Japanese blind prodigy gets joy in music

TOKYO - It has been over 10 years since pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii released his first CD. Having gained his fair share of experiences at home and abroad, the 29-year-old has successfully transcended his reputation as a blind prodigy and matured into one of the country's foremost talents in the field.

"Compared to before, when I would just play with a lot of impulse, now I'm more composed," he said.

Tsujii began taking piano lessons at age 4 and soon after was being heralded as a child genius. He released his first CD in 2007 and entered the spotlight in June 2009 when he became the first Japanese to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He has since enjoyed exceptional popularity for a classical music artist, with his latest recital tour, which ended this week, selling out long ago.