“Composers have special power,” contends Tomoko. They
express feelings and ideas through the language of music, “just as an author
creates through the language of words.” Those composers each represent
different lives and ways of thinking. Tomoko continues, “Behind the composing
is the philosophy of the composer. And that philosophy does not change.” It is
the identity, the integrity, of the composer. “They have their idea what is
best for them,” assert Tomoko.
Where does this power originate? “ I feel sorry for them
because they can’t explain their creative power,” says Tomoko. Even though the
tools are the same, the results are unique. What makes a note the right one?
How does a phrase convey thought? How does the music’s movement rise above the
score it is written on? “You have to respect every composer,” Tomoko explains. “Composition
is hard work. Each composer creates a unique sound and interpretation. It’s
very complicated.” Tomoko maintains that “They are tough guys.”
But composing is more than text. It is more than one-way
communication. It is a conversation.
Composers resonate with its performers and the audience. The
music rings straight to the heart, and the sound created by the composer
reverberates throughout the body and the soul: both in its performance and in
listening to it.
And that music can empower the performer and the listener. It
adds value to their lives and makes them better people. Music unites the composer
and the audience, and brings out their best selves at the same time that it
affirms a sense of belonging with each other and with higher powers.
It is no wonder that Tomoko believes that “composers are
guardian angels.”
