MY STORY
Moving has been a part of my life for the last twenty-four years. My husband’s job took me to nine different locations along the way. Every move was learning and growing experience. You never know where the next big opportunities lie! My musical journey started out of such an experience.
On our 5th move, when we lived in Virginia, while raising my three small children, I had an opportunity to go back to school in pursuit of my life long passion for piano. In four years, I earned a Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance with Cum Laude from Christopher Newport University (Newport News, VA). During school years, I have had the honor of receiving master classes with world renowned pianists such as Ivo Pogorelich, Christopher O’riley (well-known for his national public radio show “From the Top”), and Canadian Pianist Ian Parker. I also was a finalist at a couple of piano competitions. In the end, school prepared me to be a good musician, giving me all the needed musical knowledge and performance experiences. Most importantly the whole experience allowed me to appreciate music in more profound way.
During school years, I suffered from arm injury owing to intense piano practice, which led me to research the cause of injury even after graduating from school. I found the definite answer by meeting Ilinca Vartic who is a Russian piano school graduate and had just started her own on-line coaching program in 2012 and my way of perceiving the piano drastically changed. Russian piano school is where the true piano art is taught. Consequently, it became my mission and passion to pass Ilinca’s teachings, which are entirely based on the Russian piano school, down to my own piano students.
My mission expanded to teaching Japanese piano instructors when I translated the method books for children based on the Russian piano school, “Tales of a Musical Journey” by Irina Gorin into Japanese language. (Book 1 & 2 and “Handbook for teachers”, self-published by the author.) I have conducted many seminars, including inviting Irina Gorin to Japan, to introduce the method books to Japanese teachers. Between 2017 and 2019, I have taught more than 200 piano teachers through my seminars and sold about 1,000 books on my own. Many Japanese teachers converted to this method. As a result, my effort to spread this method in Japan was recognized by Yamaha and I am currently working with Yamaha to publish the books under its name. At the same time, I continue to inspire piano teachers around the world to disseminate the correct method of piano playing with Irina Gorin including inserting Japanese subtitles for Irina Gorin's teaching videos. (YouTube channel: Yuko Farman)
Aside from conducting seminars, I continue to study with Ilinca Vartic since 2012. I obtained a performance diploma from ABRSM (DipABRSM), Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, in 2018 as part of my commitment in piano study.
Since August 2019, I am working as a teacher, providing written feedback for beginners and intermediates at Ilinca Vartic's on-line coaching program, PianoCareerAcademy.com, as my achievement in piano study was recognized.
After the graduation with BM in piano performance, I had four moves: Japan, Washington State, Japan, and again Virginia. In every location, whenever I found the opportunities, I have performed as a collaborative pianist for instrumentalists, singers, and orchestra as well as teaching piano privately. In Washington State I earned the title of Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, NCTM, through the Music Teacher’s National Association of which I am a member.
My three children are all grown and I live with my husband and a chocolate labrador retriever, Mocha.
Moving has been a part of my life for the last twenty-four years. My husband’s job took me to nine different locations along the way. Every move was learning and growing experience. You never know where the next big opportunities lie! My musical journey started out of such an experience.
On our 5th move, when we lived in Virginia, while raising my three small children, I had an opportunity to go back to school in pursuit of my life long passion for piano. In four years, I earned a Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance with Cum Laude from Christopher Newport University (Newport News, VA). During school years, I have had the honor of receiving master classes with world renowned pianists such as Ivo Pogorelich, Christopher O’riley (well-known for his national public radio show “From the Top”), and Canadian Pianist Ian Parker. I also was a finalist at a couple of piano competitions. In the end, school prepared me to be a good musician, giving me all the needed musical knowledge and performance experiences. Most importantly the whole experience allowed me to appreciate music in more profound way.
During school years, I suffered from arm injury owing to intense piano practice, which led me to research the cause of injury even after graduating from school. I found the definite answer by meeting Ilinca Vartic who is a Russian piano school graduate and had just started her own on-line coaching program in 2012 and my way of perceiving the piano drastically changed. Russian piano school is where the true piano art is taught. Consequently, it became my mission and passion to pass Ilinca’s teachings, which are entirely based on the Russian piano school, down to my own piano students.
My mission expanded to teaching Japanese piano instructors when I translated the method books for children based on the Russian piano school, “Tales of a Musical Journey” by Irina Gorin into Japanese language. (Book 1 & 2 and “Handbook for teachers”, self-published by the author.) I have conducted many seminars, including inviting Irina Gorin to Japan, to introduce the method books to Japanese teachers. Between 2017 and 2019, I have taught more than 200 piano teachers through my seminars and sold about 1,000 books on my own. Many Japanese teachers converted to this method. As a result, my effort to spread this method in Japan was recognized by Yamaha and I am currently working with Yamaha to publish the books under its name. At the same time, I continue to inspire piano teachers around the world to disseminate the correct method of piano playing with Irina Gorin including inserting Japanese subtitles for Irina Gorin's teaching videos. (YouTube channel: Yuko Farman)
Aside from conducting seminars, I continue to study with Ilinca Vartic since 2012. I obtained a performance diploma from ABRSM (DipABRSM), Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, in 2018 as part of my commitment in piano study.
Since August 2019, I am working as a teacher, providing written feedback for beginners and intermediates at Ilinca Vartic's on-line coaching program, PianoCareerAcademy.com, as my achievement in piano study was recognized.
After the graduation with BM in piano performance, I had four moves: Japan, Washington State, Japan, and again Virginia. In every location, whenever I found the opportunities, I have performed as a collaborative pianist for instrumentalists, singers, and orchestra as well as teaching piano privately. In Washington State I earned the title of Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, NCTM, through the Music Teacher’s National Association of which I am a member.
My three children are all grown and I live with my husband and a chocolate labrador retriever, Mocha.