NOBU MAKES HIS ORANGE COUNTY DEBUT AS A PART OF THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY’S 2025-26 SEASON
(IRVINE, CA, October 10, 2025)—The Philharmonic Society of Orange County continues its 2025/26 season with the Orange County debut of acclaimed pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii (Nobu) in recital on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 3pm at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Nobu will perform Liszt’s To the Distant Beloved, an emotionally charged song cycle exploring themes of distance and longing; Beethoven’s powerful and dramatic “Appassionata” Sonata; Tchaikovsky’s beloved Nutcracker Suite; and Prokofiev’s intense and evocative “Stalingrad” Sonata. A pre-concert lecture will begin at 2pm.
Described by The Observer as the “definition of virtuosity” Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, who has been blind from birth, won the joint Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2009 and has gone on to earn an international reputation for the passion and excitement he brings to his live performances. Nobu is more than just a virtuoso; he is a symbol of perseverance and triumph. Overcoming the challenges of blindness, he has become an ambassador for inclusion and accessibility in the arts, using his platform to inspire others to pursue their dreams. His story is a testament to the power of music to transcend all obstacles.
Nobu’s 2024/25 season opened with an extensive concert tour of Japan with Robin Ticciati and London Philharmonic Orchestra. This was closely followed by a solo appearance with Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and a tour of Australia that saw Nobu appear as a concerto soloist alongside the Sydney, Queensland and Tasmanian symphony orchestras, and in recital at Melbourne Recital Centre and UKARIA Adelaide. He returned to the United States for concerts at Carnegie Hall, Civic Music Association Des Moines, La Jolla Music Society, ANA Honolulu Music Week, and as a soloist with Seattle Symphony Orchestra. European dates included performances with Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa, George Enescu Philharmonic Bucharest, Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and recitals at London’s Southbank Centre, National Concert Hall Dublin, Interlaken Classics, and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Earlier seasons have seen Nobu appear in concert with leading orchestras worldwide including Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, Philharmonia Orchestra, NHK Symphony, Seattle and Baltimore symphony orchestras, Münchner Philharmoniker, Filarmonica della Scala, Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich at the Wiener Musikverein, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi and Hong Kong Philharmonic.
An exclusive recording artist for Avex Classics International, Nobu’s growing album catalogue encompasses the breadth of the piano concerto repertoire. It currently includes Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Vladimir Ashkenazy and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Grieg’s Piano Concerto and Rachmaninov’s Variations on a theme of Paganini under Vasily Petrenko with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Yutaka Sado and BBC Philharmonic, and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Nobu has also recorded several recital programs of Chopin, Mozart, Debussy, and Liszt.
A live DVD recording of Nobu’s 2011 Carnegie Hall recital was named DVD of the Month by Gramophone, as was his latest DVD release, Touching the Sound –The Improbable Journey of Nobuyuki Tsujii, a documentary film by Peter Rosen.
Nobu was one of six pianists who were invited to perform for the new Pope Leo who is reputed to be a keen music lover. The six consisted of Gabriela Montero, Beatrice Rana, Francesco Piemontesi, Alexander Malofeev, Nobuyuki Tsujii, Aleksey Shadrin and Brad Mehldau.
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Ticket prices start at $31 and are available at the Philharmonic Society box office at (949) 553-2422, or online at www.philharmonicsociety.org.
ABOUT PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY:
Founded in 1954 as Orange County’s first music organization, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County presents national and international performances of the highest quality and provides dynamic and innovative music education programs for individuals of all ages to enhance the lives of Orange County audiences through music.
Since its inception, the Philharmonic Society has evolved and grown with the county’s changing landscape, presenting artists and orchestras who set the standard for artistic achievement from Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Yo-Yo Ma, and Renée Fleming to the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and many others. In addition, the Philharmonic Society celebrates multi-disciplinary performances under its Eclectic Orange brand and embraces music from a wide range of countries with its World Music performances. Its celebrated concerts introduce children to classical music with creative and inspiring performances, instilling music appreciation for future generations.
The Philharmonic Society’s nationally recognized Youth Music Education Programs, offered free of charge, engage more than 100,000 students annually through curriculum-based music education programs that aim to inspire, expand imaginations, and encourage learning at all levels. These programs are made possible by the Committees of the Philharmonic Society comprised of 500 volunteer members who provide more than 90,000 hours of in-kind service each year. As a key youth program, the exceptional Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble provide top-tier training to the area’s most talented young musicians through multi-level ensemble instruction, leadership training, touring opportunities, challenging professional repertoire, and performances in world-class venues. The Philharmonic Society also promotes life-long learning by connecting with colleges and universities to conduct masterclasses and workshops and providing pre-concert lectures to introduce audiences to program selections.
Adaora Onyebeke
adaora@philharmonicsociety.org
(949) 480-4014
Marie Songco-Torres
marie@philharmonicsociety.org
(949) 553-2422, ext. 230