“Three sensei…”

That’s what Thomas Yee said in this picture of himself, his former student Tyler Ramos and me after their wonderful concert tonight “An Evening of Music for Piano and Four Hands.” It was the first First Mondays concert of 2023.

[In case you don’t know, sensei in Japanese means teacher or instructor. However, none of us are Japanese!]

According to the bio in the program, Tyler Ramos began his piano study with the late Ellen Masaki in 2002 and cello study with her daughter, Nancy Masaki. After Ellen’s passing in 2009, Thomas Yee mentored Tyler for 8 years until 2017 when he graduated from the University of Hawaii with a bachelor’s degree in piano performance. Tyler received a master’s degree in piano from the University of Arizona and a doctorate degree from the Eastman School of Music.

Last November, Tyler began organ lessons with me and in two short months he is already working on Bach’s Fugue in G Minor!

The program included Mozart’s Sonata for 4 Hands in D Major, K. 381, Schubert’s Fantasía in F minor, Mendelssohn’ s Andante and Allegro Brillante, and ended with a four hand version of Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin, which was my favorite work on the program.

The program rightly called the two “piano virtuosi.” Their technique and ensemble was impeccable. As Tommy Yee said to me after the concert, it’s a real treat to play duets on the piano, because we don’t get to do it often.

I could say the same for playing duets on the organ!

Before the concert, I had a yummy Thai dinner with singer Jennifer Lane and her host, Beth Flint. Jennifer has been coming to Hawai’i ever since we engaged her to sing the alto solos in the St. Matthew Passion and she usually comes twice a year. She wondered whether we could get together before the concert, so I chose Chiang Mai restaurant on King Street.

Tomorrow I fly out to Kauai to teach my monthly organ lessons.