We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Manami Matsushita. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Manami below.
Manami, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
When I started learning piano when I was five years old, I was merely practicing and
following my teacher’s instructions and didn’t feel a strong connection with the piano or
music in general. The turning point for me was when I was ten years old. My mother,
who is very passionate about the arts, took me to many music concerts, ballet
performances, and art museums. One day, she took me to a concert to hear Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 9 live for the first time. The mystical tranquility of the third movement
was not like anything I’ve heard before and captivated me into tears. At that moment, I
committed myself to becoming a professional pianist with the goal of having others
experience what I did through my performances.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a classical pianist. To be precise, I perform mainly as a piano soloist or as a piano
soloist accompanied by an orchestra (as in a piano concerto). There are various other
types of classical pianists, such as chamber pianists and piano accompanists, but I
wholeheartedly believe that piano soloists have the most physically and mentally
challenging role. Hundreds of people gathering to watch you alone on a stage…is quite
a blissful but, at the same time, terrifying moment. I can’t count the number of
nightmares I’ve had the night before my shows.
Besides the fact that it is difficult to “make it” as a pianist to the point of being able to
make a living, the stress as I explained above can explain why many people start
learning the piano but do not become a pianist by trade. I, myself, cannot claim that I
am suited as a piano soloist, but my strength is my drive to continue going forward. It’s
easy to give up but hard to keep going. In my case, if I give up, I’ll never be able to get
on stage again, and that is something I cannot bear.
“When there’s a will, there’s a way,” is a proverb that I’ve heard since I was young, and
I like to think that I’m proving it to be true with my life. And that’s also what I’m most
proud of myself for. There will always be people who will appreciate the results of my
efforts, and I will strive to always move forward.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I grew up learning piano in Japan, which although has a culture that has embraced
classical music, does not have direct ties to its history and roots. Thus, there was a little
uneasiness in learning music that was written almost entirely in Europe, where I have
never visited, because I didn’t think I could fully understand the music if I can’t
understand its context. How was I supposed to feel a connection to the music if I don’t
know what kind of experiences the great composers had when they created their work?
I didn’t want to let this hinder me from my growth as a pianist, so I felt compelled to go
to Europe. I applied to music schools all over, but particularly Germany—the center of
classical music that birthed the greats such as Bach and Beethoven. After accepting an
offer of admission to a music school I wanted to attend, I studied German for a few
months and off I went. Not being fluent in neither German nor English, communicating
with people there was tougher than I imagined. Nevertheless, for five years, I grinded
through with just brute force and sheer willpower and graduated with both my master’s
and doctorate degrees, both as valedictorian.
Afterwards, I returned to Japan only to find myself three years later marrying my
American now-husband and moving to the US. During the three years that I was in
Japan, I had built a strong network, including musicians and fans, and I was constantly
on tour, performing across the country. But after living in Germany for five years, I’ve
noticed my musical perspectives have widened, and I felt living elsewhere than Japan
would be more beneficial as I continue to mature as a pianist. My husband and I decided
to move to New York, which was terrifying because I would have to start all over again
in terms of developing my network. Furthermore, my understanding of English was
very elementary, and I didn’t know a single person in New York when I moved. But I
took upon the challenge, and I was excited to live in a new place that has a strong
classical music very different from that in Germany. In contrast to the traditional and
strictly-adhering-to-the-rules attitude of Germany, classical music in the US is more
fluid and progressive, constantly challenging the norms. Now, I’m proud to say I’ve
performed at shows at venues including Carnegie Hall, held concerts as a soloist for
over a hundred people, and even been featured on the radio and newspaper.
If you are passionate about something, you will naturally be resilient to the obstacles
that you face.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I believe the German literature of Goethe—especially Faust—and August Heinrich
Hoffman von Fallersleben, as well as many Russian literature—especially Fyodor
Dostoevksy’s The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment— was crucial to my
development as a classical pianist in understand the context of classical composers of
the era. Also, I have also read various books on business, communication, and work-
efficiency. Nowadays, I like to read quotes from famous people, and I have a collection
of my favorites saved in my phone, which I read through often.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.manamimatsuura.com
- Instagram: @manami.klavier
- Facebook: Manami Matsushita
- Youtube: @manamimatsushita