As pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii appears on stage at Tokyo¡¯s Suntory Hall, hand in hand with violinist Fumiaki Miura, the capacity audience that flocked to the Oct. 5 matinee gives a warm shower of applause in anticipation of the duo¡¯s performance.

Led by the soft chords of the piano, the quiet melody of a violin started Johannes Brahms¡¯ Violin Sonata No. 1, also known as ¡°Rain Sonata,¡± one of the two pieces from the duo¡¯s first joint album, released in June.

¡°As a pianist, I have (previously) mostly performed alone or in collaboration with orchestras,¡± Tsujii says. Born blind, the 31-year-old has an exceptional musical talent that his mother discovered at an early age. His parents nurtured their son¡¯s talent, giving him the best possible musical education, including the pianist course at Ueno Gakuen University.