New Year in Japan

Tomoko remembers how people celebrated the new year in Japan. 

In Japan, Tomoko grew up in a Protestant family, and she converted to Catholicism when in college. On New Year's Eve, Catholics remember St. Sylvester:  the 34th pope who died on December 31st. More known is January 1: the solemnity of Mary. Traditionally, many Japanese families visit shrines to give respect to their ancestors and to with for a happy new year: a practice called Hatsumode. As with Lunar New Year, families might give their children a red envelope with some money: otoshidama. 

Tomoko likes to get up early, so she may have watched the first sunrise of the year: a practice known as Hatsuhinode.

Tomoko also remembers her mother cleaning the house. New Year has been a time to fresh starts, so Tomoko's mother probably followed the tradition of oosouji: big cleaning. 

Food hold special meaning for Tomoko On New Year's Eve her family would likely have eaten soba (buckwheat noodle soup) on New Year's Eve. On New Year's Day they might have eaten ozoni: a vegetable and chicken soup that is associated with long life. Mikan, a citrus fruit that resembles a tangerine, might also have been eaten at that time.  

Regardless of the culture, Tomoko agrees that New Year's a good time to start out right -- with MUSIC! May 2023 be harmonious. 

Christmas in Japan

 

Tomoko grew up in Japan, and celebrated Christmas because her family was Christian. Now Christmas is Japan is more popular and more commercialized. Here are some of the ways that people in Japan currently celebrate this holiday.

In Japanese Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Meri Kurisumasu', written in the two Japanese scripts like this; Hiragana: めりーくりすます; Katakana: メリークリスマス. Santa is known as サンタさん、サンタクロース / Santa-san (Mr Santa) or サンタクロース / Santa-Kurosu (Santa Claus).

Even though Japan celebrates several holidays, Christmas is not a national holiday. Schools often take a New Year break so December 25 often is included in those closed days. During this time, many families in Japan like to visit Tokyo Disneyland to see the holiday decorations and parades. More generally, Japanese public areas create displays of lights and have seasonal lighting events.  Japan also hosts Christmas markers throughout the country. Children often have parties with games and dancing, and will eat decorated sponge cake, but they usually get only one gift at Christmas.  For adults, Christmas Eve is considered the most romantic day of the year; it is their Valentine’s Day equivalent. And what is the favorite Japanese Christmas meal? Kentucky Fried Chicken!

One Christmas activity that Tomoko would approve of is the performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, especially its “Ode to Joy” section, which is often sung in German.  

Tomoko’s Christmas Memories

 

As Tomoko demonstrates, Christmas certainly builds lifelong musical memories.

Tomoko attended Ferris Academy: an elite Dutch Reformed school for girls, located in Yokohama. “At Christmas time everyone memorized Bible verses and performed Christmas music,” Tomoko remembers.  

She also recalls: “The Dutch Reformed school received Christmas cards from the U.S., and the images showed a very rich and full Christmas. The teachers would cut the cards with zigzag scissors, and sell them at the school Christmas bazaar (an American tradition brought to the school). In Japan at that time, every scrap of paper was dear, so the cards were very popular. “

When Tomoko attended the Conservatory of San Francisco, she spent the Christmas break with her classmate. Tomoko remembers dressing in a pale flowered kimono, and playing a board game at her friend’s home.

Tomoko’s musical memory of Christmas also extends to her daughter Beata’s ’s piano playing. The little girl was  frantic one evening, when she told her mother, “Mummy, the school Christmas program is tomorrow, and I have to play “Up on the Housetop! I told the teacher that I couldn’t do it, and she said that you would help. Help! What am I going to do??” Tomoko thought to herself: “That’s too much pressure for a little girl.” To Beata, though, she said calmly, “Let’s go to the piano.” Tomoko sat down beside her. “Don’t worry. The most important thing is the rhythm. Now play middle G, and sing the song, tapping the key for each note.” Tomoko listened and observed closely, and gave Beata some encouraging suggestions. Beata practiced for the next half hour, with Tomoko’s gradual release of coaching. The next day, Tomoko asked Beata, “How did the program go?” Beata smiled, “The teacher didn’t even notice that it was just one note!” Tomoko wasn’t surprised, and hugged her daughter.

