What was it that made you start playing the piano?

My sister, who is two years older than me, started to learn and I wanted to do the same. However, I was a student who never listened to what the teacher told me to do (laugh), so it must have been difficult for my teacher and my parents.

So, you had an idea of how you wanted to play since you were a child. Had you already decided early on that you wanted to be a pianist?

It was around the age of 15 that I decided to take the piano seriously. When I attended a seminar, there was a concert at the end of it, and Ms. Akiko Ebi complimented me on my performance. I was very happy when she said, “I look forward to seeing what you will accomplish in the future”. It was a time when I was struggling, as I would compare myself with others. But I decided to challenge myself to do better in response to the warm words given by such a great teacher.

Then you went on to study at the Purcell School in London.

I wanted to study with Mr. William Fong who taught me at that seminar. Mr. Fong was a great teacher who could see the music from a larger perspective and he gave me the opportunity to try out a lot of different repertoires. It changed the way I practiced, and I began to participate more actively in competitions.

 You are currently studying at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar.

I wanted to study with Prof. Grigory Gruzman with whom I now study. I had some connection with Prof. Gruzman, as I had a lesson with him at the seminar in Dusseldorf and he was also a jury member of the International Franz Liszt Competition for Young Pianists in 2014 which I took part in. Another big factor was that my mother thought that I would be able to learn a lot by studying with Mr. Gruzman.

As we see in your performance and career today, it seems that Mr. Gruzman’s guidance has really brought great things to you.

Yes, he has helped me develop tremendously. His knowledge is extensive, and he always helps me to think about why a composer wrote in a certain way, and teaches me how to use my body efficiently to produce a good sound. He is very demanding when it comes to sound, and he always tells us, “Not one note should be meaningless”.

You won the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition in 2021. Could you tell us why you decided to participate in this competition? 

I had no specific goal in mind. I just wanted to challenge myself so that I could pursue my own musical development. At that time, I had been studying with Mr. Gruzman for only about six months, and I was still going through many changes, so I never thought I would win a prize.

Ms. Nakagawa, you have achieved remarkable results in many competitions, and I feel that it is your sincere attitude towards music that has captured the hearts of many people. When I heard your recital at Hamarikyu Asahi Hall the other day (11^th of September in 2024), I felt that your sound was truly beautiful, and that every note seemed to be speaking to us as if they were words.

Fundamentally, music is not for competing, but it is for the audience to enjoy. And I think it is the same in the case of competitions. Of course, since judgements are given, it is difficult not to be conscious of these results when challenging oneself, but I think it is important to give a performance that one enjoys and is happy with, rather than to be obsessed with it. I believe that this ultimately leads to good results.

There are more opportunities to hear you perform in Japan in the near future. In 2025, on January 10th and 11th, you will perform at the New Year’s Concert with the Fuji Shizuoka Symphony Orchestra.

 I will perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1. I played Chopin’s Concerto No. 2 in the finals of the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition, but this will be my first time to play No.1, so I am very much looking forward to it. Chopin is one of my favorite composers whom I studied a lot at the junior course of the Robert Schumann University of Music and Media when I was a junior high school student. There is something about Chopin that moves me every time I play his works.

The piano for this concert will be a Shigeru Kawai piano by KAWAI.

Pianists are to play on a different piano at each venue, so we’re always apprehensive about whether we can produce the sound we want. However, when there is a Shigeru Kawai piano, I feel confident that “Today, it will go well!”. There is a depth in the sound and the range of sound is diverse which helps to create new ideas when playing. If you compare it to colored pencils, you can imagine that what you can draw with 12 colours differs from what you can draw with 24 colours. Also, the response of the keys is so great that it is easy to feel how you are moving the hammers. I feel as if I am connected to the instrument. I will be performing a new piece in this concert, but I am sure the Shigeru Kawai piano will help me.

You also have a CD coming out from King International, and I look forward to your upcoming activities. Please tell us about your plans for the future.

I am about to graduate from university, and I am considering where to go next. I would like to continue my studies as well as my performance activities. I would also like to play all the sonatas by Mozart so I am currently in the process of gradually expanding my repertoire. I would like to prepare myself well for the day that you will hear my performance.