Tomoko Hagiwara was born in Japan, lives in the U. S., and
has traveled widely in Europe. So she knows the international nature of music. “When
I came to the U.S., I couldn’t speak English. The piano helped me communicate.
The piano speaks the international language of music, and the keyboard acts as
the translator.”
As a teacher in the conservatory, Tomoko has worked with
many students from other countries. She herself was the first Asian teacher
there, and notes how both the staff and student population now is much more
diverse. The love of music is visibly shared by people around the world who
gather together to learn how to express that love.
In particular, Tomoko recalls one Indonesian mother who had
five children who were all conservatory students. Tomoko noticed that the woman
stayed at the conservatory, and asked, “Why do you come to the conservatory?”
The woman answered, “Because I LOVE the beautiful music.” She also commented, “Everyone
carries a violin case, unlike in public school.” Music is the norm, not the
exception at the conservatory.
