Learning to play the piano, and performing, depend to a
great degree on responsibility: to one’s self, to one’s teacher, to one’s
relatives and friends, to one’s peers, to the composer, and to the audience.
The first responsibility is to one’s self. “I interview
every student before I decide to accept being that person’s teacher,” says
Tomoko. Does that person want to learn? Do they seem like to want to make the
effort? She continues, “If you say you are going to take lessons, you are
taking on the responsibility onto yourself; it is not your parents’
responsibility.”
Especially if a parent pays for the lessons or buys the
piano, that person expects that the learner will honor that parent’s support. “You
are responsible for your own progress,” asserts Tomoko. “It is up to you to
make sure that you practice every day, with conscious intent.” Tomoko knows
that such responsibility can be hard, especially when there is a difficult part
of the piece. “Be steadfast, and think step by step,” advises Tomoko, “rather
than looking at the mountain top, and feeling overwhelmed.”
“It is also your responsibility to tell the teacher when you
have problems with a piece,” says Tomoko. “That is the teacher’s
responsibility. She has the expertise to know where the potential stumbling
blocks are, and how to overcome them.” The teacher and the student are on the
same “team,” working together responsibly to help the student master the piece.
At a recital, one’s peers also depend on each other to
perform to the best of their ability, and to support each other’s efforts. That
is acting as a responsible performer, and that responsibility extends to the
audience, in that the performer is responsible for trying to provide an enjoyable
musical experience. "The audience also has a responsibility to be respectful of the performer," reminds Tomoko, "The performer cannot control how they feel."
And, in the final analysis, there is a responsibility to the
composer: to play according to the intent of the composer, to respect his or
her musical creation.
It sounds – and is – a lot of responsibility, but one grows
from such responsibility, and can be proud of their efforts. "Responsibility is a very important human value," concludes Tomoko.