“Harmony is important,” asserts Tomoko. It is certainly a core sensibility
in her life.
Tomoko remembers taking music theory when in secondary school, which included
harmony. She and her classmates would sing in harmony in front of the classroom.
The girls would perform in duets and quartets, personifying the core of musical
harmony.
In turn, Tomoko weaves in music theory in her piano lessons. She says,
“At the beginning, the child needs to learn the basics, like arithmetic
tables.” She points out the importance of understanding a composition’s
structure and patterns, just like mathematics. “And we strive for harmony.”
Tomoko also notes the link between harmony and mathematics. Both
require precision and order. Both deal with proportion and use pattern
creatively. Music is very measured, and mathematics has a certain rhythm.
Einstein, who played the violin for his own pleasure, loved Mozart because of
the composer’s expression of universal harmony,
Tomoko says of harmony: “There is something creative about harmony: it
is stimulating.” Tomoko continues, “Art is supposed to have a sense of a group;
it is communication.”
When people are in harmony with music, they are at peace and yet
energized. Tomoko talks about culture’s
impact on music. “I have a student from India. Each country has a traditional
music. The people in each country meet for a unique reason. During their
gatherings a special harmony is produced, and even the way to perform that
ritual music is unique.”
The saying “to make beautiful music together” is a sure sign of harmony,
a sign that should be heard around the world.