As a teacher, Tomoko advised parents: "Your actions speak volumes. And your musical investment of time can bring untold value to your children. You can share Christmas carols as a way to share your love of music with your children. You and your children can grow together through music.”

Tomoko also sees Christmas as a universal musical experience. Tomoko sees the importance of experiencing music through the lens of a country, and comparing those different expressions. She suggests: “Compare Christmas songs from different countries. They are a way to connect with culture.”

 

Thanks to Tomoko

 On April 24, 2013, the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women developed and approved a resolution recognizing the contributions of Tomoko Hagiwara. 

 The commission noted her illustrious career as a celebrated pianist in war-ravaged Japan, who was awarded a music scholarship for the University of Tokyo, that nation’s top university. They mentioned her debut at the San Francisco Symphony, and was acclaimed at the Long-Thibaud international piano competition in Paris and the Queen Elizabeth International Piano Competition in Brussels. They confirmed that she has created over 50 piano performances, 13 CD recordings, and mentored over 400 gifted piano students. They concluded that she made it her life’s work to share the joy and serenity that music offers its listeners, include to homeless individuals in a Project Homeless Connect event. 

  In her acceptance speech, Tomoko said that she was honored to receive this distinguished award and to be among ladies and gentleman of such an accomplishment. She noted, “After graduating from the University of Tokyo Music Department, I came to the United States as a foreign exchange student. If I had stayed in Japan, especially at that time, there would have been less than zero opportunities for any woman in the arts. So I had to get out.” She concluded, “This award is a big milestone for me. Again thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.” 

Catholic Support

 

Tomoko was raised in a Protestant family, but she converted to Catholicism in college. In her case, Catholicism has been closely linked to education.

Tomoko wanted to emigrate to the United States to advance her career, and she had an opportunity to do soon after she graduated in Tokyo.

One of the stumbling blocks was money. With heart in her hand, Tomoko approached Father Belleau, a Dominican priest from Toronto. While studying at the university, Tomoko was an organist at the nearby church where Father Belleau served.  “Father, you have been so kind to my brother and me over the years. I have been so blessed to know you. Now I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to America to perform and study.” Dr. Belleau congratulated her warmly. Tomoko paused, breathed deeply, and soldiered on. “Do you think there is any way that the Church can help me find the funding to help pay for the flight?”   

Father Belleau closed his eyes in thoughtful prayer. “Let me discuss this request with the other clergy. God will find a way for you, I pray. ”True to his word, Father Belleau made an announcement at the following Mass when Tomoko was accompanying the service. “Our own organist Tomoko Hagiwara has been invited to the University of California Los Angeles to accompany Japanese opera singers. Our second collection will be given to Tomoko to help fund her flight. Please find it in your heart to donate to this worthy cause – and to thank Miss Hagiwara for her steadfast and wonderful playing. We will miss her.” 

Tomoko stayed after the service, thanking the congregation who remained after she finished the recessional. Nervously she waited as Father Belleau came up to her. “Tomoko, I am happy to say that the congregation was very generous. Here is enough money to pay for your flight.” Tomoko gasped, with grateful tears in her eyes. “I am so humbled,” Tomoko whispered. “You have been so kind and generous yourself, Father. I will always hold a special place in my heart for you.” With almost shaking hands, Tomoko accepted the envelope with the offering. “I thank you, the congregation and God for helping me make my dream come true.”

Ghostly Piano Music

 

With piano composers’ sensitivity, it is not surprising that they would be inspired by the idea of ghosts. More specifically, ghostly literacy has inspired composers.  Frances Metcalfe, a retired music teacher like Tomoko, shares her list of ghost-inspired classical music¹. This blog focuses on literary ghost stories that were transformed into piano pieces.  

