Today we’d like to introduce you to Mai Mizuno.
Hi Mai, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Mai Mizuno, and I’m a pianist and music educator based in Plano, Texas.
I grew up in a musical household in Japan. My mother is a pianist, so music was always part of daily life and I began playing the piano very naturally at a young age. When I was five years old, my family moved to the United States because of my father’s job, and I have lived in the U.S. ever since.
My mother gave me my first musical education, and when I was around nine years old I began studying with pianist and teacher Hans Boepple. Studying with him became an important step in my musical development.
When it came time to choose a path for college, I tried to be very honest with myself. Many of my classmates were academically outstanding and were heading to very competitive universities. I realized that studying at a desk for five hours a day probably wasn’t for me — but practicing the piano for five hours felt much more natural. Music felt like the place where I could truly focus my energy.
That realization led me to pursue piano performance in college. I eventually studied at Indiana University and continued on the path toward a professional life in music.
In 2018, I moved to Texas to pursue my Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of North Texas, where I studied with Cliburn Gold Medalist Vladimir Viardo. Studying with him was truly life-changing for me. He shaped not only my musical thinking but also the way I approach life. One of the most important lessons I learned from him is that believing in yourself also means taking responsibility for your own path.
During my time at Indiana University, I taught university students as an associate instructor. After moving to Texas, I also began teaching younger students, and it has been quite a journey. I’m proud of the teacher I have become.
Today I am based in Plano, where I do all things piano. I teach students of all ages and levels, from four-year-olds to adults. I perform both as a soloist and with other musicians, accompany local students for recitals, competitions, and UIL events, and serve as an adjudicator for competitions. I really enjoy the variety of work that I get to do.
I also love baking, and one of my dream projects is to create concerts where each piece of music is paired with a dessert — almost like a tasting menu, but for music.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the ongoing challenges in my career is maintaining my love for music while also making it my profession.
I try to live with the idea that my love for music has to come first. If I begin doing things only for money or external pressure, the spark that made me fall in love with music in the first place can start to fade. At the same time, music is also my career, so there is always a balance to maintain.
Music in my life is many things at once — a passion, a profession, and a lifelong practice. Being in the classical music world for so long, we are trained to be very critical of ourselves. I was also in school for a long time — thirteen years in higher education. Because of that, there can sometimes be a constant feeling that I should always be practicing or doing something to improve myself, along with the guilt that can come with it. Learning how to maintain that balance while keeping the joy of music alive is something I’m still working on.
Another challenge is staying active as a performer after finishing school. In school there are always recitals and concerts built into the program, but once you graduate those structures disappear. If you want to keep performing, you often have to create those opportunities yourself — organizing concerts, planning programs, and building your own performance opportunities.
In my teaching career, another early challenge was finding students and families who were the right fit. Teaching piano is a long-term relationship rather than a one-time interaction, so the relationship between teacher, student, and family really matters. Over time, I learned that being clear about my teaching philosophy and expectations through my website, policies, and social media helps attract students and families who are a good fit for my teaching style. I feel very lucky to work with such wonderful families now.
Every student is different. Some are easier to teach, some are not. Some are naturally talented, some are not. Some are more polite, some are not. Some love practicing, some do not. Some days are easier than others.
My job is to see the best in each student no matter what. That can be exhausting when I’m not in a great place mentally or physically, so I try to take good care of myself too. After all, I can’t be the teacher my students deserve if I’m running on empty.
It’s also always a challenge to balance fun and seriousness in lessons. My slogan is “having fun, seriously.” Every student is different in age, personality, and natural talents — both physical and musical — and I actually enjoy the challenge of figuring out what works best for each of them.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a pianist by profession, but at heart I think of myself simply as a musician.
I specialize in classical piano performance and teaching younger, pre-college students. I enjoy working with students as they grow in their musical journey and helping them build a strong foundation, both technically and musically.
My students would probably say that I’m nice, but that I also take music seriously. I’m patient, but I’m also honest when something needs work.
One thing I take pride in is doing thoughtful work and not cutting corners. Whether I’m performing, teaching, or working with students on a piece, I try to be fully present and give my best.
I’m also still very active as a performer, which I think is important for a teacher. Staying connected to performing keeps my teaching grounded and real. It’s easy to forget what it takes to walk on stage and perform for an audience, and I definitely teach better when I’m practicing regularly myself.
Another thing that shaped my approach is the opportunity to study with teachers from many different backgrounds, including Japan, the United States, France, Russia, Brazil, and Belgium. Those experiences exposed me to different ways of thinking about sound, technique, and musical expression, and they continue to influence the way I teach today.
At the end of the day, what matters most to me is helping students develop a real relationship with music — learning to love it, take it seriously, and believe in themselves along the way.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was a fairly quiet child, especially outside the home. I spent a lot of time doing creative things on my own.
To be honest, my relationship with the piano as a child was not always smooth. My mother and I argued about it quite often, and I remember strongly disliking practicing. I definitely went through a rebellious phase and tried to quit several times, especially right before entering high school.
Outside of piano, I loved drawing, making crafts, and building things with my hands. I was also very interested in baking from a young age. When I was in elementary school, my mother would often be teaching piano lessons at home, and I would be in the kitchen next door experimenting with different things to make.
That interest eventually grew into something bigger, and I actually started a small baking business last year, which has been a lot of fun.
Looking back, I think that curiosity and love of creating things has stayed with me and continues to influence both my musical life and my other creative hobbies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.maimizuno.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pianist_mai/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Maimizunopiano
Image Credits
Whimsy Hall
