[Breaking News] Attending the opening day stage greeting for the film 'Boonin: The Silence and Rebirth of a Genius Pianist.' A day drawn in 18 hours before the deadline

The afternoon of February 19th.

I was pushing through the final manuscript for my new Kindle book, “Concert Appreciation Notebook,” set for release on February 23rd.

Because I had set up pre-orders, I had to complete the data registration and publishing application on Amazon by 8:59 AM the next morning. There were 18 hours left until the deadline.

Honestly, I had no room to spare.

Just then, a message arrived from a friend in my online salon.

Would you like to go see a movie tomorrow morning? It includes an opening day stage greeting, she said.

The moment I saw the title, my hands stopped.

“Boonin: The Silence and Rebirth of a Genius Pianist”.

Moreover, Boonin himself was scheduled to appear at the opening day stage greeting.

That Boonin, whom we all admired during our student days.

We were thrilled by the news of his Chopin Competition victory, rented his records from rental shops to record them onto cassette tapes, and listened to them over and over on our boomboxes.

I didn't have much money, but I wanted to keep that sound with me.

He was someone whose very name made my heart race.

And now, that person would be standing in the same space.

I felt as if the version of me from back then, listening to Boonin on a boombox, was standing right there beside me.

It wasn't just a movie screening.

The friend who invited me knew that I had followed the 2021 Chopin Competition in real-time.

She also knew that those moments had led to the publication of my 'Chopin Competition Appreciation Notebook 2025'.

That is surely why she thought of me when this movie came up.

However, she didn't know that I am currently producing a new book, 'Concert Appreciation Notebook,' and that I was cornered 18 hours before the manuscript deadline.

Those days when I followed the Chopin Competition stream while suffering from sleep deprivation.

The time when I felt that just watching wasn't enough, so I wrote down the performance order and my thoughts.

I wanted to record it. I wanted to preserve it.

That accumulation took the form of an appreciation notebook.

I think many dots had already been placed.

And then, this day.

I felt like those dots had become a single line.

The book deadline was 18 hours away.

If I went to the movie, my working time would be cut even further.

I had my doubts.

Even so, I bought the ticket.

This is not a coincidence.

That is what I felt.

From there, it was an all-nighter.

At 5:30 AM, the publication application was completed.

I made it in time for the February 23rd release.

I had 45 minutes to sleep before heading out.

With almost no sleep, I headed to Shinjuku.

The venue was 109 Cinemas Premium Shinjuku.

Ryuichi Sakamoto oversaw the sound design for this theater, which boasts one of the best acoustic environments in Japan.

Leather reclining seats.

Popcorn and soft drinks are inclusive in the private lounge.

It is a space designed more for "listening to sound" than just "watching" a movie.

Actually, this was my second time visiting this theater.

Last September 2025, I visited for the first time to watch the film "Pianoforte". It is a documentary following the 2021 International Chopin Piano Competition. It was the one that made headlines when Kyohei Sorita won 2nd place and Aimi Kobayashi won 4th place. At the time, I was following the competition in real-time.

I don't usually go all the way to Shinjuku, but for this documentary film, I chose this theater because I wanted to experience the acoustics.

And today.

The opening day stage greeting for the film about Stanislav Bunin, the winner of the Chopin Competition.

A film that followed that competition, and the story of a pianist who symbolizes its history.

It felt like reading the next chapter in the same theater.

Actually, the last time I came to this theater was around the time I released my book, 'Chopin Competition Appreciation Notebook 2025'.

And this time, it is just before the release of my new book, 'Concert Appreciation Notebook'.

If you call it a coincidence, it is a coincidence.

But the time I have spent following music and the timing of my own book production are somehow overlapping.

Looking back later, I think it is a mysterious coincidence.

Lately, the flow of things has been too connected.

Just this month, I listened to Kyohei Sorita's performance of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2, where he conducted from the piano, from the audience.

That special stage where he serves as both pianist and conductor.

I have also recorded that experience on note from the perspective of the front row of the audience. You can find that article here.

While the lingering impression is still in my heart, now it's time for Boonin's story.

It felt as if events that were once just dots had finally formed a single line.

Concerts and movies are not just things to watch.

It's a common saying, but having prior knowledge allows you to realize, 'Oh, so that's what that scene meant,' which makes you want to know more and increases the enjoyment.

This time, I experienced exactly that.

The time I spent following the Chopin Competition in real-time.

The memory of listening to Kyohei Sorita's performance from the audience.

The fact that I have kept writing records of my experiences.

When those things overlapped, a single line in the movie resonated, connecting with the time I had spent until now.

Ah, so this is where it was leading.

There were moments when I truly felt that.

Even events that seem like coincidences can appear as an extension of the time you have spent pursuing something.

I think I was drawn to Boonin.


For the rest of this story, please see this article.

*The new book 'Concert Appreciation Notebook' I was working on under a deadline was released on February 23, 2026. It was compiled as a book for those who want to keep a record of their concert experiences.
*The Kindle version is for viewing only. If you wish to write in it, please use the paperback version.

Back then, in what kind of environment did you listen to Boonin?
Was it on a record player? Or a cassette player?

*For details about the film and screening information, please see the official website here.

*This article contains Amazon Associate (affiliate) links.