Born in Kumamoto City, Ryoko Kihara graduated from Musashino Academia Musicae. She is the author of the piano method "Piano Land" series. The methods she proposed and disseminated, such as the "Two-Stage Introduction Method," teaching with duets and singing, using music data, and "counseling lessons," have significantly influenced the piano education world, becoming a best- and long-selling series with 1.8 million copies sold. She has pioneered a unique realm as a Japanese composer with works such as the piano collections Kokoro no Kobako (A Small Box of Hearts), Yume no Naka no Yume (A Dream Within a Dream), and Yasashii Manazashi (A Gentle Gaze). She gives special lectures at music universities, conducts seminars and concerts, and presides over study groups across the country, dedicating herself to the development of piano education. While engaging in non-genre activities ranging from classical to game music, her recent works, Mimi o Hiraku Kikitori-jutsu Code-hen (Opening Your Ears: Listening Skills - Chord Edition) and Piano Land Scale, Mode, Arpeggio, propose new directions in piano education, attracting significant attention. She has authored numerous books, CDs, and other works. web: http://pianoland.co.jp twitter: https://twitter.com/LiokoKihara facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiokoKiharaOfficial/