Midori on a Mission

The Interview

Classical Domain: You could have played with a little reverse psychology and included one conventional work that the audience had to sit through before the Yun or the Lutoslawski, but you have gone for total immersion, is this your first tour to be comprised of only contemporary works?  

Midori:    This is my first tour in the United States featuring an all-contemporary program. A little over a year ago, Bob McDonald and I played this program in four cities in Japan. This first tour included a day-long educational event in Tokyo to help familiarize the audience with the repertoire. The activities included lectures from musicologists, an open masterclass featuring the works of our recital program, and an audio-visual exhibition of documentaries, scores, and sound clips. We also produced a Program Guide DVD that was sent by request to ticket-buyers for their review before the concert. In my experience, a concert is more engaging for many listeners if they have some background knowledge and an understanding of the context of the music. This can be said about most of the works, but I think it might be especially true with contemporary works. I wanted to provide a similar contemporary music experience for U.S. audiences; there will be a workshop in San Francisco on April 15th, in addition to the newsletters on my website.

CD:  Some of the works on the program have been in your repertoire for years, what made you feel this was the moment that they fit together and should be taken on the road?

Midori:   I had been thinking about doing the all-contemporary program for some time before it actually came to fruition. The original idea was to choose music written within my lifetime, and then the focus narrowed to works composed after the time of my “musical awareness” as a pre-teen after the opportunity came up for the project in Japan.

There is a need to give a special push to presenters to approve a program comprised of no instant winners (ultra-popular works). Sometimes, in trying to promote new music, one is pressured to surround it with other works that would ‘compensate’ for the inclusion of new music. This then is done without regard for the musical continuity and further alienates the new music, in my opinion.

CD:  As a performer, what challenges you in these works, what about them has moved you to this level of commitment?

Midori:   Each of the works on the program has meaning to me as both a listener and performer. I would also say that these meanings are always developing and being challenged. I find them very interesting and intriguing!

CD:  One of the questions that I have asked performers is how do they internalize the music they perform, for instance do they use narrative, visual or nature orientated cues.  For these contemporary works, or perhaps in general, do you have strategies for “internalizing” a composition?

Midori:    I believe that a piece of music has a life in its own, as well as a life inside me. As I continue to work with the music, that life develops from my thoughts and experiences into a unique, personal interpretation of the music's message. With the contemporary works, just as with any music from any time period, a performer's internalization requires logical responses, careful listening, and honest consideration of the composer's intentions. Most of the time, the music is the answer. Listening to music often gives me the most convincing answers.

CD:  Your master's thesis topic was, from what I have read, about ‘pain’. Can you tell me a little about the thesis and, since this is a pre-concert interview, if the study you undertook to research and develop your thesis illuminated aspects of being an artist?

Midori:    The original idea for my master's thesis was to write a book for children about psychology, inspired by the many questions asked by my young brother while browsing my textbooks. I soon realized that this would be an enormous undertaking. I chose ‘pain’ as the topic, as that very subjective subject would allow me to touch upon various aspects of psychology in my thesis.

When I began to seriously study psychology, I did so without specific intentions for my music. That said, everything I have done in life is reflected in my music, though not necessarily in any direct way.

CD:   When you were in your twenties, you went back to school you and thought about giving up the violin professionally, and later you earned a bachelor's degree, and you now have a Master's degree in Psychology. So, had you given up music professionally what music would you most like to listen in your leisure time as Dr. Midori?

Midori:   I don't know that I would have ever completely “given up” music had I decided to pursue a career in psychology! I can't imagine not playing the violin at all.

In simply listening, I enjoy a variety of music — from Western classical and jazz to Japanese koto, world music, etc.

CD:  One more question: You autobiography, it is first being published in Germany, will there be an English edition?

Midori:   There are no plans for the book to be published in English.