How are weeds related to the piano?

 Increasingly, Tomoko likes gardening. She likes to start the day in the garden to recharge her psychic batteries; "It's a fresh feeling." She also likes bringing order to nature, and that includes weeding. 

Tomoko contends that learning to play the piano is like gardening.  Both take much planning, work, and patience. The rewards can be immediate, as when planting or weeding – such as working through a particular section of a composition – and sometimes it takes years to see the results. But planning is necessary in either case; “It brings order to life.”

More specifically, weeding is often needed when starting to play the piano as well as when learn an individual piano piece.

Good playing starts with a healthy body, just like a garden needs good soil, water and light. Good eating habits, sound sleep and regular exercise all impact how you play. Even the time of day and your schedule can impact how well you practice. your immediate environment can also upset your playing; distractions such as noise, other people, phone calls. If those conditions are not met, it may be time to weed out those bad daily life habits and environmental negatives.

Obviously, If it is a new piece, you are more likely to make mistakes. Tomoko says, "You need to be well grounded in your music That takes deep roots in the knowledge of music and performance."

Let's say that you are in the middle of practicing a piece.. When you make a mistake, you need to stop and identify the mistake -- the musical weed -- and figure out why the mistake was made. Is it a new piece? Is it a physical problem, such as hitting the key alongside the right key? Are you playing too fast -- or not paying close enough attention? Are the notes hard to read? Does this section of the piano piece differ from the prior one in terms of signature, rhythm, tonality, theme; is that transition hard to do? Is a passage particularly difficult such that you get nervous when you know it's coming?

In any case, take the time to figure out the mistake and why you are making it. Then you can weed it out. Mark the mistake and difficult parts of the composition. Start playing just before the mistake until just after it, remembering the reason for the mistake and how to correct it (e.g., adjust the fingering, getting the muscle memory to play correctly, slowing down, figuring out how to transition more smoothly). Sometimes it helps to practice each hand separately to focus on the issue. More generally, you need to focus on the problem mentally, not just physically.

Just as you need to pull out a weed completely, including all the roots, you need to pull out the mistake completely by overriding it with correctly playing the passage. A good idea is to repeat that passage correctly seven times so that your mind and your fingers remember it faultlessly.

We all know that one mistake can spoil the enjoyment of a piano piece, so weeding out inevitable mistakes at the start, just like weeding in the bad, is a good i9nvestment of time.

Tomoko advises, "Playing well takes patience. You need ongoing weeding of bad habits. Music is to be cultivated through preparation, development, and maintenance."

  

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.”

 

Laboring for Love

Today is Labor Day, and Tomoko exemplifies a strong work ethic. Referring to Millet’s painting “Man with a Hoe,” Tomoko notes how the worker holds his body. “He is tired after a day of harvesting. He is braced against a stick to hold himself up.” Tomoko knows the feeling of a long day of hard work.

 

Tomoko has never been afraid of hard work. She began teaching piano lessons as a teenager – and sixty years later she continues to do this, sharing a lifetime of experience and expertise.

 

Tomoko also knows that learning how to play the piano requires dedicated practice and work. When a piece has been mastered, playing it can bring instant gratification, but getting to that point of fluid performance can demand much time and effort, and in the process it can feel as if that day of mastery, those positive results, will never arrive. “Practice is like gardening,” Tomoko asserts. “You need to do it every day and pay attention to all the details.”  She adds, “It requires patience. Sometimes you don’t see the growth for a long time, but it is worth the ongoing effort.” Tomoko remarks, “Many people don’t plan for practice. Since I was 12 years old, I have planned time for practice.” That kind of discipline exemplifies Tomoko’s attitude to music and work.

 

Tomoko also passed this work attitude to her daughter Beata. Beata began serious skating at age 6, but didn’t compete until the U.S. Nationals, rather perfecting her form first. Tomoko supported Beata’s persistent interest throughout the school years, driving her to practice, and paying for lessons through teaching piano. Tomoko notes, “Both ice skating and piano require lots of sacrifice. Even one week without practice will be embarrassing.”

 

Performance requires even more focused work as the pianist – or the ice dancer -- has to analyze and master each piece.  The performer has to over-prepare so that the physical action is almost automatic, and the spirit of the work can be freely expressed. Both the stress level and the level of accomplishment are higher. But the payoff and the exhilarating feeling are worth the effort hopefully. The performer lives for this moment, and is IN that moment. All the components are there, "But reaches a higher energy plane," Tomoko explains. The playing itself is both automatic and intentional, precise and personal, deliberate and freeing. It is ultimately a universal yet intimate conversation with the audience. It is not like daily life. It is a heightened reality. Tomoko asserts, "It can be a mystical experience. An 'out of this world' performance."

 

So work becomes play, play that is hard earned.

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Time Matters

Time is a central motif in music, not only in composing and interpretation but also in developing musical competence. Tomoko has several insights about various aspects of time within the construct of music.