Beethoven’s fifth piano trio in D was nicknamed ghost because of its ghostly sounding slow second movement. Playwright Samuel Beckett wrote the play Ghost Trio,” which means Beethoven’s composition.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is known for his interactions with ghosts, so it is no surprise that Tchaikovsky’s “Hamlet Overture Fantasie” evokes the turmoil of Hamlet’s feelings about death. This composition was arranged as a piano solo.

Henry James’ story “the Turn of the Screw, which explores a governess’s ghostly obsessions related to her children, was transformed into a chamber opera. His twelve-note theme accentuates the mysterious and threatening note. A piano arrangement captures the mood.

The tale of the flying dutchman has inspired several composers. Wagner’s operatic treatment is probably the most well known.  A piano solo of the opera’s overture is available.

Vaughn Williams was inspired by British folk songs. As a result, “The Lover’s Ghost” is a musical transformation of such a traditional tale. The piano arrangement is usually set to accompany vocal performances.

These compositions showcase how literature can be transformed into music, capturing the essence of a ghostly atmosphere, which is certainly applicable during Halloween.

Metcalfe, F. (2021, Nov. 11). 11 pieces of classical music inspired by ghosts. Spinditty. https://spinditty.com/genres/11-Pieces-of-Classical-Music-Inspired-by-Ghosts

Post-War Yokohama

 

When Tomoko’s sister fell ill, the family moved from Tokyo to Yokohama. Thus, Tomoko spent most of her teenage years under the American occupancy.  

Because of the military presence, Tomoko’s parents told her, “Come straight home from school,” so she didn’t encounter many Americans. Personally, she didn’t mind their presence. The Americans started a food bank, a contrast to the years of families scraping by on their own. And the Americans brought new kinds of music, which were thrilling and a little edgy.

 

At her private high school, some of the curriculum reflected the remaining United States occupation policy, although Tomoko didn’t realize all the ramifications. For instance, nationalistic Japanese history was replaced by social studies, which had a more practical bent.  Since the school was founded by American missionaries, such of the curriculum already reflected American values. For example, students were encouraged to think for themselves, and to make individual contributions to improve the community, which philosophy was not lost on Tomoko. In addition, English was required; even though that language was difficult for Tomoko, she knew that English was important because it helped her get around in a city that served as a U.S. command base.

 

The city itself had a hard time recuperating. It didn’t help that the city was firebombed just before the end of WWII, destroying neighborhoods. There were many homeless people and orphan children, and food could be scarce. Right after the war, all port activities and private trade stopped because the American military controlled such business. Only by 1951 was port control transferred to the state level. Nevertheless, Yokohama experience great population growth after the war, especially in its suburbs. That highlighted the need for more roads, utilities, and schools. The war’s impact did have a silver lining in that the city could build a new commercial and business bub, and the residential area was planned to be sustainable to prevent urban sprawl.

 

As for Tomoko, her family, school and music sustained her during this time.

 

Your Brain on Playing the Piano

 

Want a full body workout? Play the piano! It seems obvious: sensory processing, motor control, hand-eye coordination, mental concentration, mental agility, and multitasking. It also builds mental and muscle memory.

Three parts of the brain particularly benefit from piano playing: the motion, visual and auditory cortices. Both sides of the brain and the bridge between those two sides are involved. It has been found that musicians’ brains can be larger structurally: attention, hearing and listening, emotion, memory, motor actions to produce sound, and learning.

Brain-related reading skills specifically improve with piano playing. Notes constitute a universal and unique language, which necessitate decoding just as alphabetic-based languages do. Beyond reading letters, notes reading is translated into hand motions. Each language has its own rhythm, which can be facilitated through music as composers optimally link oral language with musical rhythm. Indeed, when playing songs in different languages, the performer can cognitively and kinesthetically internalize those language-specific characteristics.

Likewise, mathematical thinking improves with piano playing. Music theory is mathematically-based in notes and rhythm.  The brain processes the combinations and sequencing of those elements, which reflect mathematical patterns.

All ages benefit, even in terms of brain plasticity (making more connections between neurons and creating new circuits, for instance) with consistent piano practice. Such practice also activates creative areas of the brain, facilitating original expression.

