I use Shigeru Kawai SK-5 and Yamaha G3 in my studio
MY STORY
Moving has been an integral part of my life over the past twenty-eight years. Due to my husband's job as an U.S. Navy officer, I have had the opportunity to live in nine different locations throughout this time. Each move has presented itself as a valuable learning and growth experience. After all, you never know where the next big opportunities might be hiding! It was during one of these relocations that my musical journey began.
During our fifth move, when we resided in Virginia, I had the opportunity to pursue my lifelong passion for the piano while raising three young children. (As a child, I had taken piano lessons from the age of 7 until high school, and it had remained a cherished hobby of mine up until that point.) Over the course of four years, I dedicated myself to my studies and successfully obtained a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance with Cum Laude honors from Christopher Newport University, located in Newport News, VA. Throughout my time at the university, I had the privilege of participating in master classes conducted by renowned pianists such as Ivo Pogorelich, Christopher O'Riley (widely recognized for his national public radio show "From the Top"), and the esteemed Canadian pianist Ian Parker.
Ultimately, my academic journey equipped me with the necessary musical knowledge and invaluable performance experiences. Above all, the entire experience allowed me to develop a deeper and more profound appreciation for music.
During my years in school, I encountered a setback when I suffered an arm injury due to intense piano practice. This led me on a quest to uncover the underlying cause of such injuries even after I had graduated. My search eventually led me to a transformative encounter with Mrs. Ilinca Vartic, a graduate of the Russian piano school (MM from Theater and Fine Arts of Moldova in piano performance and teaching ) who had recently established her own online coaching program in 2012 called pianocareeracademy.com. Through this encounter, my entire perception of piano playing underwent a dramatic shift. (It is worth noting that Mrs. Vartic studied with highly-regarded piano professor Ludmila Vaverco, who herself was a student of the legendary Bertha Reingbald. Bertha Reingbald also taught Emil Gilels, a renowned pianist of the 20th century.)
I discovered that the Russian piano school (Please refer to the Russian Method page for a better understanding of the key difference between the Western and Russian piano teaching.) was where the true art of piano playing was nurtured and cultivated. This realization ignited a newfound mission and passion within me: to impart Ilinca's teachings, which were firmly rooted in the principles of the Russian piano school, to my own piano students.
My mission expanded further when I took on the task of translating the method books for children, "Tales of a Musical Journey Book 1 & 2" by Irina Gorin, into Japanese. These books, along with the accompanying "Handbook for Teachers," were self-published. By translating and introducing these materials to Japanese piano instructors, I aimed to provide them with a resource based on the principles of the Russian piano school. (Irina Gorin, The Gorin Institute)
To accomplish this, I conducted numerous seminars, some of which involved inviting Irina Gorin herself to Japan. These seminars served as a platform to introduce the method books to Japanese teachers. Between 2017 and 2019, I had the privilege of teaching over 200 piano teachers through these seminars and independently sold approximately a couple of thousand books, and still continues to sell today. The impact was significant, as many Japanese teachers embraced and adopted this method into their own teaching practices.
In addition, I took on the responsibility of translating and recording all 21 videos of the pedagogy course for teachers by Irina Gorin from English to Japanese. This extensive project was completed in 2021 and can be accessed on Vimeo, a video sharing platform. (vimeo.com/ondemand/otonokuni1~20) Furthermore, I have been introducing Ilinca Vartic and Irina Gorin's selected teaching videos with Japanese subtitles on my YouTube channel, Yuko Farman.
Besides my seminar and translation work, I have maintained a dedicated commitment to my own piano studies by studying under Mrs. Ilinca Vartic since 2012. This ongoing mentorship has allowed me to further refine my skills and deepen my understanding of piano performance. As a testament to my dedication in piano study, I successfully obtained a performance diploma (DipABRSM) from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) in 2018.
Following my graduation with a Bachelor's degree in piano performance, I have had four moves, taking me to Japan, Washington State, back to Japan, and eventually returning to Virginia where my husband retired from the U.S. Navy after thirty years of service in 2020, marking an important milestone in our lives. In each location, I actively sought out opportunities to perform as a collaborative pianist, working alongside instrumentalists, singers, and orchestras.
In 2014, I earned the title of Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) through the Music Teacher's National Association (MTNA), of which I am a proud member. Within my local community, I am an active participant in the Tidewater Music Teachers Forum (TMTF), where I serve as editor for the monthly newsletter, Stafflines. I also serve as co-president for the years 2023~2025. Since August 2019, I have been working as a teacher, providing written feedback to beginners and intermediate-level students within Mrs. Ilinca Vartic's esteemed online coaching program, PianoCareerAcademy.com. Since graduation, I continued to teach piano privately, nurturing the musical growth of my students.
