MichaelNanasakov

　Szymanowski is considered the greatest Polish national composer since Chopin. The Variations (Op. 10), which begins with a fantastical introduction, is a substantial work that requires a high level of skill to perform, and consists of a sad and beautiful melodic theme followed by ten variations. On the other hand, Barber's Sonata for Piano, which stands out among his piano works, is not only a masterpiece of American piano music, but is also said to be well in the tradition of European sonatas. In addition to the two works, Ponce's Intermezzo is a performance that draws you in with its sadness and subtle warmth, and this recording, which includes these works, offers a fine performance that shows off pianist Masanori Murakami's rich descriptive ability and sense of color to the fullest.

　Born in 1984 in Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture, Murakami began playing the piano at the age of 7. He once intended to specialize in music when he entered university, but chose that path for college because he was also interested in bioscience. He studied at Ritsumeikan University, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and at the graduate school of Ritsumeikan University, where he majored in Information Science and Technology, while also studying music.

　He has won various competitions in Japan, and while still a university student, he became the third Japanese in history to win the 18th International Grand Amateur Piano Competition in France, and has been featured in various media, including CHOPIN, Ongaku Gendai (Art Gendai-sha Co., Ltd.), Piano Book (Soshisha Creative), and NHK Radio Osaka. He has been featured in various media such as CHOPIN (Chopin Co., Ltd.), Ongaku Gendai (Art Gendai-sha Co., Ltd.), Piano Book (Soshisha Creative) and NHK Radio Osaka. She also performed Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Orchestre de la Garde Republicaine (conducted by Francois Boulanger) at the University of Sorbonne in Paris. His recital at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington D.C., U.S.A., sponsored by the Washington International Piano Arts Council (WIPAC), was featured in the Washington Post. He has given concerts in the U.K., China, and Germany, all to favorable reviews.

　Currently, while working in the clinical development of new drugs, he also performs as an amateur pianist both in Japan and abroad.