Taking piano lessons ramps up the impact of the brain even more: improving reading, expanding vocabulary, interpreting oral prosody emotionally, discerning sounds more subtly, and sequencing verbal information.

In short, playing the piano is a smart idea!

 

Adolph Baller, Yehudi Menuhin, and Tomoko

           Tomoko personally knew Adolph Baller and Yehudi Menuhin, who exemplify different approaches to early talent. As a piano teacher, Tomoko does not like the idea of child proteges; “They may have technical skill, but not the experience.” She also feels for the child; “They are controlled by adults who are focusing on money, and they throw out the child when he is burned out.”  

Adolph Baller was born July 30, 1909 in Brody (now in western Ukraine). At age eight he was sent to Vienna to study the piano, and he debuted with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at age thirteen. In 1938 the Nazis beat him up because he was a Jew, and crushed his hands when they realized that he was a pianist. He and his fiancee escaped to Budapest, and immigrated to the States. His hands healed, and he restarted his performance career, included forming the Alma Trio with Gabor Rejto and Roman Totenberg, and teaching at Stanford, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Dominican College. 

Yehudi Menuhin was born April 22, 1916 in New York City. He started violin instruction at age four, and was a solo violinst with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra at age seven. He played in Carnegie Hall at age 11, and had his first concerto recording at age 15, in London. As a young adult he seemed to stall in his musical growth, being protected from everyday life. That changed. 

In the early years of World War II Baller played for a New York radio station, where he met Menuhin. Together they performed for U.S. troops around the world, including in the Aleutian Islands. Experiencing the life of men his age and younger in army bases opened his world, and gave him more self-assurance.  

The two Jewish musicians continue to tour together after the war, and Tomoko met them when she studied with Adolph Baller at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Baller was impressed with her playing, and asked if she would serve as a page-turner for his own performance; there she also met Menuhin. Not only did Tomoko have the opportunity to see the back stage of world-reknown performers, but she was able to earn money as a page-turner to help pay for her own studies at the Conservatory. And her experiences with these two grand names in music informed her own piano teaching.

Taking Time to Practice

 

Hopefully, piano lessons are provided year round so students do not suffer summer slump. However, as school starts, students may find that they have less free time to practice the piano because of homework demands. Time management is key.

Tomoko knows that “Each piano piece has some kind of physical challenge," which requires persistence.  Tomoko also associates learning to play the piano to mountain climbing. “You need to go up lots of small mountains. If the road is right, you will reach up. So practice daily, and step nicely.”

Tomoko likes to practice in the early morning before the household gets moving. However, residences are different sizes, and the family piano might be too close to sleeping quarters to use that strategy.

Oftentimes, scheduling the same hour each for practicing establishes a predictable habit, not only for the piano student but also the rest of the family. Sometimes it is more effective to have 20-minute sessions spread out during the day: say, around breakfast time, soon after arriving home, and after dinner are possible timeslots. Another idea is to have a 20-minute practice session between homework assignments; that break can also serve as a way to clear the mind and use a different part of the brain so that the next homework can be done more productively. Obviously, such scheduling should be a family decision. Having a set regular hour also helps the player to focus completely on practicing: playing “in the now.”

Distractions can cause the player to lose concentration so silencing the phone, ignoring the computer or TV, and hearing earbuds can cut down on outside noise. The family should also try not to disturb practice time as well; if study time is not to be disturbed, then practice time should fall under that same rule.

Managing time also helps one develop more self-discipline, which can lead to a more successful life.. Tomoko agrees. “Music is part of my daily schedule. It is a discipline.”

 

Black Notes in Classical Music

 Tomoko appreciates the multicultural aspects of classical music. Among those composers who are notable but sometimes not as well known are Black composers. Here are five notable ones.

Known as the Black Mozart, Creole Joseph Bologne was born on Christmas Day, 1745, in Guadeloupe, and was schooled in France. Bologne was first an expert fencer, but always had a love of music. He performed as an orchestra violinist, and became its concert master. Joseph wrote several sonatas, including for the forte-piano. He chiefly wrote operas and symphonies. Bologne, who lived next to Mozart for a while, is considered the first-known classical composer of African heritage.

