World War II had several repercussions in Japan? It was the powerful vehicle of education, and with it, music helped bolster the confidence of parents and children alike,? said Japan-born pianist Junko Ueno Garrett, in the city to perform a selection from the Romantics.

For the woman who had her first piano lesson at the age of three, music has become more than just a confidence-building tool. Her performance on Saturday ? which includes western classical and a few improvised Japanese pieces ? at Sandre Hall, Calcutta School of Music, is a result of a series of fund-raising shows. ?I did two fund-raising concerts in Tokyo and San Francisco to pay for my travel. After my last visit, I knew I wanted to come back,? says Junko. Her music has found a cause. ?With the tsunami crisis affecting so many here, I?d like to collect some funds during the concert,? she adds.

An experienced performer in Japan, she moved to the United States in 1989. In 1992, she debuted in South America. She has performed in France and across the US, both as a soloist and chamber pianist. Her husband David Garrett, a reputed American cellist, has been her musical companion through the years. ?We do play together a lot, but when it comes to travelling a great distance, like India for instance, it becomes rather expensive as the cello requires a separate ticket!? exclaims Junko.

While her musical repertoire is vast ? she often plays a different programme each week ? her performance in the city will comprise compositions from Rachmaninoff, Schumann, Scarlatti and Liszt. She will also be including improvised Japanese folk songs, for which she has composed the musical score. On her choice of composers, Junko smiles, ?It?s time for the Romantics right now, apart from Scarlatti of course.? Before each composition, she will give a little background history, to get the audience in touch with the mood of the lilting melodies.