Program
J.S. Bach’s The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
About Atsuko
Atsuko Horiguchi has been an adult piano student at Levine for many years. She has studied with Leander Bien, Cecilia Cho, and, most recently, Sam Post. Along the way, she has performed in Levine’s Student Distinction Recitals, participated in a master class with Lois Narvey, and played at the Embassy of the Netherlands, St. Alban’s Church, and various private venues.
This is her first solo recital at Levine.
Atsuko is originally from Kobe, Japan. She began playing the piano at age four in São Paulo, where she made an appearance on Brazilian television. At seven, her family moved to New York, where she was accepted into the Juilliard School Pre-College Division. At ten, another move took the family back to Japan.
Despite the early start, piano receded into the background for the next several decades as she pursued her undergraduate studies at Johns Hopkins, a master’s degree at Harvard, and a career at the World Bank and International Finance Corporation. Piano never disappeared entirely, however: she played in musical theater productions, a jazz quartet, and even a rock band along the way. She returned briefly to classical piano in her mid-30s, studying with Leander Bien at Levine, but put it aside again as she raised a family and worked full-time.
Nearing 50, she came back once more, this time studying with Cecilia Cho, who encouraged her to pursue Levine’s Piano Performance Certificate Program. During a year living in Oslo, she also studied with Michael Endres at the Barratt Due Institute of Music.
In spring 2024, at age 62, Atsuko became the first adult student to complete Levine’s Level 10 Certificate Program with distinction.
With that milestone behind her, Atsuko returned 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. Being able to play the piece in its entirety has been her holy grail.
Atsuko is married to a Norwegian with whom she has two grown children and a dachshund named Pablo, after the cellist Casals. She is an executive coach, facilitator, and board member of World Connect. She enjoys reading, painting, hiking, yoga, water sports, knitting, and more.
Looking ahead, Atsuko hopes to make music with others, especially through chamber music.
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