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.We would like to interview Chiho Togawa, who is active as an accompaniment pianist in Germany, as a guest. I would like to talk about the theme of "studying abroad in music."
(Interview: March 2010)
-Profile of Chiho Togawa-
Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts, Master's Program in Piano.As a Rotary Foundation International Friendship Scholarship student and an overseas trainee of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, he graduated from the Music Accompaniment Department of the University of Music Munich and the Zurich University of Music, and obtained a qualification as a performer.He has been an accompaniment member of the University of Music Munich since he was a student until 73.Received the Competition Committee Special Award (Co-star Award) at the 6rd Japan Music Competition.Won the 4rd prize in the REIT Duo category of the XNUMXth International Franz Schubert and Contemporary Music Competition and the Hugo Wolf Academy International REIT Duo Competition.Official accompaniment at the XNUMXth Hilde Zadek International Vocal Competition.He has performed in Europe and Japan, such as the Ludwigsburg Music Festival.He has studied song accompaniment under H. Deutsch, Mitsuko Shirai & H. Hell.-First of all, please tell us your brief background.
Togawa I went to the piano department of Tokyo University of the Arts from the high school attached to Tokyo University of the Arts, and went on to graduate school.While attending graduate school, I studied abroad in the song accompaniment department of Munich University of the Arts and graduated from both Munich University of the Arts and Tokyo University of the Arts.While attending Munich College of Music, I started working as an accompaniment assistant, and at the same time I entered Zurich College of Music and took lessons for about a week a month.After graduating from Zurich College of Music, after giving birth to a child, I was an accompaniment assistant at Munich College of Music until XNUMX, but now I am working freelance.
-When did you start music?
Togawa is XNUMX years old.I'm from Iwate prefecture, but my mother was doing a piano class, so I started there.
-Did you start by saying that you wanted to do it yourself?
Togawa: I was XNUMX years old, so I don't remember it well, but it may be.From the time I was born, I've always had a piano around me.I think I started playing while I was watching the children in my neighborhood taking lessons.I don't think my mother enthusiastically recommended it.
-Did you practice a lot since you were little?
Togawa: No, I grew up in the country, so I was really relaxing.In a big city like Tokyo, everyone has been working very hard since they were children.I didn't have any competitors, so I was really laid back ...If you read the interviews with other people, everyone is wonderful.
-That's right, that's surprising.It was a normal school until junior high school.
Togawa High School also went to a regular high school for a year, but it is a form of re-entering the high school attached to the University of the Arts.
-Did you take your mother's lessons until you entered the high school attached to Geidai?
Togawa: At the beginning, I learned from my mother, but since there are things that are difficult for parents and children, I immediately learned from my neighborhood sensei.He was my mother's sensei.Also, sensei from Tokyo came to a business trip lesson and went out from here.
-You also learned from sensei in Tokyo.
Togawa When I was in elementary school, Yamaha Music School started to invite sensei from Tokyo to give lessons.That was the trigger.Then, the story of the high school attached to Geidai came out, and I tried to take the exam.If I got it, I got it, everyone was so wonderful, I came to a place out of place!I was impatient. (Lol)
-Did you decide to play the piano in earnest after you entered the High School Attached to the University of the Arts?
Togawa It's time to take the exam.Until then, I didn't know how to practice or how everyone was preparing for the exam. For the first time, teach me something like "If you have to play the exam at XNUMXam, you should start practicing at XNUMXam" or Solfege skills.After I entered the university, I was really inspired by the people around me.
-How much practice did you have since you entered high school?
Togawa: There is no club activity, so school ends as early as XNUMX:XNUMX pm.So, when I go back to the dormitory, I start practicing from about XNUMX o'clock, do it until about XNUMX o'clock, eat dinner and practice for another XNUMX hours from about XNUMX o'clock.Some people did it until XNUMX or XNUMX after taking a bath.
-Did you have a hard time at the beginning?
Togawa: It was so hard that I couldn't remember it now.I don't have any fun memories with my friends.The other people were all people who were interested in their music.After school, I went straight back and practiced, and in the morning I felt like practicing from an hour before class started.Especially because I couldn't afford it at all.
-Did you participate in competitions when you were in high school?
Togawa No.At that time, it was a taboo-like trend for students attending high school to enter the competition.If it comes out, it seems that I absolutely have to win the prize.
-Are there any people who are still out?
Togawa I think there was only one person.I think it was a secret to receive it.
-Did you feel that way when you entered university?
Togawa: No, everyone has been out since I entered university.I also auditioned for a rookie concert of the Nisshoren.But in my case, I wanted to do more accompaniment after I entered college.I mainly played accompaniment for vocal music.As for the accompaniment, I participated in various auditions and competitions.
-When did you actually start thinking about becoming a professional?
Togawa: After I entered university.There was no vocal music department in high school, so it wasn't until I entered university that I met someone who was studying vocal music.I've made a lot of friends in the vocal music department, but as I played accompaniment, it became more and more fun, and I wish I could do the accompaniment work.
-What is the appeal of accompaniment?
