The topic of student success is “hot” these days. How much
of their success is due to their teachers? Several studies state that the teacher
is the most important factor. That can certainly apply to Tomoko and her students.
She would assert that she sees the potential in her students, and helps them to
build their expertise and self-confidence. In either case, many of her students
have blossomed in their lives. Here are a few examples.
One of her students came from the area of Yugoslavia that
became Croatia. Tomoko encouraged her singing when the girl was a piano student
of Tomoko’s, and she become a professoinal singer. Another student, Cristina Igoa, went on the serve on the United Nations Commission on the Status of
Women.
Andrew Ahn, who was a student of Tomoko’s for ten years, is
now in London working on economics. He asserts, “After joining the working
world, I realized so clearly the impact Ms. Hagiwara had on my upbringing.
Everything I learned in her two-piano classroom has translated directly to the ‘real
world.’ Discipline, incredible work ethic, high standards, pressure cooker
situations, performing at the highest level, and acting with class are all
fundamental lessons I have embedded in my value system. With equal importance,
she vocalized her concept of ‘Yoshi!’ – the resilient spirit necessary in
finding a way to succeed no matter the challenges.”
Tomoko’s student Linda Poligono Webster is now in Canada as
an engineer. She met her husband Rocky Nevins as the Van Cliburn adult
competition, and they cofounded DataSea. She hadn’t known him when he was
Tomoko’s student. Linda states, “Tomoko is to this day an integral part of my
life. I hear her voice giving me advice when I'm in a difficult situation. I
hear her cheering me on when I need encouragement. I hear her challenging me to
have courage when I feel like giving up on something. More than just the gift
of music, Tomoko has taught me about what it is to have the highest standards
as a person: integrity, respect, honesty, and accountability, not just for
others, but also for myself.”
Another student of hers, Bora
Kim, said, “I wanted to be surrounded by the arts, to be sustained by the
creative energies and output of others and myself that shared this singular
passion for the arts.
My work at the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council enacts this
selfsame vision by bringing art and culture to the New York metropolis. If it
weren’t for the difficult years of training and what it meant to pour passion
into an art form, I would not be able to muster the hard work and dedication
into what I do. The teachings and contributions of Tomoko Hagiwara inevitably
factor into this, and I consider myself most fortunate to have taken part in
her tutelage and guidance. Without her influence, I would not have experienced
the transformative aspects of the arts.”
In her teaching, Tomoko feels that there is a “spirit of
family.” She has students who are very loyal to her, and study with her for a
decade or more. In turn, these students may reflect the importance of family in
their love of music. One student’s mother said, “Tomoko is like a grandma. She
says that practice is important in everything; she encouraged her students to
be self-award and self-disciplined.” Another student’s parent echoed the
affirmation: “Tomoko has raised so many children. We’ve all grown because of
that.”
