Several classical composers created piano works specifically depicting or titled after May, highlighting spring themes, nature, and romant...

 While many famous "Spring" works are orchestral (like Vivaldi's  Spring  concerto or Stravinsky’s  The Rite of Spring ), seve...

 The winter Olympic Games are upon us. Tomoko's daughter Beata was an Olympics dance skater, and she continues in that profession. Beata...

The first snowfalls have arrived. Many piano composers lived in areas that experienced snow, which inspired the following pieces. Claude D...

  It’s the autumn season with leaves falling. When combining the idea of leaves and classical composers, two results are possible: piano pie...

Clowns have been a mainstay of entertainment – and sometimes insight – for centuries.  And those clowns might delight, amuse, or even sadden...

It's summertime: the prime time to see flowers in gardens and fields. Piano composers have been inspired by flowers, as these examples d...

 Several of Tomoko’s favorite composers were Romantics and were born in May. Here is a sampling of them. Wagner was born on May 22, 1813,...

  Fruit probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about piano music – except maybe the advice of the piano teacher...

 In the play "Twelfth Night," Shakespeare wrote: "If music be the food of love, play on." In reality, food can inspire c...

Tomoko enjoys films, and appreciates the music that is incorporated into them.  One specialized type of film is animated films, which starte...

  Piano playing knows no season. However, any season has more flavor when savored by playing a seasonal piano piece. Here are ten evocative ...

  Musicians are often inspired by nature. For instance, Tomoko likes to garden, and she sees the garden as a metaphor for musicians; both ta...