Among the many people who have contributed to the musical scene in the United States are the Japanese. Tomoko is a wonderful example: she was the first Asian and only the second woman to be hired as a faculty member at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has taught there for over fifty years, which is another great achievement.
Here is another notable Japanese pianist who has achieved
greatness.
Toshiko Akiyoshi, born in 1926, is a Japanese jazz pianist, bandleader,
composer and arranger. Similarly to Tomoko, she began piano lessons early in
life, focusing on Western classical music. After World War II, she played the
piano for U.S. service members stationed in Japan, and then performed with
visiting American jazz artists. With the Peterson jazz trio she recorded her
first album Amazing Toshiko Akiyoshi,
which had U.S. success. By 1955, Toshiko was considered Japan’s leading jazz
pianist.
Also like Tomoko, Toshiko came to the United States to study
music, and has remained in the States ever since, although she toured in Japan.
Her jazz compositions incorporated Japanese instruments, themes and harmonies. A
Buddhist priest asked her to compose a piece in remembrance of the Hiroshima
bombing; her three-part suite Hiroshima:
Rising from the Abyss premiered just weeks before the September 11, 2001
attack on the U.S.
Over the years Toshiko has been nominated for 14 Grammy
awards, and was the first woman to win DownBeat
magazine’s reader poll award as best composer and arranger. The U.S. National Endowment
of the Arts also named her as an NEA jazz master. The 1984 documentary Jazz Is My Native Language featured this
fine musician.
Both Japanese women demonstrate commitment to music, courage
to pursue their dreams, high quality professional performance, and sustained
long-term careers. And both have been honored by their peers. The United States
is fortunate to benefit from their contributions.
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