George Bridgetower is most known for his violin virtuosity, and as such, the original dedicatee of Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata. He was born on October 11, 1778 in Poland of a West Indian father and Polish mother. He moved early to London, and performed publicly as a teen in England and Paris. Most of his own compositions were piano pieces, but many were lost over the years.

Another African British composer was Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, called the African Mahler. Born on August 15, 1875, Samuel studied at the Royal College of Music in London, and was a professor at the Crystal Palace School of Music. Many of his works were choral pieces, the best known one was The Song of Hiawatha. Samuel drew upon traditional African music in his compositions. He also wrote poetry, which he would sometimes set to music.

Florence Price is known as the first African American woman recognized as a symphonic composer. She also wrote for the piano – among her over 300 compositions. She was born in Arkansas on April 9, 1887. She performed publicly on the piano at age four, and had her first composition published at age eleven. Florence’s mother was a music teacher, and Florence attended the New England Conservatory of Music where she earned an artist diploma in organ and a teaching certificate. Florence played an importance role in the Chicago Black Renaissance, making her name first with her piano work Negro Fantasy. She wrote prize-winning piano sonatas and symphonies, and arranged spirituals, which Marian Anderson regularly performed.

George Walker was first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music – for his piece Lilacs. Born on June 27, 1922, he began playing the piano at age five. He earned his doctorate at the Eastman School of Music and taught at Rutgers University. He published more than ninety works, including five sonatas for piano, duet sonatas for piano and another instrument, as well as choral works and songs.

These accomplished composers of African descent certainly should be noted and listened to.

Piano Care

 

You may have seen pianos in museums that look like new, and you may have seen home or public pianos that were much “younger” but very won out. When she visited her friend in Florence, Tomoko went to a Medici house museum. There she spied an antique harpsichord. The owners let her play: Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C sharp major. It felt as if the centuries melt away.

As a piano owner, performer, and teacher, Tomoko knows the value of taking care of pianos. Pianists can only be as good as the instrument they use.  Here are some tips to keep your piano in good shape so the music sounds as good as possible.

Prevention is a good start. If your piano has a keyboard lid, keep those keys clean longer by closing that lid when the piano is not being playing. Pianists should also wash their hands before playing to cut down on the possible dirt and oil.

Even the physical location of the piano can affect its condition. Piano parts, especially the soundboard, are sensitive to temperature and humidity. Ideally, the humidity near the piano should be a consistent 40%-50% to minimize swelling and shrinking. The area around the piano should be well ventilated, and the piano should not be placed next to a window or exterior wall. Nor should you put extraneous items on the piano such as heavy objects, which can effect the piano’s tone, or water containers (for obvious reasons).  

Keys should be cleaned regularly. If the keys are ivory, clan them with a mixture of warm water and a little dish soap. If the keys are plastic, clean them with a mixture of filtered water and white vinegar. In both cases, wipe the keys vertically with a lint-free cloth; avoid paper towels.

To avoid damaging the piano, have it professionally tuned every six months. That’s because piano strings need correct, consistent tension. Other parts of the piano, such as the pins and hammers, also need to be examined and serviced to slow down damage. A professional turn can even adjust the piano’s tonal quality by altering the hammers’ rigidity.  Regular tuning actually saves money in the long run because the strings and other parts will stay in better shape longer.

You want the performance and music to be the best quality, and maintaining the piano in good condition optimizes both the composition and the performer.

  

Hand Exercises for Pianists

Tomoko knows that playing the piano requires healthy hands. The amount of pressure that is exerted on hands when playing, the amount of stretching and bending, and even the fatigue of practice can impact a pianist’s hands. Here are some handy exercises to take care of your pianist hands.

