Background
He is the son of David Y. Nakamatsu (San Jose engineer) and Karen F. Maeda Nakamatsu (city employee).
He is the son of David Y. Nakamatsu (San Jose engineer) and Karen F. Maeda Nakamatsu (city employee).
Studied piano privately with Marina Derryberry since age 6 (1974).
Graduated from Prospect High School, Saratoga, California, 1986
Associate of Arts Associate of Arts degree, Foothill College (community college), Los Altos Hills, California, 2000 (officially awarded long after degree requirements met)
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Arts degree in German Studies,, California, 1991
Master of Arts Master of Arts degree in, Stanford Graduate School of, California, 1992.
Right after the competition, he quit his job as a high school German teacher to pursue a career as a classical pianist. During the summer of 2005, Nakamatsu toured with the San Jose Youth Symphony in Spain, performing the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Number. 2, and in June 2007, he toured with the Peninsula Youth Orchestra to Budapest, Prague, and Teplice playing the same piece.
During the summer of 2008, he also toured with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra to China, playing Gershwin"s "Rhapsody in Blue." May–June 2007: Regular Jury member, Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, Fort Worth, Texas 2006-current: Company-Artistic Director of Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (with Jon Manasse) June 2000: Regular Jury member (preliminaries only), Second International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, Fort Worth, Texas June 1999: Regular Jury member (all three rounds), First International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, Fort Worth, Texas 1997–current: Full-time pianist Named Debut Artist of the Year in 1998 by National Public Radio’s Performance Today Was featured in Reader"s Digest in June 1998 Has been profiled on Columbia Broadcasting System Sunday Morning.