Fumito Nunoya / Solo Marimba Player / Boston, USA

The "Listen to Musicians" section is a section where professionals who usually play music on the stage go down the stage and speak in words.This time, we will interview Fumito Nunoya, who is active as a solo marimba player in Boston, USA, as a guest. I would like to talk about the theme of "studying abroad in music."
(Interview: March 2006)


Fumito Nunoya
Born in Akita prefecture.After completing the Music Culture Course in the Comprehensive Curriculum of the Faculty of Education, Yamagata University, he completed the Master's Program in the Marinba Performance Course at the Boston Conservatory at Berth.Completed the Marimba major in the artist diploma department.Studied under Nancy Zeltsman and Patrick Holenberg at the Boston Conservatory.In addition, he studied under Tomoyuki Okada, Kazunori Meguro, Yashio Sudo, Nanae Mimura, and Hideki Ikegami. Ima Hogg XNUMXst place in the competition for young musicians (Houston, Texas).Winners at the World Marimba Competition (Germany), The National Young Artist Competition (Odessa, Texas), The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Young Artist Competition (New London, Connecticut), Percussive Arts Society International Marimba Competition (USA), etc.Omagari Rookie Music Festival Competition, Classical Music Competition / Percussion Instrument Category Highest (Japan).Performed with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Di Pepercussio Ensemble, Touhou Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, and Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra.Currently living in Boston.


Nunoya I started playing the piano when I was 7 years old.I saw the marimba for the first time at the school festival when I was in elementary school, but since then I have longed for the marimba.After that, I have been playing percussion instruments since junior high school and have been studying marimba in earnest since I was 17 years old.

Futani University went to Yamagata University, which has an education department, not a music university, but at that time I had to study percussion instruments, so I did both percussion instruments and marimba equally.At an American school, there is a marimba department and I entered there, so after studying abroad I mainly studied marimba.
 
With a Japanese marimba player
Futani: There is a sensei (a piano sensei that I have been learning outside of university since my second year at university) that triggered me to study marimba.In the Yamagata University curriculum, sensei, who specializes in percussion instruments, comes only four times a year.I felt that the number of lessons was too small for that alone, so at the end of my second year at university, I dared to ask sensei on that piano to teach marimba. sensei was willing to accept it.From there it was always the discovery of new things.Music, the joy, suffering, and depth of playing music.I really learned a lot.It is no exaggeration to say that I decided to study music seriously when I met sensei.And in order to look at the world of marimba, I had the opportunity to meet some marimba players who are active in the world, and as I listened to various stories from overseas, I began to be interested in overseas. rice field.

Futani: In Europe, the mainstream program is to become an orchestra player, and I heard that it is almost impossible to study only marimba solo.I wanted to study only marimba, so I listened to various stories from Nanae Mimura (note: marimba player) who had been indebted since I was in the third year of university, and Mimura is a university where I can take a master's course in the marimba major. I suddenly started thinking about going to the Boston Conservatory, where I was attending, in the summer of my fourth year at university.

Nunoya I suddenly decided to study abroad in the United States, so I had little time to prepare for English.At first, I couldn't speak English at all, so I took it from an English class.In that English class, I enjoyed making friends with people from different countries, exploring Boston, cooperating, and making various discoveries every day.The private lesson was sensei, who is accustomed to teaching international students who are not very fluent in English, so even if they couldn't speak English, they managed to teach with gestures and simple words.

Nunoya I had the score itself, but I was ashamed to say that I didn't reach the score for admission.Perhaps it wasn't that important at the time.It seems necessary now.

Futani Tape was fine, and of course it was good for live auditions.I didn't really understand it so I taped it out.However, if sensei, who will be in charge of you, doesn't know you, I think it's better to come directly and audition.I think the amount of scholarship will also change.

Futani: I heard that it is difficult for marimba majors to receive high-priced scholarships because scholarships are mainly distributed to orchestral musical instrument majors. ..In my case, I got some in the master's course, and after that I was able to get a full scholarship in the artist diploma.

Nunoya The master's course is for XNUMX to XNUMX students.The school itself is not that big, so I thought there were quite a lot of people with three or four people.

Futani: It depends on the location, but I think it's relatively good in the United States.I've heard that some areas are dangerous. I think it's okay as long as you don't go there because the dangerous areas are fixed.
 
Marimba concert

Futani: I think the country itself is really free in America.There are different people, different playing methods, different music.I hope it will be a stimulus.On the contrary, I feel that there are too many parts that tend to be wide and shallow.However, the east coast side such as Boston and Newyork is geographically close to Europe, and many musicians come from Europe.Thanks to that, I have the opportunity to listen to authentic classical music, and I think it is possible to learn classical music from authentic people.Also, the marimba instrument itself is rare, and there are places where I like rare things in the United States, so the students majoring in composition and the composer sensei write chamber music and solo songs using marimba.You have a chance to play the song, and you have the opportunity to talk with the composer who writes the marimba's work about the possibilities of the marimba and the intent of the song written by the composer.

Futani That's right.At the concert, there are many people who say, "I have never heard a marimba before."Concert marimba has a short history, so I think it can't be helped.However, I may be surprised to hear that some people have heard marimba in jazz, or heard it in Mexico a long time ago.

Futani: I think it's important to have something like a goal and work hard at studying.And I think that studying abroad always requires financial and mental support from relatives, so don't forget to thank those who support it.Also, since there are many Japanese people in Boston, I think it is important not to just play with Japanese people, but to interact with various people and experience various cultures and experiences.

