Future Classic Women Awards – Yukino Kano, Music in the Japanese Lockdown

Hello and welcome to future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte on the women's radio station. The program where we search for the most amazing new female artist on the classical panorama. Today is our eighth episode in the lockdown and our guest is pianist Yukino Kano. Good morning, Yukino. Good morning, Stefania. It's actually not a good morning for you. I mean, you are in Japan right now, in Tokyo. So what time is it in Tokyo? It's 6pm Here. Okay. So it's still a good afternoon time, isn't it? Yeah. How is the lockdown there in Japan? Lockdown here is. Well, it's not too bad for my opinion, but lockdown in Japan is like the government actually is saying the state of emergency. It's like lockdown. But it started from the 7th of April and it actually finished a week ago. Oh, really? Already? Yeah, already. But still a lot of places are closed, including concert halls, let's say some of the departments and like, some, you know, like that kind of shops started open now. But still I think it will take quite a bit of time to open like event venues and like, yeah, things. But schools actually had started from today. All right, yeah, elementary schools and like. Yeah, that kind of places. Please don't tell me. You know, my daughter, she's in year one elementary school and I was so excited thinking she would go to school today because they just reopened the elementary school in London in the uk, and instead her class is gonna start at the end of June. So the disappointment was enormous. My daughter, she was so excited to go back to school is so important, particularly for children. But for anybody, really, the fact of being able to go back to normal in a way, to be with other people and not confined in your house, for as beautiful as it is, you know, some people are very happy to be at home, but you are home for your choice and not because you're forced to be there. True. Yeah. Actually a lot of elementary schools, let's say Japan, is quite similar. Like they started from today, but it started from only like an hour. Yeah. So no like school, meals, anything? Anything. Yeah, well. And how was it for you to be home for all this time? I mean, from April till now? Let's say two months. You've been home two months? Yeah, yeah, it's quite long. Yeah. But well, a lot of like, concerts I was supposed to play, it's all canceled until August actually, let's say, like. Yeah, a lot like seminars and like jury of the competitions that all cancelled. So I'm having quite Quiet time at the moment. But on the other hand, like, I have more time to spend with my children and also like doing a bit of gardening, which I wasn't doing much before. Yes, well, in a way, I mean, you know, talking about having children and being a working mom and particularly musician mom, you know, you don't realize. Until the lockdown, we didn't realize how active it was our life really, because you have to balance the career of, you know, performing, of spending hours at the piano and then also taking care of the children, cooking and I mean, I don't know your children, but my. She was super happy to be home when I told her she was going to school, back to school. She was happy to see her friend, but she was like, yeah, I only want to go for my birthday, that is this week. And then she was fine, you know, done. I'm done with school. Right, I see. Well, she seems she's happy with staying with you. Yes, she's. It's not the same for us though. Yeah. Hard for you. Well, you know, I've seen you were in London studying at Royal Academy of Music some time ago actually when I was there as well. And we have a common friend that is now there in Japan. Italian Spanish pianist. Spanish British multi international concert pianist. And you did together special piece for in support of the key worker of Japan. Right? Yes. How did that come to mind? You, you decided to play the overture the suite from Website Story. And funny enough, the guest from last week from the last episode of Future Women Awards was two singers that asked that played with a song from west side Story One Hand, One prayer. So somehow west side Story is like the bridge between classical music and popular audience. Something that comes from classical bar is understood by audience of any genre and it looks like a very popular choice for us to as a peace in support of the key worker. Yeah. Yes. So the pianist Marco Fatikenti is my. Well, I. He's my friend but also like I feel like he was my teacher, one of my teachers when I was at the academy actually. Oh really? Because yeah, we studied with same professor Christopher Elton. Yes. And when I was undergrad student, I think Marco was already postgrad or. Yeah. And when so Chris Elton he suggested me to have a lesson with Marco. All right. Yeah. So I took lesson from him and it was so good and so I admire him so much and so when he told me to play some like some pieces by remote work and put it. To get. Put it on YouTube, I was very excited but also quite afraid. Yeah. But so we Played Prologue Cha Cha