My three children are all grown and I live with my husband and a rescue dog, Chessy.
Moving has been an integral part of my life over the past twenty-eight years. Due to my husband's job as an U.S. Navy officer, I have had the opportunity to live in nine different locations throughout this time. Each move has presented itself as a valuable learning and growth experience. After all, you never know where the next big opportunities might be hiding! It was during one of these relocations that my musical journey began.
During our fifth move, when we resided in Virginia, I had the opportunity to pursue my lifelong passion for the piano while raising three young children. (As a child, I had taken piano lessons from the age of 7 until high school, and it had remained a cherished hobby of mine up until that point.) Over the course of four years, I dedicated myself to my studies and successfully obtained a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance with Cum Laude honors from Christopher Newport University, located in Newport News, VA. Throughout my time at the university, I had the privilege of participating in master classes conducted by renowned pianists such as Ivo Pogorelich, Christopher O'Riley (widely recognized for his national public radio show "From the Top"), and the esteemed Canadian pianist Ian Parker.
Ultimately, my academic journey equipped me with the necessary musical knowledge and invaluable performance experiences. Above all, the entire experience allowed me to develop a deeper and more profound appreciation for music.
During my years in school, I encountered a setback when I suffered an arm injury due to intense piano practice. This led me on a quest to uncover the underlying cause of such injuries even after I had graduated. My search eventually led me to a transformative encounter with Mrs. Ilinca Vartic, a graduate of the Russian piano school (MM from Theater and Fine Arts of Moldova in piano performance and teaching ) who had recently established her own online coaching program in 2012 called pianocareeracademy.com. Through this encounter, my entire perception of piano playing underwent a dramatic shift. (It is worth noting that Mrs. Vartic studied with highly-regarded piano professor Ludmila Vaverco, who herself was a student of the legendary Bertha Reingbald. Bertha Reingbald also taught Emil Gilels, a renowned pianist of the 20th century.)
I discovered that the Russian piano school (Please refer to the Russian Method page for a better understanding of the key difference between the Western and Russian piano teaching.) was where the true art of piano playing was nurtured and cultivated. This realization ignited a newfound mission and passion within me: to impart Ilinca's teachings, which were firmly rooted in the principles of the Russian piano school, to my own piano students.
My mission expanded further when I took on the task of translating the method books for children, "Tales of a Musical Journey Book 1 & 2" by Irina Gorin, into Japanese. These books, along with the accompanying "Handbook for Teachers," were self-published. By translating and introducing these materials to Japanese piano instructors, I aimed to provide them with a resource based on the principles of the Russian piano school. (Irina Gorin, The Gorin Institute)
To accomplish this, I conducted numerous seminars, some of which involved inviting Irina Gorin herself to Japan. These seminars served as a platform to introduce the method books to Japanese teachers. Between 2017 and 2019, I had the privilege of teaching over 200 piano teachers through these seminars and independently sold approximately a couple of thousand books, and still continues to sell today. The impact was significant, as many Japanese teachers embraced and adopted this method into their own teaching practices.
In addition, I took on the responsibility of translating and recording all 21 videos of the pedagogy course for teachers by Irina Gorin from English to Japanese. This extensive project was completed in 2021 and can be accessed on Vimeo, a video sharing platform. (vimeo.com/ondemand/otonokuni1~20) Furthermore, I have been introducing Ilinca Vartic and Irina Gorin's selected teaching videos with Japanese subtitles on my YouTube channel, Yuko Farman.
Besides my seminar and translation work, I have maintained a dedicated commitment to my own piano studies by studying under Mrs. Ilinca Vartic since 2012. This ongoing mentorship has allowed me to further refine my skills and deepen my understanding of piano performance. As a testament to my dedication in piano study, I successfully obtained a performance diploma (DipABRSM) from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) in 2018.
Following my graduation with a Bachelor's degree in piano performance, I have had four moves, taking me to Japan, Washington State, back to Japan, and eventually returning to Virginia where my husband retired from the U.S. Navy after thirty years of service in 2020, marking an important milestone in our lives. In each location, I actively sought out opportunities to perform as a collaborative pianist, working alongside instrumentalists, singers, and orchestras.
In 2014, I earned the title of Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) through the Music Teacher's National Association (MTNA), of which I am a proud member. Within my local community, I am an active participant in the Tidewater Music Teachers Forum (TMTF), where I serve as editor for the monthly newsletter, Stafflines. I also serve as co-president for the years 2023~2025. Since August 2019, I have been working as a teacher, providing written feedback to beginners and intermediate-level students within Mrs. Ilinca Vartic's esteemed online coaching program, PianoCareerAcademy.com. Since graduation, I continued to teach piano privately, nurturing the musical growth of my students.
My three children are all grown and I live with my husband and a rescue dog, Chessy.