If Music Be The Food...

Music as a brook. Music as food for the soul. So it's no wonder that metaphors enter the conversation when Tomoko talks about music.Here are some of her insights.

"Music is energetic. Like cycling, the more you play the more oxygen you get. You feel fresher." "Learning a piece of music is like climbing a mountain. Start with small mountains. Make sure your foot is on the groups. One step is far enough. You need to go surely, step by step, and always look ahead."
"Piano practice is like gardening. Both need careful attention and daily work."
"There is no quick road to mastering a piece."
"Memorizing a musical piece is like building a house. Build on a solid foundation. Don't leave the structure behind. You can't be impatient." 
"Music starts from the heart and comes out through the fingers."
"Music should flow." 
"Piano performance is like a dance; it involves practice and discipline."
"A good performance is layered like ice. It needs to be built up subtly, thin sheet by thin sheet."
"If a pianist has no emotion when playing, why be there? The music is missing wasabi."
"Programming a recital is like cooking for guests. It's not easy; it's very calculated."
"Music is like sharing a fireplace that is nice and warm and relaxed. There is a warm common feeling. “

"Some pianists have no fun. Sometimes music is like a circus. Relish the experience!"

"Music is freedom."

"Music gives you soul."
"Music speaks for itself, but doesn’t need a monologue."
"Why do I like music? The companionship of music is a lifelong support. It's my guardian angel.?

Metaphors of Music

Music is more than a literal experience. For Tomoko, music takes on metaphorical meaning. Here are a few of her analogies.

Tomoko compares the piano to a garden. “The keyboard is a garden. Each key is a unique flower that needs to be cultivated. Together, the keys create a bouquet.” Of course, one difference is that the combination of those 88 keys offers much more variety because they constantly change; “How many pieces does a scale play?”

When talking about learning a piece of music, Tomoko compares it to climbing up a hill: “Each piece is a little challenge. You need to keep moving.” As the performer gains more confidence, “then you can look back to see your progress. And when you have mastered the piece, it is like reaching the mountain peak. You feel a great accomplishment, and can see a far distance.”  In this same analogy, Tomoko points out the role of the teacher. “The student should go straight ahead, but sometimes he needs direction. That’s the biggest job of the teacher.”

Another metaphor is carpentry. “Music education provides tools for the pianist, like a carpenter. Each one draws upon his own experience using those tools to craft a beautiful performance.” Tomoko continues, “What is the difference in how the music sounds? Each composer is creative with his tools.”

And since Independence Day is forthcoming, a final metaphor is most timely. “Music is freedom.” Tomoko thinks of Mozart in this regard, “I love Mozart so much, I can repeat it 20 times because it gives me freedom.” She concludes “That is my main job, that spiritual idea of extending more freedom through music.”

Feel free to listen to Tomoko’s creative expression as showcased in her Mozart album: https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tomokohagiwara7