Somewhere by West side Story and for two pianos. And why we choose that piece was. Yeah, with. I think we thought, as you said, like, it's very popular and it's, you know, not only classical music lover. Yeah, it's not for only classical music lover, it's for more. Like every. For more for everyone. And it has strong message and thing. Yeah, the video was beautiful. I watched it with my daughter and in the prologue of what's a Story, they. They clip their fingers and my daughter loved it so much that she kept clipping fingers all the way, clicking her fingers all the way after, you know, the video was finished. And it was lovely. You could see children clicking their. Their fingers. Why did they click the fingers? And here, what they do in support of the NHS and the key workers, they clap their hands on Thursday evening at 8pm for a few minutes. So that's what they do. So is that something that you do in Japan, instead of clapping their hands, you click your fingers or not? Actually. Okay. I was just. It was, you know, very rhythmical in a way. Yeah. And actually on music. Music is said. Clicking on that. Yeah. So me and Marco did that first and then we had an idea to, like, joining, you know, joining. Inviting a lot of people to click and we make one piece together, like, so it's like even though we can't see each other anything, we are sort of together. Yeah. Music sort of thing. Yeah. So for the. For the audience of our radio program to watch the video, where can they find it? They can put play on Save music if they can put that word. And that will take you. Yeah, wonderful. Yeah. I recommend everybody to watch it because it's super fun. Now, the first piece we're gonna listen today is actually a piece performed by Yukin as a solo pianist. And this is the busy image from the book 2 Cloche a Travers le Feuille. So Bell's True beliefs. Let's listen to it. Sa. Sam. Wonderful. And this was Les Cloche a Trappert Les Feuilles by Debussy. Image Book 2. So, Yukino, would you like to tell us why have you chosen this book piece as the first piece to listen to? I felt like people needed to think image, emerge, let's say emerge. The nature, you know, like in this difficult time, I think, because people can't see friends and like, you know, doing lots of activities, I think going and connect to the nature is something they need to do or they. They can do. So. Yeah, I thought that's nice to choose. Yeah, it's a wonderful thought and this is a wonderful piece. The image by the BC are a series of pieces really depicting IM of impressionism. And this in particular was about the bells, a special type of music from the Indonesian island of Java. And you can definitely hear the bells and the waves going through these special instruments. So the sound of nature and this is something that many people noticed. I mean, actually it's been beautiful to see dolphins being back in the channels in Venice, this ones being in, you know, in places where they've not been before. And basically nature taking back the world after, you know, having all the humans locked down in their. In their houses. In a way, if it wasn't for the virus that is so deadly and so awful. It's actually a beautiful opportunity for everybody to stop and think and get inspired again. And I would honestly recommend doing that again to like establish a sort of a worldwide holiday where everybody has to stay home, not take cars, but only go around on the bikes or on walking and let nature and the planet to breathe with us. Yeah, yeah. I think it's been such a. In the bed has been also blessing. I read as well that apparently the ozone hole that we have in the atmosphere was kind of closing back. So it is actually revertible. And it's something that, you know, in the apocalyptic science prediction of this planet, it's like a miracle. So. And there is nothing more beautiful than nature and music. I'm sure it happened to you as well. But when I play the piano at the window, particularly in this season, I notice these birds that they just come to the window and they sing with me. Oh yeah. And this lovely. Yeah, I noticed that too. Like before, I was always closing the window and playing the piano. But then some like, you know, this time I started to open up the window and play and so the birds actually are singing so beautifully and I feel like, you know, this is how it should be. Maybe. Absolutely, absolutely. Somehow also they sing with us. So they. Music in any type of music by particular, the acoustic one. So piano, guitar, violin, any instrument that is kind of natural, that is getting his sounds out of a. Not an electric device, is really in tune with the singing of the birds and the animals. And this is somehow what the composers, some composers were trying to achieve in particular. So now you say that you have a special link with the French music. When did you decide to have this special passion for the PC? And the French composer was something you liked since you were little or you just matured by the time you, you. Well, when I was at the Academy. Royal Academy. I was so into like French impressionism. And the