'I live alone in an apartment in Hanover. It's a small city yet it has an incredible music school and is very popular among top music students. It's also convenient for travelling around Europe for concerts or pleasure.
I wake up about 9am, have breakfast and listen to some music. I need to hear music in the morning. It refreshes me. I love listening to all the classics. I have a large compact disc library and a lot of old recordings from many legendary artists such as Joseph Hoffman, the great Russian pianist, Alfred Cortot, the French pianist and, of course, [esteemed Ukrainian-born pianist] Vladimir Horowitz. I don't really have a lot of pop music. I have a lot of friends the same age as me and they like it and I know about the artists. If I had time, I would be interested in listening to it but, at the moment, I really don't have time.
I'm touring for six months and play about 60 concerts; the rest of the year, I'm studying and practising. Three or four days a week, I'll be in school studying music history, piano history, conducting, composers or chamber music. I'm doing the German equivalent of a master's course in music. I'm doing it because I'm interested in the history and that can really help me understand music more deeply. If I'm not in school, I get into my music room about 10am and study or listen to music until lunchtime. I never practise piano in the morning because I never have enough energy.
Lunch at home is about 1pm and I'll have fast food - Italian or Chinese noodles. There isn't much time, so it has to be quick. I like to cook and I think I'm quite good. Musicians like to cook because it's creative, like making music. If I have time - usually at the weekends - I'll invite friends over for dinner. I'll be in charge, but they'll help me. I'll get them to buy the ingredients, chicken or pork and vegetables, and they'll help me to prepare it.
My days are spent learning music and practising and I get very tired. It's like having a full-time job. I practise piano between 2pm and 6pm if I'm not going to school. Otherwise, I'll practise for just two hours. I need to make contact with piano; I need to talk to him for at least five hours every day because, in my mind, I'm creating every day. I need to ask piano many questions. I want to have answers; I need to know if something works or not. It's a very interesting relationship. Sometimes piano says 'yes' and sometimes he says 'no'; that's why I need to find out. Every day I have a lot of different ideas that I need to check. When you talk to piano, you will always understand more.
I have dinner at 6.30pm. Afterwards, about 8pm, I will practise for two more hours. If I'm tired, I'll sleep. If I have more energy, I will watch some news, a music channel or a movie, although that's usually at weekends with a friend. Bed is usually about 11pm.