T.N/Cheetham International Piano Summer Course & Language School

T.N: I started playing the piano when I was 4 years old and am currently in my 4th year of university.

T.N: I went to England on a trip when I was in my third year of high school and fell in love with the country, so I decided to study abroad in England this time.

T.N: I've never had confidence in my piano skills, so I wonder if things will change if I go abroad. That's what got me thinking. In order to gain confidence, I also wanted to interact with people from other countries. I also wanted to know how good my English skills were, so I went to a language school.

T.N.: There was a wide range of ages, from small children to adults. People from all over the world participated.

T.N.: It was like having lessons and practicing every day. Although I didn't participate, there were opportunities to perform in addition to lessons, and there were also workshops with various sensei artists. I also went to listen to a sensei concert every night.

T.N: I learned from three sensei students, and they were all very kind. The compliments were easy to understand and the lessons were held in a fun atmosphere.

T.N: He complimented me when I was playing well, and when I didn't, he told me in a positive way, ``If I do this, it will get better,'' which made me want to try harder. I did. Since each sensei teaches differently, the interpretation of the song varies from person to person, and I felt that there was no right answer.

T.N: English. There was no interpreter, so I told them at first that I might not understand much, but they made gestures and showed me how to play, so I didn't have any problems.

T.N.: On the final night, there was a party that lasted until midnight. The school had a bar, so the sensei students were drinking together, and those who wanted to play were free to play.It was a lively atmosphere.

T.N: This is the practice room. There were many practice rooms, and if they were empty, you could practice. There was a set number of hours that I could practice, but I practiced all the time when no one was coming.

T.N: I went shopping and took a break in my room. I also went to museums etc.

T.N: I heard that the security situation here is not very good, but personally, my impression is that it is no different from Japan. Everyone involved was kind and nice, and although I had heard that it was dangerous after dark, I tried not to go out, but during the day I didn't get the impression that it was scary at all.

T.N.: During the Cheetham International Piano Summer Course, I stayed in a dormitory within the music school, and during the language school period, I stayed in a different student dormitory for one week each.

T.N: The dormitory was very clean and I had a comfortable stay without any problems. There was a washing machine, but I couldn't use the detergent I brought with me, so I tried my best to wash it by hand, but it dried quickly, so there was no problem.

T.N: During the training period, we were provided with three meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, in the form of a buffet. During the language school, I went shopping at the supermarket and had meals with local Japanese people I had made friends with. There is an impression that British food is bad, but that was not the case at all and it was delicious. If I was eating alone, it would cost me around 3 yen, but if I had a meal with friends, it would cost around 1 yen. The ramen and drink cost about 1,000 yen.

T.N: It was scary, but there was a time when I was solicited for religion on the street. I survived the situation by pretending that I didn't understand English or ignoring them.

T.N: Speaking by yourself. I think it's a good idea to speak actively, even if you use a translator.

T.N: I was able to make friends with people from overseas. I also went to a language school, and it was really fun to be able to interact with people who weren't British. At first, I couldn't keep up with the level of those around me at the language school, but I studied hard every day, prepared to speak in advance, and got to know everyone around me, so I had a lot of fun.

T.N.: I didn't have confidence and got nervous easily, but this experience made me realize that there are many different kinds of people. Some people do it as a hobby, while others are very good at it. What they all have in common is that they just enjoy playing music. , you just have to work at your own pace. I realized that.
Also, by experiencing many things by myself this time, I have become able to do everything by myself. There's nothing to be afraid of, as I was able to solve the problem myself, even if it was dangerous. I used to be very concerned about what people thought of me, but now I'm in the mindset of trying to do my best at my own pace. I think I was able to learn about a new world.

T.N.: I felt that it was a country without prejudice. There were many LGBTQ people there, and I felt that it was a wonderful environment where everyone could express their individuality without being viewed with prejudice.

T.N: If you are unsure, you should go. I'm sure some people are worried about language skills, but when you go there you'll be in an environment where you have to speak, so you'll have to do something about it, and if you can overcome it, you'll become stronger. However, I think it would be a good idea to memorize some daily conversations before you go.

T.N.: My dream is to teach music to children with disabilities, so I'm going to work hard on my piano as well as study music therapy.