teacher at the Academy, he's called Neil Hyde, he was my key, my technique and analysis teacher. Do you know Neil? Yes, I do know Neil. Yeah. Yeah. He suggested me to study Debussy more. And so he actually asked Roy Howard, he is pianist and also like, he's sort of like editor of Duran Edition, which is like French. And then so he. He asked Roy to teach. To teach me. I had a chance. I had a chance to study with Roy. Wow. Yeah. And. And yeah. And also at the same time there was opportunity to do all Debussy piano recital in Japan. Oh, wow. Yeah, I had. I kind of had to prepare and also, I mean, I was so willing to. Anyway, so. Yeah. So. Yeah. And then I became more of like. Yeah, really like the person. I see. I see. But somehow. So it's a double. It's always in life there is this double way of wanting to do it and at the same time to be called for it. So somehow you've been called to play more the BC also by these concerts in Japan of just the BC music and the fact that you were pushed by the teacher and as well the fact that you liked it. So it's incredible how a path, a career takes a certain direction sometimes really by something else, by some other energies that they. Isn't it wonderful? How was it to come to London and you know, to come and study in Royal Academy of Music after being in Japan and then going back to Japan? Was it very different? Yes, it was very different, definitely. So I think when I was going to the Academy, I kind of was very excited and I was so willing to go. But then I actually couldn't speak English much. So that when I came to London I got really like bad homesick. Oh yeah. Because I couldn't speak and like everything was so different. So like, let's say when I. When I went to the like supermarket and then looking for the shampoo, let's say. But I mean, I. Well, I should have been able to read shampoo, but I somehow I chose body wash or something. Oh my God, I was that bad. I understand. Yeah, so, yeah. But you know, like after, let's say a year, you know, a year later, I want so enjoying studying in London and you know, because wonderful friends, wonderful professors and also like going to Covent Garden and you know, like seeing operas and ballet or like, you know, London symphony orchestras. Yeah, these are something you can. Can't do. I mean, you can't go like so easily In Japan, I had the same exact experience. I came here, I could speak English, but not as well. So I remember the first time you remember, you go, we had this kind of welcome from the principal and from the various professors in the big theater. And I remember I didn't understand one word of what they were saying. They were speaking too fast, wasn't it? Yeah, they were so fast. That was so. That made me so nervous. Absolutely. So I was like, oh, my gosh, I'm not gonna survive. So, like. Yeah, when people laugh, I kind of laugh. Yes. Well, let's listen to the next piece, and then we're gonna talk more about your experience in London. I mean, it's very special. And this is the beauty of this city, is the beauty of our career as well. The fact that you can travel and suddenly be in a completely different reality, completely different world, and somehow we are all unified by the music. So let's listen to more music and then we talk more about this. So the next piece is gonna be. So it's from the BC image, and it's. The moon sets over the temple. That was. Sa. Sam. Sa. How beautiful. And this was a la lune descent sur les temps. And the moon sets over the temple. That was such. Such a special music. Also, the PC was very, very inspired by the Asian and Indonesian images. The culture, the sounds, the architectures. Is the PC a composer that is particularly more at home, in a way, with the Japanese culture, for example, or it's just exotic for Japanese because it's French. It's very French. Yeah, it's very French. But some pieces, like, let's say, like this piece, it's this. I think this temple means. Is not like, exactly the Japanese temple, but I feel that I. I can feel the sense of, like, sort of like stillness, like silence. Quite Asian somehow. Yeah, I feel quite comfortable with that stillness. Yes. So, like, let's say this piece, it's like. It a very picture piece, but this picture moment. Debussy made that made into music, you know, so this is something I feel like, quite similar to. Yeah, like Zen. Yes, absolutely. Yeah, that's something that definitely comes to mind. Now, how was it to come back from the very. I mean, you can definitely. London is not a steel city. Being actually during the lockdown has been phenomenal. To be able to go around the city and see it like no one has ever seen it before. So with, you know, an empty Covent Garden, an empty Oxford street or Bond street, it was just incredible. And we would go around the city on the bike without the risk of being run over by cars and without running anywhere, really. So that is the most important thing. Something very typical of London and probably of all the metropolis in the world is the fact that everything goes so much faster. And now, you know, you have the stillness, the fact of being