If we were to think of “Maestro” as a cost-benefit analysis of the pedestals we so eagerly kept occupied with generations of cultural icons, Felicia’s marriage to the “Maestro” becomes symbolic of the price to those in the supporting roles.
The Idealized, and Idolized, “Maestro” Read More »
There are days now, where I write like I used to practice.
If you want to go far, go together. Read More »
Whether it be writing or piano-playing, my responsibility as the content generator is not to each and every character or the melody, but to the overall story-telling and the music, to the readers and the listeners, and ultimately to myself, and my perspective.
Playing the Piano is a One-Woman Play Read More »
My dissertation was on the genesis of memorization as a piano performance practice, an astonishingly unexplored historical topic. Initially, I had no intention of making any statement about social/historical injustice on racial and gender inequality. I chose the topic for purely musical interest. It turned out to be an extremely complicated subject I needed to contextualize within the major technological, political, aesthetic, and philosophical movements of the nineteenth century. For the purpose of this blog, I will say (although this is a gross generalization) that memorization became a way for non-composing performers – often women, child prodigies and/or ethnic minorities – to transform themselves as conduits to the canonized white male composers.
White Patriarchy in Classical Music and Blind Tom Read More »
“Why Piano Now” re-introduces piano playing as a practice to explore one’s mind, senses and context. The book surveys history, and the latest scientific findings on the benefit of music, while putting the search in the context of the author’s personal journey for her authenticity and authority as a Japanese classical pianist, grappling with its historical cultural imperialism. The prescriptive nonfiction, with supplemental audio/visual recordings, calls for a revolution in the way music is taught, used and practiced, today.
My Book “Why Piano Now?” Overview Read More »