A key element in music compositions is timing; the notes and measures impact the pace, the rhythm, the tone, and even the physical playing of that composition. Most composers also indicate timing in their pieces textual (such as largo versus presto). This latter timing element is somewhat open to interpretation, and is reflected in different treatments by the performer. Glenn Gould is particularly noted for his unique interpretations, which included variations in timing.

Timing can also be applied to learning how to play the piano. Tomoko asserts that “you can start learning how to play the piano at any age.” However, she does suggest that a good time for children to start is five years old because fine motor coordination usually develops between ages 5 and 7. On the other hand, it is good for the beginning student to be mature enough to read music, and have some cognitive and emotional development. At the same time, Tomoko very much enjoys adult learners: “They bring experience, self-motivation, and musical appreciation.”

Tomoko also believes that timing affects performance. “I do not like proteges; they may have the technique but they seldom have the experience to interpret the piece deeply.” Tomoko is also concerned that children who perform the piano professionally are exploited to some degree. “You need to have a balanced life as you are growing up,” she says. “It is better to delay professional competition and performance until you are an adult.”

Tomoko also chooses piano pieces based on developmental timing. “Mozart can be easy for children but hard for adults,” she asserts. “Because Mozart was first a performer, he wrote music aht is natural to play.” She cautions, “However, Mozart was also a super mathematician and used musical numerology, so he can be very complex.”

Tomoko also notes the amount of time that one should devote to practicing the piano. “You should practice every day, at least one solid hour. Don’t move from the piano bench,” she counsels. “A second hour each day is also good, but you can break it a bit.”

Tomoko realizes that there can be a time for silence. “At some point you might feel depressed and not way to play or hear music. You have to be quiet.” That can be a good time to be quiet in nature, to feel the rhythm of life. It has its own timing.

Olympians and Pianists

It’s time for the winter Olympics again. Tomoko’s daughter Beata competed as an ice dancer in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City (convenient for her, but not as exotic as South Korea). Tomoko attended those Olympic Games, naturally, and often accompanied Beata to other skating competitions. In the process, Tomoko has seen many parallels between Olympians and pianists.

Fundamentally, both fields depend on the body and its mastery. Both fields require detailed physical coordination. Just as there is a correct foot position, there is also a correct hand position. Furthermore, training the body requires discipline and daily practice.  Basic moves need to become automatic, and even an entire performance has to be mastered so well that that one can depend on muscle memory. Both fields also involve rhythmic movement, and music certainly facilitates the body’s flow. 

Training and support are also similar. The teacher makes a significant difference in the student’s learning experience. In both cases, students need to learn the basic techniques, and practice them dutifully – and correctly.  The teacher selects the developmentally appropriate pieces or routines for the student to master, and there is a “canon” of classics in each case. The teacher is both supportive and challenging; targeting the trouble spots – and helping the student see them as personal challenges to overcome. The teacher has to be sure that the student pays attention to every detail, and master it, at which point the student can add personal interpretation to deepen the performance.

Competition is another shared hallmark. In both cases, competition usually starts locally and low-stakes. Years of practice and performance are needed before one can enter and succeed at the national level. The higher the stakes, the more complicated the performance and the more exacting the judging. Both the stress level and the level of accomplishment are higher. But the payoff and the exhilarating feeling are worth the effort hopefully.

So when you hear the music of an ice skating or ice dancing performance at the Olympics, think of the music and the musicians too. They are all professionals in spirit. 

Mutual Responsibility

Learning to play the piano, and performing, depend to a great degree on responsibility: to one’s self, to one’s teacher, to one’s relatives and friends, to one’s peers, to the composer, and to the audience.

The first responsibility is to one’s self. “I interview every student before I decide to accept being that person’s teacher,” says Tomoko. Does that person want to learn? Do they seem like to want to make the effort? She continues, “If you say you are going to take lessons, you are taking on the responsibility onto yourself; it is not your parents’ responsibility.”

Especially if a parent pays for the lessons or buys the piano, that person expects that the learner will honor that parent’s support. “You are responsible for your own progress,” asserts Tomoko. “It is up to you to make sure that you practice every day, with conscious intent.” Tomoko knows that such responsibility can be hard, especially when there is a difficult part of the piece. “Be steadfast, and think step by step,” advises Tomoko, “rather than looking at the mountain top, and feeling overwhelmed.” 

“It is also your responsibility to tell the teacher when you have problems with a piece,” says Tomoko. “That is the teacher’s responsibility. She has the expertise to know where the potential stumbling blocks are, and how to overcome them.” The teacher and the student are on the same “team,” working together responsibly to help the student master the piece. 

At a recital, one’s peers also depend on each other to perform to the best of their ability, and to support each other’s efforts. That is acting as a responsible performer, and that responsibility extends to the audience, in that the performer is responsible for trying to provide an enjoyable musical experience. "The audience also has a responsibility to be respectful of the performer," reminds Tomoko, "The performer cannot control how they feel."

And, in the final analysis, there is a responsibility to the composer: to play according to the intent of the composer, to respect his or her musical creation. 

It sounds – and is – a lot of responsibility, but one grows from such responsibility, and can be proud of their efforts. "Responsibility is a very important human value," concludes Tomoko.