Nakamatsu returns to Auburn for Adams series

There are not very many examples of overnight successes in classical music. Jon Nakamatsu is one of the few.

In 1997, he was teaching German to high school students in the San Francisco Bay area while doing some “moonlighting” as a pianist. But that same year, he was named the gold medalist of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

When performers win the world-renowned competition, which is held every four years, they tour around the country and abroad. Needless to say, Nakamatsu's life immediately changed.