Starting to play the piano? Try these hand exercises to help you warm up. (These exercises work to veteran players too…)

• Soak your hands in warm water to increase your blood flow. Then gently dry your hands. It’s good to massage your fingers and hands then, especially around the joints.
• Press your palms and fingers together.
• Press your hands flat on a flat surface such as a table or desk, then lift each finger (and thumb) one at a time.
• With your hand palm down against a flat surface, stretch the area between your thumb and index finger. Then stretch the area between your thumb and each remaining finger, one at a time.

Having strong hands also helps in playing the piano; strength helps dexterity, flexibility, and control. Try some of these exercises to make your hands stronger. Note that you can do these exercises almost anywhere.

• Curl your fingers (starting with your first knuckle) around a stress ball, and squeeze it slowly, controlling your finger movement. This curved ball position is optimum when playing the piano.
• Try practicing playing the piano on your lap or other flat surface.
• Wave your hands as if you were British royalty, rotating your wrist with your arm at a right angle to your body and your fingers together pointing up.
• Move your arms and wrists as if you were revving up a motorcycle.

Your hands can get tired and even painful from practicing – or using them in general.  These tips can reduce aches.

• Break every 20 minutes to do 10+ slow, controlled shoulder raises and rolls. Then extend your arms to your sides to shoulder height, and push them back to squeeze your shoulder blades.
• Position your hands as loose fists as if you were driving a car. Tilt your wrists up and down, then side to side, and move them in a circle.  
• Stand up, and shift your weight from one leg to the other while letting your arms and wrists rela and flop around like a jellyfish.

With these exercises, you will play better – and your hands will thank you.

 

"Chill' July Piano Composers

 

Summertime can heat up; one way to “chill” is with a good piano selection. And there are several piano composers with July birthdays, so you can celebrate the month AND their music at the same time.

Tomoko studies composers as part of her preparation for performing, and she considers the style of each composer when she chooses pieces for her students. Here are some of Tomoko’s favorite July composers.

Number one on the list for Tomoko has to be Mozart, born on July 26, 1791. “I have a natural feeling about Mozart,” Tomoko says;“I could play a piece of his twenty  times, and not tire of it.” And Mozart has helped Tomoko’s career. For instance, while at the conservatory student on a US visa, Tomoko had to audition to prove that she was a serious music student. She played a Mozart concerto as her audition piece, which showcased her expertise and self-confidence; her performance enabled her to stay in the conservatory’s program.

Two July-born composers, Field and Granado, are featured on Tomoko’s CD Baroque-20^th Century. John Field was born on July 26, 1782, in Dublin. His music was considered one of the most influential of the early Romantic period, inspiring several of Tomoko’s composers, whose music she plays regularly: Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, and Schumann.  In contrast, Spaniard Enrique Granados was born on July 27, 1867. He is known for both a romantic style and for nationalistic pieces such as Spanish Dances. Some of the compositions have been transcribed for classical guitar.

Also linked with folk music is Percy Grainger, who was born on July 8, 1882 in Brighton, Australia. He led the movement of reviving British folk music as reflected in his arrangement of the folk dance tune Country Gardens. Many of his other compositions are experimental, including the use of music machines. Tomoko values traditional musical forms, which express a sense of communal culture.

Tomoko is also a devotee of Bach. One July piano composer with a good sense of humor is Peter Schickele, who has composed parodies of Bach’s music using the alias of P. D. Q. Bach; sample titles include “Canine Cantata” and “A Little Nightmare Music.” Schickele has also composed music for Joan Baez, and done more serious compositions as well. Schickele was born on July 17, 1935. He was also a music educator, and hosted a long-running weekly radio program called Schickele Mix.

One 20^th century Japanese compatriot piano composers born in July was Yasushi Akutagawa, born on July 12, 1925. Akutagawa attended the same university as Tomoko: Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. His compositions were influenced by several composers whom Tomoko likes: Stravinsky, Shostakovich, and Prokofiev. Akutagawa was also a music educator like Tomoko.

Summery Piano

 

Piano playing knows no season. However, any season has more flavor when savored by playing a seasonal piano piece. Here are ten evocative summery pieces to enjoy.

