Young pianist ends China tour with mood and music

In her latest album, Wonderland, released in September, Ott soaks in Grieg's music. The composer's life, lived in the woods, awoke Ott's own forgotten childhood memories.

"We live in a century where everyday life is dominated by time, money and materialism. Fantasies and dreams are things we have left behind," she says.

Born in Munich to a German engineer and his Japanese pianist wife, Ott grew up running around with boys rather than playing with her dolls.

Ott's love for the piano began at age 3, when her parents took her with them to a concert because they couldn't find a nanny. A year later, she was introduced to a piano teacher.

In 2002, at age 13, she became the youngest finalist in the history of the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition.

She also won top prizes at the Koethen Bach Competition the following year and the Val Tidone International Music Competition in 2004.

Her international career developed with a series of high-profile debuts in Europe, including a critically acclaimed performance of Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major with Zurich's Tonhalle Orchestra and conductor David Zinman in 2006.

At age 19, Ott, who can speak Japanese, German and English, signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon.

Her first album was a recording of Liszt's etudes that year. Then she recorded Frederic Chopin's complete waltzes in 2010.

But does early success mean high expectations of Ott?

"The worst pressure is something you put on yourself and you have to find a way to deal with it," she says.

She has two things to relieve pressure, which are also ways to warm her before concerts. One is milk chocolate: "Ten bars a day", she says. The other is Rubik's Cube (her best score is 55 seconds).

Based in Berlin now, the pianist says she likes whiskey.

When she returns from a tour, she usually goes to a bar with friends.

"That's the moment when I know I am home."