Notes

Back in March, I was invited back to Cinefest 34 as one of their official accompanists. Cinefest is an annual film festival in Syracuse, NY, whose focus is on old films – silents and early talkies (you can read how it all started here). I played there from 2008 to 2010, and it was wonderful to be back – the festival staff and regular attendees remembered me and I received such nice, warm welcome-back greetings everywhere, even before I accompanied the first film.

Three years have passed since the East Japan Earthquake.

I am still lost for words when I try to talk about my feelings for what happened, and what’s been still happening in my motherland. I never dreamed of where we’d stand today, three years later, both personally and as a country.