Benjamin Britten: Holiday Diary. An evocative seaside holiday

Claude Debussy. “Voiles” from Preludes Book 1. A sensory musical expression of breezy sails

Gabriel Fauré. Three Songs, Opus 18 No. 1 “Nell.”: an art song with the sun as a recurring symbol

Edvard Grieg. Lyric Pieces, Book 10 Opus 71, No. 2 “Summer Evening”: A quick sketch of a tranquil Norwegian summer evening

Ernest Moeran. Summer Valley: A pastoral sense of Britain and Ireland

Francis Poulenc. Napoli: A three-movement suite that captures the spirit of an Italian summer evening

Ned Rorem. End of Summer: A chamber piece for piano, clarinet and violin that expresses the sensitivity of summer’s end

William Grant Still. “Summerland”: an almost mesmerizing summer day on the plains

Joseph Suk. A Summer’s Tale, Opus 29: a tone poem of a moody summer day

Pyotr Tchaikovsky. “June,” Barcarolle from The Seasons: sixth of a 12-movement piano piece;it depicts a gondola ride

June for Tomoko

 It’s the beginning of June: a significant month for Tomoko, starting with her birthday. Here is a sampling of her achievements.

That was the month she graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music; two weeks later (June 18) she performed at the Conservatory’s graduation recital.

Five years later in June she performed at the Long Mountain College Theater.

In 1989 on June 15 Tomoko performed at the Conservatory again, this time with Ernestine Chihauria on violin and Dianne Winsor on flute.

In 2015 on June 14 she held a recital at the Conservatory for your 50^th anniversary of her role as a teacher there: the first Asian. The event raised money for the Conservatory as her legacy. She performed for the first have and invited past students to perform for the second half.

And think of all the piano composers who were born in June:

• ·        Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach born on June 21, 1732
• ·         Mikhail Glinka born on June 1, 1804
• ·         Robert Schumann born on June 8, 1810
• ·         Charles Gounod born on June 17, 1818
• ·         Edvard Grieg born on June 15, 1843
• ·         Richard Strauss born on June 11, 1864
• ·         Carl Nielsen born on June 9, 1865
• ·         Eric Reed born on June 21, 1970

Graduating Twice

 

Tomoko graduated twice from college: with a music bachelor’s degree from Tokyo National University and a music bachelor’s degree from San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

In 1961 Tomoko felt prepared for her graduation and a music career. She put on her best Western-style dress and gloves for her graduation, and stood in the front of her class, exemplifying a modern professional Japanese woman. Tomoko was proud that she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with highest honors. Her parents’ declaration, that whatever one pursued it should be done well, was personified in Tomoko.

The next year, Tomoko immigrated to the United States, and started her musical study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.  Four years later, she graduated again. And Tomoko was not leaving the Conservatory; she had been asked to join as a faculty member: the first Asian and only the second woman!

The morning of that second graduation Tomoko dressed up again as she did for her first bachelor’s, but now proudly wore the traditional black graduation gown and four-cornered cap. She hurried to the Conservatory where the ceremony would soon commence. Tomoko actively listened to the welcoming speech and the various speakers. At the same time she kept her own performance time in the back of her mind. When her name was called during the ceremony, Tomoko took a deep breath, calmly strode to the piano, seated herself with aplomb, and raised her hands gracefully. Then her intelligence, her emotions and her muscle memory merged as she played as she meant to: a true professional. The warm applause confirmed her own feelings of pride for her double accomplishment.

Mothering Music

 

Tomoko knows that it often takes a family to raise a young pianist. Not only does the family have to sometimes sacrifice to pay for lessons, but they need to provide the home conditions to facilitate daily practice – and reinforce its importance, not only to develop technical skills but also to develop self-discipline and perseverance.

Not surprisingly, Tomoko started teaching her own daughter Beata how to play the piano. Even though Beata does not perform professionally, she has dueted with her mother at occasional recitals. And music is an essential part of Beata’s life as she HAS performed professionally as an ice dancer, where the choice and leverage of music is key.

