Storytelling lies at the heart of Japanese pianist Yu Kosuge's art.
"I loved to write, and when I was a child, I would write a story for each piece I played," says the soft-spoken 24-year-old in English. "Back then I would imagine dances with elephants or squirrels. Now my stories are a little more complicated, more intimate, emotional." She pauses. "I hope," she adds, laughing.
Kosuge's own story has seen her move nimbly from success to success, avoiding the hype of the usual competition route to fame, and along the way navigating the treacherous waters from child prodigy to adult musician.