Togawa: Originally, I didn't want to play on stage as a solo ...Rather, I began to find it more interesting to accompany vocal music, where music and language are inextricably linked.It's more like a theatrical work, and unlike the piano, it uses words, and I find it appealing to express it in words and music.As with the form of the concert, it is interesting that each song is short and various scenes change.
-So that's it.By the way, when did Togawa study abroad in Germany?
Togawa After I entered graduate school.I wanted to take the graduate school exam because I thought it was a touchstone.If this doesn't work, I'm going to say that I'm here.However, thanks to you, I was able to pass the exam, so after I entered graduate school, I decided to take accompaniment, and I took classes in that direction.It was then that I thought about studying abroad.My solo piano sensei also understood about accompaniment, so he helped me by introducing me to REIT sensei.
-What made you choose Munich Music University?
Togawa: I used to go to Munich for a month to study abroad, and one reason is that I really like the city.However, the direct trigger was that I took a public lesson with Yumiko Samejima and her husband, Helmut Deutsch sensei, in Tokyo.That Deutsch sensei was the sensei of Munich University of Music.Therefore, I consulted with sensei in various ways, and the discussion proceeded to concretely study abroad.Also, it happened that it was the year when the song accompaniment department was established at Munich University of Music, so the timing was also good.
-Before studying abroad in music, you had experience studying abroad in Munich.
Togawa Yes.I chose Munich because only big cities have full-time courses.Munich is a relatively safe city, and it feels like a rural city, so it's small and easy to live in.At that time, I lived in an apartment arranged by a language school for a month, sharing it with people from the same school.
-So, when you studied abroad at Munich University of Music, you didn't have any problems with your language skills.
Togawa: It was great to study German for a month.Most of the scholarships I received were spent on language studies.When I had time, I learned by myself and attended courses as much as possible.A piano person would stay alone and practice for a long time.So I thought I had to study consciously.People often say, "When you talk to a local friend, you'll remember it right away," but that's not enough.Even if I talk to my friends, it's hard to fix it (laughs).If you're a high school student or studying abroad while you're young, that might be an ant, but I was XNUMX years old.
-Did you have a language exam at Munich University of Music?
Togawa: It wasn't my time.I think it's there now.
-How long did you study abroad?
The Togawa area is open, but it's been four years in total. The Aufbaustudium (graduate school course) is for two years, but I returned to Japan for the graduate school of the University of the Arts for one year on the way.After graduating from Munich University of Music, I also attended Zurich, Switzerland for two years.I really wanted to go to Karlsruhe University of Music after Munich, but in the German education system, if you have graduated from the top stage, you cannot enter the same department at another university.So, I entered in the form of an auditor, but sensei decided to teach in Zurich just right.Since Zurich is in Switzerland, I went there because I could study at school again.
-What are the pros and cons of Germany when studying classical music?
Togawa: I think it's a very good environment for those who want to study only German music.However, I don't think you can learn much about global things in a university study program.At German universities, I tend to study one thing deeply, so I think it will take some time.When it comes to singing, it may be difficult to dig into both French and Italian music, as German sensei is still taught professionally in Germany.Regarding accompaniment, for example, in the United States, there is a tendency to play not only REIT but also opera and other music from various countries widely and shallowly, but in Germany I don't think it is that wide.Those who are doing it in Japan may know more about French and Italian music.
-How about for Togawa personally?
Togawa: I've always wanted to study German Lied, so I'm glad.
-How did you get the accompaniment job?
Togawa There was a recruitment within the university.I applied for an audition and was hired.
-What is the most important thing in actually working as an accompaniment?
Togawa First of all, communication with the singer.I think it's important to be humanly open.Otherwise, we shouldn't make music together.It's important to be open when communicating in words.But I hate it if I insist too much (laughs).
-It means accepting the feelings of the other person and communicating.
Togawa That's right.There are various types of performers, so I don't think there is a general rule to do this.Also, the first thing is playing.Is it possible to perform in a way that supports the singer, or is it possible to express each piece of music by understanding various genres and musical styles? In other words, it is a technique.
-There are many people who want to study abroad with the aim of becoming a professional musician, but what do you think is the difference between those who can become professionals and those who cannot?
Togawa It's difficult, isn't it?Because various elements are intertwined ...Of course, the first premise is technology, but I think the other important thing is consciousness.I think it is important to have a strong feeling of going professional.Even if you have the technology, you have to be conscious of not being content with it and trying to push through the limits.I think a professional musician is a person who is good at music, both in feelings and in life.Even if you have a child and wear two pairs of straw shoes, home and work, in any situation.
-What is Togawa aware of as a professional?
Togawa: Now, I feel that there is no big difference between professionals and amateurs.In particular, accompaniment can be done even if you don't go to college, if you have the skills.Experience is also a job that matters.I personally want to be able to perform with all my heart and convincing, not superficial to my performance.Moreover, I always think that I am not ready for XNUMX% or more because I want to support and enhance the singer and make it better.
-What is the secret to working as a professional musician in Germany?
Togawa: Just because you're Asian, don't give up and don't hesitate to move forward.Even when I think I can't do it, I have to take the courage to move forward.The other thing is that you are open as a human being.The Japanese are modest, but that's not a virtue, but rather a bad impression.It may be difficult at first, but I think it's just right to have a strong feeling that even if you make a mistake, there will be another.
