Koji Hirata encountered the bandoneon, a type of concertina, at the young age of 13. While it¡¯s common for a teenager to take up a musical instrument, Hirata showed an unusually high level of commitment when, at 16, he took a solo trip to Argentina to learn it.
¡°I thought there was no other way to learn the bandoneon than going to Argentina,¡± Hirata, now 32, says. ¡°I wanted to know how the real maestros performed it.¡±
The aspiring musician left his hometown of Yokohama and went to Buenos Aires, where he studied under the late bandoneonist Carlos Lazzari. His one-month stay at the renowned musician¡¯s home exposed him to the ¡°soul of tango.¡±
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