Trapped in trance

Keiko Kobayashi, the fair dame of the land of Cherry Blossoms raises tempo of her musical experience

Ruwini Jayawardana

The soft melodies of R Schumann’s ‘Rhenish’ Symphony in E flat paints a picture of the grandeur of the Rhine river and its civilization, the image that the creator had been inspired to depict. Soon the beat picks up and engulfs the listeners with another a quicker and a livelier tune. All eyes are fixed on the woman with the baton, standing tall and a smile playing at her lips as she led the orchestra on a series of enchanting rhythms much to the listeners’ delight at the Ladies College Hall on October 9.

In paradise

This is not the first time that Tokyo-born Keiko Kobayashi had visited and staged a performance in the isle. She had concluded a successful tour in Sri Lanka a year back when she had conducted Beethoven’s fifth symphony and Mozart’s flute and harp concerto along with the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka, the only organization in Sri Lanka that gives regular performances of classical music, at their annual premieres concert. She was also joined by Kimihiko Akiyama and Mayumi Mori during the show which featured music played by the flute and harp. This event gave the local music lovers the first opportunity to witness and hear a trio accompanied by a harpist in an extremely unusual harmony of music.

“Sometimes it is the conductors who decide the style and the tempo of the music played by the orchestra. It is the music conductor whose vision leads the musical group he or she is conducting. He or she should note the requirements of the audience and cater to their needs. If they need cheering up, the conductor could change to a lively tune but remember that the music score is important. You cannot shorten or change the tune at your will. After all you are only following a piece which had been composed by another person,” said Keiko on the prominent role she plays in leading the tunes.

Her most recent achievement was clinching the first prize at the Boswil International Conducting Masterclass in Switzerland. She also conducted the Aargau Symphony Orchestra earlier this year.

She says: “As conductors we work a lot in leading orchestras, choirs and bands. They must understand all aspects of music including tempo, dynamics and phrasing. However money is not the main factor. It is music that matters.”

This time it was seasoned Japanese horn player Atsushi Kimura, the guest soloist for Mozart’s Third Horn Concerto, accompanied Keiko in the concert. He too has an ample dose of experience at his fingertips for he had begun playing the horn from the age of 12. A student of Professor Masahiro Tanaka and Professor Katsuyoshi Kurosawa at the Toho Gakuen Music School, Tokyo, Kimura is presently the director of the Japan Horn Society. Keiko is a graduate of the University of Yamanashi and has a Masters degree in conducting from the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo. She was also the winner of the First Prize at the Mid Europe International Conducting Master Class in 2007 and is a pupil of globally renowned conductor Seiji Ozawa. She had conducted the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO), the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, Siena Wind Orchestra, and others and had toured countries like Switzerland, Japan, Australia and Hungary. Speaking on the topic of communicating with the members of orchestras form all over the world she said the language barrier did not block her way.

“I communicate through words and signals to relate what I want from them. They are able to pick up the hints and follow my lead and gesture clearly and precisely. Each gesture elicits a different response from the musicians,” she added.

She says that there is no dire need for a conductor to possess the ability to play all the instruments of the orchestra but the need to have a sharp ear is important. She plays the clarinet and the piano but it was the determination to excel as a music teacher which landed her with the profession.

An unwinding path

“I needed to conduct children on music so I decided to learn to conduct orchestras. Once I have taken on the subject I realized that I have a flair for it. That step took me on a long and unwinding path in music,” she chirped.

With 10 years of experience as a professional conductor, Keiko says one of her most memorable moments in was in Switzerland where she had to conduct an opera production. “It was almost the same as conducting an orchestra except that the singer was on stage. I had to conduct according to the voice in opera while in the orchestra it is the strings,” she explained.

Enchanted

She says that the last time she was in Switzerland she had to conduct a Japanese orchestra. The European string instruments too had been included in the performance. It sounded strange to her ears but the audience had been enchanted by the music.

“They were smiling and applauding the performance. It was a really touching sight. The same goes for my last performance in Sri Lanka. The quality of the music in Sri Lanka needs to be improved but it is thrilling to see a supportive audience. I enjoyed my performance to no bounds,” she concluded with a smile.