From Percussion Rooms of the World Vol.9｜Austria Linz Rie Hotta

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It's been about three years since I first lived in Linz, a medium-sized city in Austria. Linz is located between the capital city of Vienna and the famous tourist destination of Salzburg, and each destination can be reached in about an hour by train. It is also a very livable city with good public transportation within the living area. I am currently studying at Anton Bruckner Private University, which is located a little far from the city center.

●Life at university

At university, you can learn a wide range of topics such as marimba, multi-percussion, and orchestral studies under the guidance of two professors. In addition, as an elective, I also learned about folk music from various countries, focusing on hand percussion. During the lessons, I was astonished and moved as I learned new techniques and expression methods from the wonderful teachers. Starting with a thorough basics, I explored a variety of tones and studied musical expression through various pieces, but playing a solo piece using seven Viennese-style timpani was a valuable experience that allowed me to learn about the further possibilities of the timpani.
I had many opportunities to perform in ensemble and orchestra concerts both on and off campus, and each time I learned that different countries have different ways of thinking, such as how to choose instruments and mallets, how to play (sometimes my teacher taught me Austrian style), how to express music, etc., and I was very inspired each time.
Also, everyone in the class places great value on their instruments. Of course we handle our instruments with care, but we also clean the rooms and instruments regularly to keep them in good condition. In particular, dust often accumulates in the resonance tube of a marimba, so I take special care to clean it every time.

What I learned from suffering

This is a little off topic from the topic of musical instruments, but there are currently about 15 students of various ages and nationalities in the university's percussion class. All the students are really enthusiastic, and the seven practice rooms are always filled up quickly in the morning. We have a good selection of musical instruments, but of course we can't have one for each person, so in most cases we have to compromise. There is no clear practice room reservation system in percussion classes, so students consult with each other each time, make practice plans, and practice by giving up rooms and instruments to each other. When I first came to Linz, I was not fluent in the language, so this communication was very difficult for me. ``I don't want to disturb the person practicing ahead of me...What can I say in German that will make the other person listen?'' I was so timid that I couldn't actively engage in discussions. However, my teacher and my friends told me over and over again, ``Don't you want to practice? You have to tell us what you want to do and what's inconvenient without holding back.'' After that, little by little, I started to be able to express my own opinions.
[Even if you wait, nothing will happen. Even if you remain silent, nothing will be conveyed to the other person. ] This may seem obvious at first glance, but it turned out to be a great hint that will help you in your daily life and performance. Being active at all times is useful not only in daily life, but also in all situations, such as when reading music, making sounds, and when playing in an ensemble with others. I learned first-hand that by keeping one's own antenna open and responding flexibly to everything, both music and humanity become deeper.
Living in Linz was a great training experience not only musically but also mentally. I would like to continue to approach instruments and music with sincerity, and work hard to become a player who can expand the appeal and possibilities of percussion instruments, which will continue to develop.

Rie Hotta Profile

Born in Tottori City. Started playing piano at age 4 and percussion instruments at age 13. Graduated from Tokyo College of Music and was selected to perform at the graduation concert sponsored by the same college. Participated in Marimba Academy (IKMMA2011) in Nuremberg, Germany. He was a semi-finalist at the Belgian International Marimba Competition (2013) and has won numerous awards in domestic competitions.
He held his first solo recital in Tottori City in October 2013, which was well received. Since October 2015, he has been studying marimba and percussion instruments under professors Leonhard Schmidinger and Bogdan Bacanu in a master's program at Anton Bruckner Private University in Austria, and is also performing with local orchestras and wind bands. In February 2020, his second recital will be held in Japan.

*This article was published in "JPC No. 161" published on July 10, 2019. Please note that the content remains as it was at the time of publication.