What is your favorite piece of music to play? To listen to? I love Brahms and Rachmaninoff. Also, I am always inspired by Yokoyama Katsuya’s playing of the shakuhachi koten honkyoku, particularly the piece “San’an.”
Please tell us about your background as a pianist and shakuhachi player. How and when were you inspired to pursue teaching and performance careers involving both instruments? I am a graduate of SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music in New York, where I was a piano student of Frank Iogha. It was such a blessing to study with Mr. Iogha…truly an amazing artist and teacher. Mr. Iogha studied with two of the most famous Russian pedagogues of the 20th century: Isabelle Vengerova and Rosina Lhévinne. The foundational training and detailed technical approach to the instrument Mr. Iogha provided was pivotal to my development as a pianist and teacher. Also, the level of deep listening to tone production was a big part of every lesson. I try to pass on these same principles to my own students.
I have always had an interest in Japan due to my martial arts background, so when a class was offered at Crane on traditional Japanese Music, I jumped at the chance. It was during this time when I first heard the shakuhachi; I was totally blown away. The sound and tone touched something so deep in me that I can’t explain it. So besides my piano practice, I made the effort to start learning shakuhachi! I took my first lessons in New York City, then Chicago, and eventually in Hawaiʻi and Japan.
What do you enjoy the most about the piano and the shakuhachi? Both instruments are so challenging. Our task as pianists is to take this machine-like instrument, make it sing, and create luscious lines, which requires such deep listening to what you are doing. As for shakuhachi, just producing a basic, consistent tone takes months and years of hard work. I love the challenge of both instruments! Plus they both have such a vast and interesting repertoire.
How do you balance playing two very different instruments at a professional level? This is definitely a challenge with my busy teaching schedule. Whenever I have breaks at work, I practice piano. However, during the evenings I practice shakuhachi. I just try to be as consistent as possible.
How does studying a non-western instrument benefit someone studying a western instrument? Feel free to share how your study of the shakuhachi has benefitted or influenced your piano playing. This is a great question. I feel like my study of shakuhachi has deepened my listening ability at the piano, for there is so much nuance of pitch and color in the shakuhachi tradition! It has heightened my sensitivity to tone and color at the piano. There are many examples where you play a certain pitch on the shakuhachi with multiple fingerings to vary the color of the pitch depending on the piece. The other concept that has influenced my piano playing is the concept of ma, or space in traditional Japanese music. The space between the sounds are just as important as the sound itself in shakuhachi playing. It makes me feel a bit freer in my piano playing to make more of silences when needed.
Who was one of your greatest musical mentors and how have they guided you as a musician, teacher, or person? Frank Iogha was one of my greatest musical influences at the piano. He was such an incredible role model and so supportive. He was also very demanding and had very high expectations of me and of himself. He always performed a solo recital every year at Crane, which was great to observe as a young student. As for my shakuhachi life, Robert Herr and Riley Lee have been my greatest mentors/teachers in Hawaiʻi, and Ishikawa Toshimitsu was my main teacher in Japan. All of these teachers and mentors were kind, but yet had very high expectations.
Describe two of the most special and memorable musical experiences you've had. As for piano, it took place in a pre-recital rehearsal. I was running my program for Mr. Iogha in the recital hall, where I was playing some Mozart and Rachmaninoff. When playing, it felt like I was floating…like the pieces were just playing themselves. After I finished, Mr. Iogha walked on stage and just gave me a hug and said: “That is how it is done!” He helped me believe and trust in my ability to embody and express music.
My greatest shakuhachi memory took place in a lesson. The main reason why I pursued the shakuhachi in the first place was because of a recording I heard of world-renowned player Yokoyama Katsuya, who taught my teacher: Ishikawa sensei. During my studies in Osaka with Ishikawa sensei, he arranged for me to take a lesson with Yokoyama sensei at his home in Okayama, Japan (about a 3 hour drive away). I was so nervous and excited to take a lesson with Yokoyama sensei! Well, when we arrived at his home, I was ushered into a huge tatami room with Yokoyama sensei sitting on the floor behind a large table.
After formal introductions were made, he told me to play. With Ishikawa sensei sitting behind me (and to the left) and Yokoyama sensei sitting in front of me, I went for it. I played my first piece. He nodded and then said to play another piece. After I finished, he just nodded and grunted and said: “Come with me.” He brought me into the student waiting area, where there were about 20 people waiting for lessons. Yokoyama sensei then told me to perform my pieces again for everyone. He then proceeded to give me my lesson in front of all the other students. Yokoyama sensei would give suggestions, and would also have students demonstrate and make comments. What a nerve-wracking experience, but also an amazing learning opportunity!!!
How do you motivate and encourage your students to succeed? I believe openness, trust, and a relaxed environment are essential in effective teaching. With this, I can still have high expectations and push when needed without creating tension emotionally and within my students’ playing mechanism. I try to have them listen to what they are doing at the highest level possible, both in tone and line. I will either demonstrate through my own playing or by listening to the great artists…YouTube is a great resource! I enjoy teaching at Punahou Music School. I feel very fortunate to work with such engaging, talented, and hard-working students. I also enjoy being a part of our local music community with such dedicated and fine musicians and teachers!
