"What I Saw After Achieving My Dream Was an Illusion," Confesses Pianist Alberto Pizzo on the Reality Revealed in Aprile Dream

Our company supports April Dream, which aims to make April 1st a day for sharing dreams. This press release is the dream of "Musica Neve."

Two years ago today, Musica Neve launched an April Dream. Alberto Pizzo had achieved both of the two dreams he spoke of during that time. The article from that time can be found here.

・To release music recorded at Abbey Road Studios to the world.

・To have that music used in films and documentaries.

Now that he has achieved both, he is not satisfied.

Alberto Pizzo is a pianist from Naples, Italy, based in Tokyo.

Last year, he composed "Sky," the theme song for the Italy Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and served as a Yamaha Concert Grand Piano CFX Ambassador installed in the Italy Pavilion theater. His new album, 'Skylight,' featuring all 10 original songs including "Sky," will be released in 2025.

He also provided music for the film "Return to My Blue," directed by Yudai Noguchi, who has worked on NHK dramas such as "Anpan" and "Dousuru Ieyasu." The film was released in 2025.

In the previous year, 2024, he successfully held recitals in various countries around the world, starting with his dream Carnegie Hall performance.

So why does he say it was "an illusion"?

"I believe in Kotodama (the power of words)."

After a slight pause,

"Despite that, bad thoughts often precede, and I often make negative statements."

Alberto, who soared from Naples to the world and fulfilled his dream of performing on grand stages such as New York, London, Tokyo, and Seoul as a Yamaha Europe artist. However, what he confessed at the peak of his success was not just a sense of accomplishment, but that "the success he pursued was like an illusion that changed shape the moment he grasped it." Where do the artist's solitude and deep introspection come from, and where are they headed?

"Will people who couldn't grow up with peace of mind in childhood continue to live negatively thereafter?"

"Can self-esteem not be filled by effort?"

"Will a day of satisfaction ever come?"

"From the moment a dream is achieved, it feels like that dream is already crumbling."

Days of constant self-questioning.

Alberto always plays the piano first thing every morning. He starts with scale exercises to maintain his technique, then moves on to Baroque repertoire like Bach and Scarlatti, followed by Mozart, Chopin, Liszt, and depending on his mood, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Gershwin, and so on.

Then he takes a shower and meditates in his room.

After that, his routine includes student lessons, concert practice, creative activities, and meetings.

Once his work is done, he goes to the gym to train his body.

Then he plays the piano again. Sometimes he plays on a silent piano until late at night.

This style remains unchanged on weekends.

He is always stoic.

And every day, in fleeting moments, he says,

"Do you think I can do it?"

Meaning, can he overcome himself?

This has become a daily mantra.

We are all equally unable to choose the country, era, land, home, or parents we are born into.

Circumstances revolve.

Revolve? Unbreakable?

Dreaming of success, crawling up from the depths,

With the feeling of tearing apart chain-like connections,

Leaving his hometown,

One by one, taking his time,

Truly little by little,

He achieved his dreams.

Yet, why is he still not satisfied, feeling it's an illusion?

Some might call it a case of 'chuunibyou' (eighth-grade syndrome).

No, he knows the reason.

The endlessness of pursuing true music and connecting with the world through it.

And the meaning of continuation. The difficulty of maintenance.

The moment he achieved his dream, he learned the difficulty of continuing to achieve that dream.

For him, dreams are illusions.

"Dreams are never completed. They are reached, destroyed, and reborn."

No matter how much he chases, they flee. He lives by chasing dreams.

Perhaps it's too vague to call it a dream.

And perhaps it will be called idealistic.

The stage is momentary.

Composing for days, months,

Performing with techniques acquired over years,

Practicing for days for a few minutes of performance.

For what?

"To live."

"To live with everyone living in this world now, and for those who will live by listening to music even after I die."

If he is making music with such immense significance,

The verb "to achieve a dream" would never be in the past tense.

Those who are happy and feel joy now,

Those who are crying at this very moment,

Those who are emotionless from despair and heartbreak,

Those who lack the strength to even get up,

Those who are overwhelmed by daily life,

Those who cannot meet their loved ones,

Those who do not yet know the joy of love,

Those who have lost someone precious,

Those who cannot escape difficult circumstances,

He wants to connect through music to live.

He wants to be a musician worthy of that.

For that, he will do anything.

Perhaps due to his unfortunate circumstances, he still has nightmares.

That's why.

He wants to take deadly responsibility for his music, which might be heard by people in unknown circumstances, anywhere.

"I play to live."

That is his April Dream.

An eternally unfinished dream.

【Skylight ~ Seeking that fleeting moment where light shines through ~】

Improvisational concert with piano portraits

May 8, 2026 (Friday) 14:00 start (13:30 doors open)

Ginza Yamaha Hall (7th floor)

Performers: Alberto Pizzo (piano/composition), Masafumi Akikawa (tenor), Yuki Sunami (soprano), Yumiko Goda (cello), Luke Arthur Ryutaro Inoue (piano duet/arrangement)

Tickets: S seat Premium ¥13,000, S seat ¥10,000, A seat ¥8,000, Student ¥4,000

Details and application here:

https://retailing.jp.yamaha.com/shop/ginza/hall/event/detail?id=8211

In addition to "Portrait Piano," where he improvises a portrait for audience members who wish, he will perform from his new album 'Skylight,' which includes "Sky," the theme song for the Italy Pavilion at the Osaka Expo.

As special guests, he will reunite with tenor Masafumi Akikawa for "A Thousand Winds," and welcome a soprano, cellist, and piano duet partner.
Performers with solid classical technique will transcend the boundaries of classical music to pursue barrier-free music that everyone can enjoy. Please come and witness the moment new music is born from the beloved Concert Grand Piano CFX in Yamaha Hall, which has become like a home to me.