able to stop and think and listen to the sound of nature and everything. So how was it to come back from such a live city and go back to the. I know Tokyo is quite a super cosmopolitan city as well, but, you know, to go back to the Japanese culture and Japanese probably way of living as well. Yeah, it was very different. And I was quite shocked when I went back to Tokyo because, you know, before going to London, it was. I only knew Japan and I thought that's, you know, that's normal. Yes. So I thought, yeah, when I went back, I felt the same. I would have. I was imagining I would. Wouldn't think something is quite strange. Something was strange. But then, like, I felt like. Like everything was a little bit quite like a little bit the same in a way. So, yeah, I was kind of, you know, little bit puzzled for the first, like, couple of months. But then, like, let's say there. There is beautiful cultures. So like, I. I start, I learn. I studied tea ceremony, let's say when I went back. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, yeah. And also, like, doing. Learning ikebana, which is like a flower arrangement of Japanese style. So, yeah, so that's very, like, interesting. And I. Which probably because I went to London, I felt like Japanese culture is more interesting. Yeah, yeah. I didn't feel like I wanted to learn my culture, but then, yeah, it was good change. And also, like, because I learned so much about, like, music education for, like, school children and things in London. So I did a lot of music workshops for children and a lot of things in Japan. And. Yeah, that's really fun. Wonderful. Well, this is really, really beautiful. It's true. I mean, I remember as well when I came to London, I was very homesick and I was ready to go back anytime. And my parents were like, no, it's an opportunity of a lifetime. You need to enjoy it as much as you can. And you will see, you will come back so much richer. And then actually, I didn't go back. I got stuck in London like some other friends of mine. And. Yeah, but it's true. You look back at your country, at your culture in a different way and. And it's wonderful that you can then appreciate it even more because, you know, when you are born there and you grow up there, somehow you take it for granted and you don't realize how special it is. It's only when you go out and you get to meet with different people in different countries that you see. And I think one thing I really learned, I always love difference. But being in London in particular, I learned how to appreciate it even more. And that's why I was convinced on staying in London apart, that I was offered opportunities that I couldn't tune down. And so that's how I stayed. But at the same time, the beauty of this city in particular is the fact that there is a very strong love for different from, you know, different culture, different languages, different look, different everything. More different you are, the more they like you. That is something that doesn't happen, for example, in Italy. Italy fashion, because everybody likes to dress the same. Don't dress accordingly to fashion. They don't like you. Well, here everybody has their own fashion. The fashionist. Yeah, different. So that's the beauty. Yeah, yeah, I know the feeling. Yeah. Gosh, you know, this interview is going too fast, to be honest. We're already. We have one minute and a half left and then we're ready. So just before we go to the last piece, to the third piece of TODAY interview that is Poisson door pay Debussy, I'd like to ask you what was the most exciting moment in your career? Most exciting moment? I guess it's. It's difficult, but I think it's now. Oh, wonderful. Yeah. I have two kids who are five and two and like, so, like, of course I don't have much time to do, like, touring concerts and things, but. But I do a lot of, like, workshops here and like, go to school with the orchestra called Kanangawa Philharmonic. And so, like, you know, because I have children, I more. I now more think about, like, music education for children. So I feel like, you know, this is something I should do. Absolutely. Nice, nice. Very nice. And what was the most challenging moment in your career? Oh, challenging moment. I think that, like, when I. I was in US last year, actually San Diego in California, and at that time I didn't have piano at home. I only had electric electronic piano. And I think that was really hard because I couldn't enjoy much. I know I had a similar experience. I had the concert, a very important concert in Italy, and I was in America and I didn't have a piano as well. And so I was offered a piano of a friend of my family because I'm an American. And so I had this old, old piano. It was a beautiful old piano. But you know how it is for us when we have to play hard notes on it and you just break it. So definitely that's a very good choice as a challenging moment. That's one of the cons of being a pianist, of having to find a good piano, where to practice and where to work. Yeah. Let's listen now to Poisson d', or, the Gold fish by the BC Image Book 2. Sa. How beautiful. This