2019 was a year of transformation for me. I even look a bit different.
I am now claiming my authority on my own story and music, taking charge of my life.
As “Dr. Pianist” promoting music as a healing agent…
- My workshop “Team-building and Leadership with Music” launched this year.
- I started giving lecture presentations at Los Angeles Public Library branches
- I started a bi-monthly column “The Way of the Pianist” for Nikkan San.
- As a consultant to Houston Methodist Hospital’s Center for Performing Arts Medicine:
- I participated in National Organization for Arts in Medicine‘s annual conference.
- An fMRI study I participated in, and co-authored the paper for, was published.
- As a Goodwill Ambassador, especially to enhance US-Japan relationship, I did the followings
- As a US-Japan Leadership Scott M. Johnson Fellow, I attended the USJLP Fellow’s Weekend in Tokyo for its 20th anniversary special ceremony and events.
- Attended the US-Japan Council’s Annual Conference
- Attended the Japan America Society of Southern California’s “Women’s Leadership Counts” Conference.
- Served as a “celebrity judge” to the 8th annual Japan Bowl: a competition for high school students studying Japanese as their second language.
My book: now tentatively titled “WHY Piano NOW?: How it Hurts and How it Heals.”
Being on the road as “Dr. Pianist” made consistent work on my book difficult. But my amazing writing community kept me encouraged and inspired. I now have more than enough, at least in terms of stories, page numbers and word counts, for at least one book, if not two. Especially at the peak of my road trips, having singed up for Shawna Kenney‘s writing workshop was helpful. She, along with Deborah, Craig, Mariko, Karin, Mika, Elizabeth, Micchan and others have been my source of courage and inspiration to keep on writing.
As a Pianist…
I got to perform in NY, Houston, San Francisco, Spetses Island in Greece, San Diego, Seattle, Japan, Lenox MA, and in the greater Los Angeles area. More importantly, however, I realized this year how important it is for me to ground myself in my daily practice of the piano. Being absorbed in my writing, traveling and other endeavors, I went for days without practicing this year. Now I know how my practicing is a form of meditation, prayer, a way to gain perspective, and to reconnect to my senses. Just as I need to write my book as a way to reflect on things I have learned through my journey, I need to practice in order to ground myself in the present, and to look forward to my progress as an artist.
My Goal for 2020…
- To learn to achieve synergetic-equilibrium between my practice/performance, writing my book, and my activities as Dr. Pianist on a regular basis.
- To be more appreciative of time, physical strength and will power as the wealth I possess.
- To make myself proud – honestly.
- Practice 3 hours/day, Write 3 hours/day, Sleep 8 hours/day
What I envision for 2020…
- Publish a few Op-Eds
- Publishing deal by the end of the year
- Perform more, sometimes in optimal conditions.
- Be generous. Give and share more freely.
- To listen and to observe more carefully in order to give myself, my thoughts, words/music more effectively to those who are in search of what I have to offer.
If you would like to partake in my journey, please consider visiting my Patreon site and making a contribution.