Futani: I haven't felt it yet. However, it's a disadvantage that you can't speak English fluently like Americans, or it can be stressful if you don't immediately come up with what you think.

Nunoya I think so.

Nunoya It's like a mirror facing you.I think that the sound, musicality, and sensitivity are mostly human.I think that music will only improve if you improve your humanity.Music is the heart of your heart.

Futani I think that's almost the case.

Nunoya There are marimba works that were influenced by that genre, so I've played several songs like that.But I prefer to listen to that kind of music.Also, I've studied jazz for about XNUMX months.But something didn't look right.Since the way I use my head is completely different between playing classical music and playing jazz, I would like to spend more time on classical music than studying jazz from scratch.But if I can afford it, I would like to study jazz properly someday.
 
Solo marimba

Futani Since playing classical music on the marimba has not yet penetrated the world, we first established the existence of an instrument called the marimba, and then spread the music played on the marimba and its goodness to the world. I want to come.There aren't many original songs by Marimba yet, so I'd like to entrust them to my respected composer, sensei, and create works that can be left to future generations.And through my music played on the marimba, I would like to create deep music that allows various people to think and feel various things.There are many piano and violin players who play such performances ...In short, I want to be a musician who can compete with sound.Recently, I think that the marimba performance itself tends to be entertainment.

Futani: The player does not listen to the sound of the marimba, but only considers the movement of the body.Of course, I think it's good for people who think it's good.Playing the marimba is still accompanied by movement, and I think it is unavoidable that my thoughts work on such body movements.But I'm not music that puts "movement" first, but I listen to it more sensitively to the sound of the marimba that I play, and I deeply pursue the notes written by the composer and compose it. I want to be a marimba player who understands the intentions of the house and can create music.

Futani: That's right. It's better to say "the music is deep" than to say "it's beautiful to see" or "it's amazing that your hands move quickly".But in reality, playing the marimba involves a lot of movement, so it's difficult.

I sometimes play the marimba in the Futani orchestra, but that means that the percussionist of the orchestra plays the marimba.Isn't it rare for a marimba player to be hired for such a job?I think that most marimba players play solo concerts, play with an orchestra as a soloist, play in chamber music, play in BGM, and play at receptions.

Nunoya It has been about 80 years since the prototype of today's marimba, which is a concert instrument, appeared.Marimba is said to have originated in Africa, but it is not certain.It is said that the marimba was born when the African balafon, which is said to have its origin, spread to Guatemala and Mexico in South America, and the marimba was made entirely of wood.About 80 years ago, an American musical instrument company discovered the South American marimba and made the prototype of the current marimba (resonance tube is made of iron).From there, various musical instrument companies developed, and about 30 years ago, a XNUMX-octave musical instrument like the one I'm using now was made.
 
Solo marimba player

Futani First of all, I think it is necessary to reach a certain level both technically and musically.And I think it's important to have a good balance both as a human being and as a musician.Is it the secret to success ... If there is, I would like you to tell me too (laughs).It is no exaggeration to say that living as a marimba player is almost the same as walking on undrawn rails, so I think we must do our best with strong mental strength.So you have to eat rice and think about how to make money to live.But if you only think about money, you can't make good music.However, even if I stayed at home and practiced, I couldn't eat rice ...The balance is also difficult, isn't it?I think it's important to find out what you're good at and appeal to yourself, "I can do this, I've done this."

Futani: I think the best thing is to get a lot of people to listen to the performance. I think it's good that the resume is impressive for listening to the performance, so I've won a prize at the competition. I think it would be good to have a repertoire project that is unique to you, and to fully promote such things.People's connections are a little different between the United States and Japan.

Futani: In Japan, I think that I often get work through a horizontal connection (teacher-apprentice relationship). I've heard that you can't work without that connection.Of course, in the United States, I sometimes get a job with sensei's tsute, but I don't think I'm as strict as in Japan depending on whether or not I have a teacher-apprentice relationship.In the United States, if someone you don't know thinks you like it, you just talk to him and say, "I was looking for a musician to play at my son's wedding. Some people will talk to you, "Can you give me your contact information?" Or "Your background, you're writing something interesting."If you have a lot of winning experience in the competition, the group that runs the concert may request a concert.Even the composer sensei, who I had no acquaintance with, said, "I want to write a marimba song for you," if you like the performance.I feel that there are really various opportunities in the United States. So, I think it is most important to have a lot of people listen to the performance.

Futani I think there is.That's why I think I can be here too.
 
Marimba Festival
Futani Studying abroad is a life experience and a good opportunity to get to know yourself. As I said earlier, studying abroad is both mentally and financially difficult. Don't forget to thank the people who support it, and I hope you will do your best to die.I think that Japanese people are financially blessed compared to people in other countries. I think it is because they are blessed, but I am satisfied with the status of being "overseas" and finish playing. There are people who are supposed to be studying abroad in music, but study a little language and return to Japan, so I would like you to avoid that.I think it's embarrassing for Japanese people in the United States to be seen with that kind of eyes.Of course, I said that I should do my best with the intention of dying, but it is also important to take a break.See nature, go to museums, watch movies, eat delicious food ...I think it's also important to play quickly to relieve stress.Also, in the United States, one idea often does not work, so I think it is important not to stubbornly grasp things from one side and to have a generous feeling of being accepted in everything.The United States is a country where common sense is not common sense in Japan. At first, it may be surprising and stressful, but it is also a public study, so I think it is necessary to be prepared to accept it firmly. ..

Futani Thank you.

Click here for Andobijo Special Music Study Abroad Program by Futani