Kotaro Fukuma in concert

"A fabulous pianist and at 28 years old a prince among his peers," published The Independent in 2011. Kotaro Fukuma began piano studies at the age of 5 and won important prizes in international competitions in cities such as Santander (Paloma O'Shea), Tel Aviv (Arthur Rubinstein), Helsinki (Maj Lind) and Salt Lake City (Gina Bachauer). In 2003, at age 20, Kotaro won First Prize and the Chopin Prize at the 15th Cleveland International Piano Competition. Since then his artistic career has developed on five continents (North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia).

He has played in major concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center in New York; Wigmore Hall, London; Philharmonie and Konzerthaus, Berlin; Gwandhaus, Leipzig; Salle Olivier Messiaen, Paris; Victoria Hall, Geneva; National Auditorium, Madrid; Mozart Hall, Zaragoza; Suntory Hall and Opera City, Tokyo.

For the concert at GAM, their repertoire includes:

Mozart: Sonata in A minor Kv.310
Chopin: Sonata no.3 in B minor Op.58
- entract -
Tchaikovsky: Suita "Swan Lake" (transcription by F.Noack)
1. Scène, 2. Valse, 3. Danse des Cygnes, 4. Moderato, 5. Danse Russe
Toru Takemitsu : Rain Tree Sketch (1982)
Smetana : La Moldau (transcription by K.Fukuma)