The Japanese musician Kotaro Fukuma is one of today’s most outstanding pianists. He has received many major awards in international competitions, including the Arthur Rubinstein (Tel Aviv), Maj Lind (Helsinki) or Gina Bachauer (Salt Lake City). He won both the First Prize and the Chopin Prize at the 15th Cleveland International Piano competition in 2003. The forthcoming album France Romance is Kotaro Fukuma’s homage to France, where he studied with Bruno Rigutto and Marie-Françoise Bucquet. He selected pieces linked to important experiences in his piano life.