Basic Analysis of Piano Culture After World War II Using Big Size Piano Competition Data

Abstract

Though the piano is originally a European instrument, many Japanese people are more familiar with the piano than they are with Japanese instruments. Piano culture expanded in Japan during the period of high economic growth, namely from 1954 to 1973, and therefore today many in Japan play the piano. However, piano culture developed even more substantially following the period of high economic growth, especially from the 1980s onward. For example, during this period many of those learning to play the piano participated in piano competitions. This study focuses on piano culture in Japan from the 1980s. We analyzed the 1980s piano culture from the viewpoints of both interviews and mathematical analysis based on big size piano competition data.