was Poisson Door by Debussy. The goldfish image book, too. How beautiful. Really well done. Now, where are you Kino on the last part of our interview? And this is the time for the art question. So you already told me you had the privilege and pleasure to do the. To learn the art of the tea. Do you have any other hobby to free your mind or relax? Hobby? Recently, my family started having pets. Yeah? Which pets? Well, cat poles, frog. Oh, really? The frog. Oh, my gosh. That's original. Nice. Yeah. Because of the lockdown, we thought we need children to entertain at home. And then luckily, one of the neighbors, they had little pond at home. And then so they had lots of tadpoles, like frog children, you know, and so we had some of it from them. And then so it was really nice to see, like, some, you know, it started to having legs. Hands. Yeah. But the funny thing was I was. I didn't have much knowledge for the frogs. Yes. And then I was imagining, like, they would have become, like, green frog. Yeah. But then it was all like, kind of black, brown. It became like that color. And then it was actually toads, you know, like toads. Yeah. So that was quite surprising. Absolutely. Yeah. It's very cute. Yeah. But where do you keep it? You have a. Yeah, we are keeping it in our garden. All right. Yeah. So, yeah, put a lot on, like some waters. Water. And. Yeah. For keeping it at the moment. Funny. Okay, that's very cute. All right. So do you also have any ritual of superstition before going on stage? Going on stage? Well, I do a lot. A bit of jumping. Jumping, okay. Yeah, jumping. That. That make like my heart beating. Sorry. Yeah, sorry. I missed you. Can you please repeat? So you said. I saw you say jumping makes your heartbeat too, a little bit like. Like going lower because it's not like jumping so hard. It's like, you know, when you get nervous, you so hard, you feel like your heart going. Going a little bit upper, like a little bit higher. So, you know, that makes it a little bit down, you know, calmer. Yeah. All right, that's interesting. I never heard that. I'M gonna try. I'm gonna try next time, that's for sure. And do you have any embarrassing funny moment that you can recall in your career? I had several on stage. Nice one is when I performed in Vio Recital hall in Carnegie hall in New York. I was like high school student and I didn't have much experience to perform in big halls. So I was very nervous. And then normally people goes on stage on from stage right, Right. Yes. And then go back to the same place. Yes. After you perform. But then I came onto the stage from using the stage right. And then after I performed I somehow went to stage left. But then that door was closed. I pushed it so hard and then like it didn't open so I pushed it again. But like nothing happened. And the audience was laughing. And then some people like make it like that way and that way. Oh my God. That's very funny. Yes, it is very good to break in a way the. The nervousism isn't it somehow that makes the perform more human and the audience, because when they see us on stage, they think about us. They. It's. It's an idea of the pianist of the classical musician that is on stage at this perfect and not making any mistake. You know, the perfect breath, perfect hair and everything. And then it's not. We're just perfectly normal people and these funny things are actually perfect to make them to relate with us now. And what's your next project or collaboration? Are you gonna record again with Marco or are you gonna do something alone or with your studios? For example? The next thing is I'm recording some a piece like choir piece, only the accompaniment. And then I. That like. It's like one of the orchestra project for people who's got disability. They sing together and pray for people who had sad memory. Like some. Some years ago some bad accident happened in Japan and so that's kind of like memorial event. They can't do the event actual event this year because of the COVID 19 but we will do through like you know, on practice by online and then see like make something together. So that's another next project coming up next week. Sounds beautiful. We're looking forward to see them now. The last piece of today is actually a beautiful and fun. Fun piece is Listless Reuse by the BBC. The Happy island by BBC. Sa. Sat. How beautiful. And this was Lise Le Jouails by Debussy. If you have any questions that you would like to ask to our guest or nomination on our future Classic Women Awards, please email presenters at Womensradio Station or Twitter WomensRadio stn if you have a big thanks to our guest, the pianist Yukino Kano for the great chat and the beautiful music play today. You've been listening to future Classic Women Awards on Women's Radio station live every day at 10am and 10pm London time. You can catch up on our previous programs by heading to my presenter page. Stefania Pastamonte Feature Classic Women Awards on women's radio station.com Bye Yukino, it's been a pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. It was lovely to talk with you and thank you for listening.