Tomoko knows her students well, and works hard to match the music with the specific needs and interests of each student. She observes and interacts with parents in order to provide appropriate support for the family so that the piano student will succeed. She What advice does Tomoko give to mothers of blossoming pianists?

• You may think your child is gifted, but you are probably not the best judge. It is more useful to support the child’s hard work and self-discipline.
• Encourage your children to share what they learned in their lessons.  
• Don’t judge by grades; they can be misleading.
• Don’t get too stressed or competitive; skill takes effort but it should also be satisfying and rewarding.
• Technical skills provide a strong foundation, and muscle development and muscle memory can start early. But technical is not enough; the player needs to bring personal interpretation and emotion, and that takes maturity so be patient.
• Let the teachers choose the music; they have a larger repertoire and they know what is appropriate for the child’s ability.

And piano students should thank their mothers for encouraging and supporting their interest in the piano. Not just on Mother’s Day but every day.

Sol Joseph

 Tomoko studied composition and theory, including counterpoint, with Sol Joseph. A Phi Beta Kappa scholar at the University of Chicago, Mr. Joseph joined the Conservatory after his stint in the U.S. Army during World War II. As a professor of music theory, he taught music form and analysis, harmony, counterpoint, and music literature; he also conducted the Conservatory orchestra.  

When he retired in 1977, Sol Joseph was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree, the second one granted with the first recipient being awarded in 1974 to Isaac Stern. By that time, she had a dozen years  of fond memories of him as a fellow faculty member, making her transition from student to colleague. Then when the Conservatory relocated downtown to the Civic Center area, one of the new constructed recital halls was named in memory of Sol Joseph. This intimate performance room seats 121, and its acoustics favor small ensemble performances. Whenever her students perform in that hall, Tomoko still sees Sol Joseph in her mind, and remember his support of her efforts throughout the years. 

Tomoko also knew another side of Sol Joseph: his Jewish background and musical life as an organist at Congregation Sherith Israel and pianist of the Jewish Folk Chorus. Occasionally she mused about their strangely linked war experiences: he as a Jewish army officer in Europe, she as a child in a country that fought his. Although they never talked about those years, neither harbored resentment against each other but secretly shook their heads about the dire ramifications of political hate. Even music sometimes abetted such anger as patriotic song could move people to fight for their countries. “What power music can have to polarize or to unite,” Tomoko sighed. Both she and Sol were musical uniters in their teaching and performance.  

Relating to Bartok

 

When I met Tomoko in 1983, the first question she asked me was: “Who is your favorite composer?” I answered “Béla Bartók.” Tomoko was impressed because he is usually not mentioned among the Big Bs (Bach, Beethoven and Brahms). Bartók has a way to connecting people, and there are many pieces of evidence that link Tomoko and her family to him.

One of the first connections between Bartók and Tomoko was Bartók’s country of birth: Hungary. Tomoko’s husband Desi was a Hungarian refugee. Like Desi, Bartók had to leave his country; when his father died, Bartók (age seven) and his sister were taken by mother first to the Ukraine and then to Slovakia. Indeed, when World War II started, Bartók immigrated to America; Desi immigrated because of the Hungarian Revolution. Tomoko also immigrated to the US as an adult.

Like Tomoko, Bartók started piano lessons as a young boy. Unlike Tomoko, Bartók wrote his first piano composition at age nine, and performed at his first public piano recital at age 11.

Also like Tomoko, Bartók was influenced by the music of Richard Strauss, Debussy, and Brahms.

Both Tomoko and Bartók appreciate folk music. Interestingly, Bartók started his interest in folk music when he heard an nanny singing folk songs to the little children she took care of. Tomoko routinely sang Japanese nursery songs to her daughter Beata when she was a baby, and how both of them sing those same traditional songs to Beata’s son Kai.

Both Tomoko and Bartók are nature lovers. Nature inspired Bartók in his Night music, which evoked sounds of nature. Another example is his Out of Doors sonata.

Moreover, both Bartók and Tomoko recorded their performances, and both were music teachers. Among Tomoko’s CD recording are pieces by Bartók, making a full circle in their relationship.