Program
J.S. Bach’s The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
About Atsuko
Atsuko Horiguchi has been an adult student off and on at Levine Music for many years, studying with Leander Bien, Cecilia Cho, and, most recently, with Sam Post. Since joining Levine Music, she has participated in a master class with Lois Narvey, performed regularly at the Student Distinction Recitals, as well as at the Embassy of the Netherlands, St. Alban’s Church, and various private venues.
This is her first solo recital at Levine.
Atsuko’s meandering journey with the piano spans four continents and six decades. Born in Kobe, Japan, she started playing at age three in São Paulo — young enough to appear on Brazilian television. At seven, her family moved to the United States, and she was accepted into the Juilliard School of Music Pre-College Division. At ten, another move took her back to Japan, where piano continued, but more sporadically, in high school musicals, glee club, and church choir.
Music followed her inconspicuously through college (Johns Hopkins) and grad school (Harvard), showing up in the occasional theatre pit or jazz quartet. Then came a career in international finance — Merrill Lynch, the World Bank, and IFC — and piano quietly slipped to the periphery. She picked it back up briefly in her mid-30s with Leander Bien at Levine Music, then set it aside as she raised a family.
Nearing 50, she returned to piano yet again, this time studying with Cecilia Cho, who encouraged her to enter Levine’s Piano Performance Certificate Program. During a year living in Oslo, Atsuko also studied with Michael Endres at Barratt Due Institute of Music.
After all the detours, in spring 2024, at age 62, Atsuko became the first adult student to pass Level 10 — with Distinction.
With that milestone behind her, Atsuko turned to the piece that had captured her spirit for decades: Bach’s Goldberg Variations. She can still recall, with total clarity, being 21 years old and hearing Glenn Gould’s recording for the first time. Playing it herself has been a private dream ever since.
Beyond the piano, Atsuko is married to a Norwegian husband with whom she has built a vibrant family: a daughter, a son, and a dachshund (Pablo, named after the cellist Casals). She finds joy in reading, yoga, and all things outdoors. She is an executive coach, a facilitator, and a board member of World Connect. She leads the DMV graduate group of the Hoffman Process. For her, music has become a vehicle for self-discovery, expression, and connection with others. She hopes that her non-linear journey might inspire other once-musicians to return to their instruments later in life and rediscover the joy and power of music.
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