“I was born in a Small Island, on the southern tip of Japan named Okinawa. My father loved all kinds of music. As soon as he heard about a young American named Van Cliburn, who had won the piano competition in Moscow, he purchased our family’s first record player and a record to listen to Mr.Cliburn’s music. It was Tchaikovsky’s first piano Concerto. I was only five years old back then. It was the first classical music I’d ever listened to. I never imagined such beautiful and powerful music ever existed. When I went to sleep that night I had a dream. My dream was about me being a falcon, flying high thru mountains. Your Tchaikovsky’s music was playing while I was flying. I still remember that dream like it just happened yesterday.
Just like that falcon, I traveled around world. I graduated from University here in USA. I have three sons who’re all grown now. One of my sons studied piano at Julliard for a little bit, but he is now working as a Concept Artist in San Francisco. I did not go into music. I got a degree in Art, but I work as an engineer for one of the biggest companies here in the USA. I still listen to Mr. Cliburn’s Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto and think about that falcon. I have come a long way from that small island in Japan. I have fly away a long distance. I wanted to thank you for giving me that dream that night, Mr.Cliburn. I still have a long way to fly. I will keep listening to your music and move on.”
