Famous pianists you should listen to at least once. Recommended pianists.
Introducing famous pianists you should listen to at least once!
Even people who aren’t into instrumentals often find themselves listening to piano pieces, right?
Unlike the guitar, the piano isn’t an instrument you run through effects, so its tonal individuality can be hard to distinguish—but that also means it appeals to a wide audience.
Here, we’re introducing professional pianists who command the piano as if it were part of their own bodies!
We’ll feature not only international pianists but also Japanese pianists.
The explanations are quite detailed, so even those who regularly listen to classical music should enjoy this!
Now, please sit back and enjoy!
- Masterpiece Performances: Introducing Japan’s World-Renowned Pianists and Their Iconic Performances
- Masterpieces of classical piano that are too beautiful for words. A gathering of delicate tones that cleanse the soul.
- [Piano Variations] A comprehensive showcase of gem-like masterpieces crafted by great composers!
- It’s so cool if you can play these on the piano! A selection of irresistibly charming masterpieces.
- [2026] Jazz piano masterpieces: from standards to recent favorites
- [Ultra-Advanced] Even challenging for advanced players! A curated selection of highly difficult piano pieces
- Jazz Piano Masterpieces: From Classic Essentials to Contemporary Favorites
- [For Intermediate Players] Challenge Yourself! Recommended Masterpieces That Shine at Piano Recitals
- [J-POP] I want to listen to songs with impressive, beautiful piano tones! Recommended piano cover tracks
- [Obituary] Hôko (Hiroko) Nakamura Passes Away: A Collection of Quotes from the International Pianist
- [Classical] Famous Piano Works | Gem-like Masterpieces You’ll Want to Play at Least Once in Your Lifetime
- Famous jazz musicians. Players who have graced the history of jazz.
- Beginner to Intermediate: Chopin pieces with relatively low difficulty. Recommended works by Chopin.
Famous pianists you should listen to at least once. Recommended pianists (91–100)
Cerrone: Hoyt–SharmahornVicky Chow
Vicky Chow is a Canadian pianist.
The piece she performs is “Hoyt–Schermerhorn for Solo Piano and Electronics” by Christopher Cerrone, an American composer active mainly in New York.
It evokes a quiet vitality in the midnight space.
Piazzolla: Milonga of the AngelVincenzo Delli Noci
Vincenzo Deli Noci is an Italian pianist.
He is performing “Milonga del Angel” from the “Angel Suite” by the Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla.
This was recorded at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Famous pianists you should listen to at least once. Recommended pianists (101–110)
Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1Shimizu Kazune
Kazune Shimizu is a Japanese pianist born in Tokyo in 1960.
He has a deep interest in Beethoven and Chopin.
From shortly after his debut, he has been engaged with performing Chopin as something of a lifelong pursuit.
In this piece, the triangle is prominently used, especially in the third movement.
This was highly unusual at the time, and due to its unconventional structure, some even referred to it as the “Triangle Concerto.”
Chopin: Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 “Fantaisie-Impromptu” (Posthumous), and othersKAMIYA Ikuyo
Ikuyo Kamiya is a Japanese pianist born in 1946 from Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture.
Her repertoire spans from classical to contemporary works, and she is particularly known for her performances of Beethoven.
She also actively features works by Japanese composers.
Chopin composed four impromptus, and after his death, his friend Julian Fontana published the first one under the title “Fantaisie-Impromptu.” It is similar to Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” in key, structure, and mood.
Chopin: Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23Wakabayashi Akira
Akira Wakabayashi is a Japanese pianist born in 1965.
He performs widely, including appearances with orchestras in Japan and abroad—such as the NHK Symphony Orchestra—as well as recitals across the country.
In recent years, he has frequently performed with his wife, violinist Rieko Suzuki.
This piece is Chopin’s first Ballade, composed during his early years in Paris.
It has also been used in performances by figure skaters Mao Asada and Yuzuru Hanyu.
Bach–Busoni: Toccata and Fugue in D minorAurelia Shimkus
Aurelia Simkus is a pianist from Riga, Latvia.
She performs Johann Sebastian Bach’s organ piece Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, a highly popular and well-known work, in the piano arrangement by Ferruccio Busoni.
Bach: Harpsichord Concerto No. 1, 1st movementEvgenia Papadimas
Eugenia Papadimas is a pianist born in Greece.
She performs the first movement from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto No.
1 in D minor, BWV 1052.
In Bach’s time, the piano had not yet become widespread.