A Surprise in Texas
In May 2009, 29 young contestants came from all over the world to compete in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth Texas, the most prestigious prize in the music world. This is the story of one of them, a 20 year old from Tokyo, Nobuyuki Tsujii, blind from birth.
'Nobu fever,' became a term in the world of Classical music after Nobuyuki Tsujii won the 13the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. 

Tsujii, who is clearly relishing the newfound notoriety, said: 'I donÂ’t think I myself have changed because of the 'fever.Â’ But it has come as a surprise. I did not know I had become so famous and now, with so many offers to perform, I have to say 'noÂ’ for the first time.'


Though classical music is more popular in Japan than in many other countries, there has never been anything like the mania there over a homegrown concert musician before, his agents said.


National newspapers reported his Cliburn win on the front page — the fact that ChinaÂ’s Haochen Zhang shared top honors was hardly mentioned. More than 30 TV crews covered TsujiiÂ’s airport arrival, according to reports from Japan.


JapanÂ’s Chopin Piano magazine issued a glossy, 78-page special issue about TsujiiÂ’s victory, and a publisher announced that his achievement would be noted in a new public-school textbook.


After Tsujii said at a news conference that it would be a relief to his parents when he married, a flood of mail came from female fans.

A female TV journalist was roundly attacked for insensitivity after asking Tsujii what he would like to see if his sight was restored for a single day.


The reply, however, won Tsujii kudos: 'IÂ’d like to see the faces of my parents. But I already see them every day with my heartÂ’s eye.'