From Anime Monitor:

Yamada’s passionate storytelling is realized through her star character, Reiji, a violin prodigy with a troubled childhood. Reiji turns to music in order to escape his abusive family, and is enrolled in a prestigious music school. There, he meets his mentor Mitsuko whose own dreams of becoming a professional musician were lost due to a tragic injury. Mitsuko’s fun-loving nature and enthusiasm for living comes up against Reiji’s intense, single-minded passion for music. But together they find a common goal in Reiji’s dreams of success. Intense rivalries unfold against the backdrop of the musical world, while Reiji’s turmoil provides heightened emotional drama.