in German studies and then a master's in education. "I'd known that I wanted to make music a career, but not knowing what would happen, I wanted to have something else (as well)," said Nakamatsu during a recent telephone interview from his home in San Jose.

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