-Have you ever been disappointed?
Togawa: It's always (laughs).
-How to recover in such a case?
Togawa: My husband is a Korean singer, but his positiveness has always helped me.I think that Koreans are more successful than Japanese in the world, not only in Germany, but it is a national character with a strong identity.You can say that you are confident in yourself, or that you can assert yourself properly.He works at the opera, but he has to be on an equal footing with other Germans, so he has a pretty strong self.If you have studied abroad, I think that many people from the same Asia, such as China and South Korea, have overwhelming experience.
-Are there any advantages as a Japanese person in working as an accompaniment in Germany?
Tokawa: Japanese people do delicate work, so it is rarely useful, but Japanese people rarely benefit from it.After all, in Germany, all Germans are prioritized, and Germans will want to play with Germans.Germans are no good and they are EU people.There is no reason why I play with Asians.The national character is completely different, so I can't get a job if I'm Japanese forever.Don't expect it to be understood without saying it.I don't know what I'm thinking, or being shy is a negative image.In that sense, I think major reforms are needed.Well, there are many Japanese people, so of course there are many people who are active overseas, overcoming such barriers.
-In such a situation, you are doing a lot of work.Wonderful.
Togawa No, no.Fortunately, there are people who want to work with Togawa or ask for it again, so I feel like I'm doing it.I think I was fortunate to be able to meet such people.
-So that's it.This may be a difficult question, but what is classical music for Togawa?
Togawa It's difficult, isn't it?Everyone else answered very well (laughs).In my image, classical music is closer to the natural wavelength than other music such as pop and jazz.The trees in the forest are swaying, the flowers are open and there is a nice scent, and the sun is shining on the surface of the lake.I also think that classical music is very human.Loving people, anguish, humor, and so on are scattered all over the place.I always have a longing to be able to express such natural scenes and human life through music.Nature is infinitely beautiful, and human life.I think that classical music also has various expressions, but in the end I think it must be infinitely beautiful.
-Do you mean that classical music exists as well as nature?
Togawa It's difficult to get close, though.Classic also has a type.However, it is very important that the work of the accompaniment is not only stereotyped, but also free and flexible.
-Please tell us about your future dreams as a musician.
Togawa: From last year, I started a concert series in Japan with the title "Song Song Hibiki".I would like to introduce various songs to everyone by playing a different singer every time.In February of this year, we will hold a concert in collaboration with not only music but also video.In Japan, when singing a song in a foreign language, there is a problem that it is difficult to convey it directly to the listener.This time, we plan to show the video on the stage and enjoy the world of songs not only from the ears but also from the eyes.In Europe, I would like to continue to be a leader arvent.
-Is the sponsored concert held in Tokyo?
Togawa This is my first time in Tokyo.I've always wanted to do such a concert, but this time, the company that co-sponsored it was looking for performers, and they applied for it and hired me.Other than that, I also have concerts in my hometown of Iwate.
-Last but not least, please give some advice to those who want to study abroad.
Togawa: I think it is important to study abroad with your own purpose.I think it's not that everyone has to be a professional, but that it's because they want to go see Europe.If you don't have a purpose, you're wasting your time and money.I think it's okay for my goals to change as I spend my time, but I don't think it makes sense to go abroad without a purpose or goal.I think it's important not to lose sight of yourself.
-You have to have a strong belief.
Togawa The rest is words!No one can do it at first, so courageously hope.As for language, you should study as much as possible.Before studying abroad in music, I think you can just study abroad once.Especially in the case of songs, words are important, and no matter how good your voice is, you will not be evaluated as unable to speak.University sensei often talks about that.For those who want to enter university, if German is not possible, English is fine at first, so it is better to have some means of communicating with sensei.
-Thank you very much for telling us a valuable story for a long time today.
----- Chiho Togawa's concert information -----
Rafael Fable & Chiho Togawa Reit Duo Recital [Song Song] vol.3
"Haydn and Schumann's Song" -with photographer Hideto Yamamoto-
Enjoy the delicate and sophisticated REIT duo by Rafael Fable (tenor) and Chiho Togawa (piano), who are attracting attention in Germany and other parts of Europe, against the backdrop of German landscape images.Enjoy the heart of German Lied with your ears and eyes!
<Program>
Haydn composer "Wanderer" "She never talks about love"
Schumann composer "Leader Kreis op.24" "Six songs by Lenau's poems and Requiem op.6"
<Appearance>
Rafael Fable (tenor)
Chiho Togawa (piano)
Held: Sunday, February 2011, 2 Matinee 27:14
Soiree 18:30
Admission fee 4,000 yen
Venue / Sonorium Tel: 03-6768-3000
168-0063 3-53-16 Izumi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo FAX 03-6768-3083
http://www.sonorium.jp/index.htm
[Ticket handling / concert details]
Kanon Kobo
office@atelier-canon.jp
Tel: 03-5917-4355 (Weekdays 10-17 o'clock) fax: 03-5917-4356
http://www.atelier-canon.jp/ (You can also apply from the site)
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