Today we’d like to introduce you to Toku Kawata.
Hi Toku, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Japan, and I always felt as if I was different from everyone. When I was three years old, I saw a pianist on TV and I knew from that moment that I wanted to play piano. My neighbor had an upright piano, and I used to play it whenever I could. When I was six years old, my family moved to a new city, and I kept asking my non-musical parents if I could take piano lessons. I was persistent, and my parents finally said “yes.” Since my elementary school had an orchestra, I joined and started taking violin lessons in the fifth grade. Music was everything to me growing up. It also helped me to escape from bulling.
When I was 11th grade, I went to Poulsbo, WA, for exchange program over the summer. Everything was new and exciting in the U.S: different food, culture, and people. I fell in love with the United States. After high school, I decided to study both piano and English in the U.S. I attended the University of North Texas and Central Arkansas for Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees, respectively. I then moved to Boston, MA, to work at Lynn Public Schools and taught music for six years. It was during this time that I decided to study more, and I completed the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in piano performance at University of Colorado Boulder. Upon graduation, I had an opportunity to work at Levine Music in Washington, D.C. I taught both private and group piano instructions. My students ranged from six years old to retired adults. I have fantastic colleagues, and the level of the music instruction at the school is high. It is inspirational place to work and through the online instruction, I continue to teach Levine students remotely.
In August 2021, my family relocated to Grant Park in Atlanta, where we have family members and friends from Washington, DC. The people here are warm and kind, and it is a wonderful community. Shortly after our move and while still being on staff at Levine Music, I decided to open my own piano studio, Kawata Piano Studio. I enjoy assisting people on their musical journey, and I believe playing piano enriches their life. I would like to establish roots here, and this is my first step in building a teaching career in Atlanta. In addition, I am a music director at St. John’s Episcopal Church in College Park, GA.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This is my first time owning a small business. You are on your own! Setting up the teaching studio, getting a business license, and recruiting students are something I have had never done before, so it has been a learning experience. To network with other musicians, I joined the Atlanta Music Teachers Association, and I was recently elected to be its secretary.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I teach piano. I believe music enriches people’s lives, and it is my calling to assist a student’s musical journey. I have been teaching piano since 1998, 24 years of experience. I also have taught string instruments at a public school in Massachusetts. My students range from beginner to advanced with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and races. Coming from a different part of the world, I understand that people are different. We do things differently. When it comes to teaching, this understanding is reflected in my educational process. I have learned to change the way I teach people. It is essential to tailor the way I teach depending on each student. Understanding the student and being patient are required to teach effectively.
My musical interests are French Music. I especially love Maurice Ravel. I love the harmonies of his compositions and the colors of music that he created. While I was working on my Doctorate degree, I spent one month conducting on my dissertation project, an analysis of “En Vers” by Akira Miyoshi, a Japanese composer in Paris, France, after winning the Eleanor B. Weiler and Mildred B. Fame Piano Scholarship. I visited Maurice Ravel’s House in Montfort l’Amaury. It was an inspirational experience to see how the composer lived.
I made my solo piano debut in Carnegie Hall in 2010. During my graduate studies, I performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 and Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 K. 466 with the Boulder Symphony. As the prize winner of an international piano competition, I performed the Beethoven 4th Piano Concerto. The performance was acclaimed for “a brisk and vivacious account, distinguished by its clearly articulated keyboard figurations.”
When my students understand the concepts of music, something lights up within them. For example, a student may be working on a tricky passage for several weeks. One day, it clicks mentally and physically. The hard work pays off. Seeing the smiles on their faces is always a proud moment for me. Learning piano takes energy, effort, and commitment. Each note means something, and it is essential to play them with care. It is wonderful to see when a student’s musical dreams come to fruition.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My piano teacher’s studio was close to my house, and I went there by myself. However, when I was in a middle school, my violin teacher lived far from my house. She insisted that my mother or father attend the lessons and take notes. They both had 9-5 jobs and took me to the lessons after work twice a week. We took trains about one and a half hours to get to my violin teacher’s house, and by the time we got home, it was 10:00 PM! During these intense years, my parents always had my back and supported what I wanted to do, and I am so thankful for their compassion.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kawatapianostudio.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082499152208
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAYxWk6yXkIDxh9tkWsm4Ww
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-141473628
