Noriko's Small Room Part 3 | How to Become a Marimba Soloist Vol.2

Hello everyone viewing JPCMAG.
I'm Noriko Tsukagoshi, a marimba player.
The end of 2025 is quickly approaching, and I am once again amazed at how quickly time passes.

Now, this time it's "How to become a marimba soloist Vol.2".
Continuing from last time, I would like to talk about what I value when working as a soloist.

“Overwhelming accumulation” necessary for soloists

As I mentioned last time, the soloist
An overwhelming amount of practice and study, and the mental strength and guts to continue it.
is essential.
I would be happy if the feeling behind this word "overwhelming" resonated with you even just a little bit.

There are days when you want to slack off, days when you want to take a break, and days when you want to give up.
At times like that, IWhat does my future self want from my current self?I try to think about it.

- I want to live a life in which my future self will be grateful for my current self -

What should we do now, not just in the immediate future, but in the long term of our lives?
I always keep that in mind myself.

Role as a performer

Soloists study, practice, research, and spend time perfecting the piece they are performing from scratch.
In the process IWhat I value more than anythingThere is.
That is "Respect for composers" It is.

Music has a ``composer'', ``performer'', and ``audience (customer)''.
``Composers'' create works by pouring their vast knowledge and various experiences into them, and want to deliver them to ``audiences (customers).''

A ``performer'' appears on the path to ``delivering music from the ``composer'' to the ``audience.''
``Composers'' create their own important works. A letter called sheet music He entrusts his thoughts and feelings to the performers.

That is why "performers" have a responsibility to correctly read and learn from the composer's letter, and accurately convey it to the audience.

If you don't learn about the composer or read the music deeply,
“Because it’s somehow beautiful.”
“Because that’s what I think.”
If you play only with that feeling, you can no longer call it music that the composer created.
As a result, the audience receives music that is different from what the composer intended.

Rather than just pursuing what sounds good to the ear, we carefully learn, research, and understand the composer's intentions before performing.

I sincerely hope that you aspire to be such a performer!

The importance of accumulating over time

Continuing to explore a composer's intentions takes time and effort.
Even if you can understand it in your head, there are many things that you cannot immediately express in sound, and there are many times when you are worried and suffering.

But as I continued my search, little by little
The possibilities for music and tones are increasing.
I realize that.
This will make your performance richer and richer.

The accumulation of these efforts will lead to becoming ``a performer who is trusted by composers''.
You will be able to impress the audience with your persuasive performances.

Nowadays, everything is focused on cost performance and quality, but learning about music and other arts can never be measured by efficiency alone.
Please don't rush, just steadily and carefully accumulate each step!

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