Things I want to teach children through music

Minori is a singer-songwriter who runs the music school "M's music" in Yokohama City. She is also active in a wide range of fields, including teaching special classes where she creates songs with children at kindergartens and elementary schools, and composing theme songs for companies and organizations.
This time, we asked about how she started her music career, how she got to where she is today, and what she plans to do in the future.

My encounter with music was in my childhood.

A scene from a live acoustic performance (Photo provided by Minori)

—Could you tell us about your recent activities, Minori?
I work as a singer-songwriter, performing live and on YouTube, while also teaching music at a music school in Yokohama. I compose theme songs for TV programs, create background music for musicals and short films, and participate in a special "school outreach program" at elementary schools in Yokohama, where I teach children how to create songs from scratch.

—You're active in so many different fields. I'm interested in all of them, but could you tell me what got you involved in music?
My first encounter with music was when I accompanied my older sister to her piano lesson. She had wanted to play the piano since she was two years old, so I started taking lessons when I was three. My piano teacher at the time didn't focus on gifted education; she simply doted on me every time and taught me that "music is fun" through various approaches, not just piano. After that, I continued taking lessons in the third and sixth grades of elementary school, changing piano schools along the way. There were times when the practice was not only fun but also difficult, but after taking lessons from a teacher who was a part-time lecturer at a high school with a music department, I decided to attend a high school with a music department. I also went on to a music university.

—How about continuing to play the piano and pursuing your interests to the fullest?
Of course, I continued because I loved it, but deep down, I always had doubts. In high school, I was surrounded by teachers and friends who were serious about music, and there was an atmosphere where going to music college was the norm. I was overwhelmed by feelings of being trapped in this flow, and it was painful and scary. Looking back now, I think that classical music might not have been the right field for me. As a teenager, even if it was considered a masterpiece, I didn't understand the point of studying music from a different era.

Even after entering music school, my desire to escape and quit remained unchanged. When I asked friends and seniors about their feelings while practicing and playing, I was still left with a vague sense of unease. I think I wasn't mature enough back then. Of course, I've overcome that now, and I've come to understand the importance of studying classical music.

—Even though it was something you loved and continued doing, there were long and difficult periods, weren't there?
When you're young and your inner self isn't fully developed, there are times when you have to overcome difficult situations. I want to teach children that "a new landscape can be seen beyond those challenges." I believe that those experiences have led me to where I am today.

Days spent searching for my true self while feeling lost.

—After graduating from university, did you work in a music-related field?
Initially, I worked as a music and movement instructor at a community center. I really enjoyed playing with music with young children aged 0-3. Instead of following a set song exactly as written in sheet music, I would freely improvise based on their reactions in the moment. Singing while playing the piano seemed to suit me very well.

Later, I discovered gospel music and, while accompanying gospel singers on piano, I started a team and began offering classes for adults. There was no sheet music; I learned the chords by ear and conveyed the music solely through lyrics. If I felt like it, I would repeat a phrase. Creating music on the spot was incredibly free and allowed me to do whatever I wanted; it was a new discovery for me, realizing that this kind of world existed! I also grew to love old jazz and joined a New Orleans jazz-style band.

A whole new world of music beyond classical music has opened up for me, and while I find it enjoyable and well-suited to me, I can't quite pinpoint "this is it!" It might just be my nature, but I find myself wondering, "Why am I doing this?" I spent my early twenties navigating many twists and turns without finding the music that truly moves my heart.

—So, even though you were inspired by various kinds of music, you still had doubts, right? What happened after that?
At the age of 25, I started a music school for children called "M's Music." At the time, I was also teaching eurhythmics, so I needed a large space and a grand piano. I searched for a place that was both comfortable and had the right environment, and I found a good spot in Yokohama, so I moved there and started by handing out flyers for the school.

However, once my music school got on track and I had a little more free time, I started thinking about my future musical activities. I wanted to do something that would make use of my skills! I wanted to provide something that would be useful for the future!

—So you've found a new goal that's uniquely yours.
When I was 28, I went to the 60th birthday concert of Hirotaka Nakagawa, a singer-songwriter, picture book author, and one of the first men in Japan to obtain a nursery school teacher's license. When I was little, I loved Nakagawa's CDs that we had at home and listened to them over and over again. His song "Niji" (Rainbow) is famous, isn't it?

I was deeply moved when I saw Nakagawa-san's free-spirited playing style at the concert. She expresses herself without being confined to any particular style. I felt liberated from the fixed idea of "this is how it has to be," and I was able to relax completely, and my mindset changed dramatically. I started to think that I should take the first step without overthinking things and try to create music from what seeps out from deep within me, and that I want to engage with music as a tool to express my unadorned self.

—That's a significant change in your mindset. Did it affect your activities?
Yes, there were quite a few.

Another person I met later, comedian and singer-songwriter Takumi Takemori of Up-Down, also gave me valuable insights. I had a live performance planned consisting of my own piano pieces, and I contacted Takemori because I wanted to sing his song "Your Hometown" in it. He came to see my live performance. After listening to me sing, Takemori said, "Haven't all your experiences up until now been fuel for singing?" and "You should sing more." His words encouraged me, and I started writing lyrics and composing music as a singer-songwriter.

The doubts and unease I felt while working with the music I loved for many years have disappeared, and I now feel that this is the style of expression I've been looking for!

I hope they will grow up strong through music.

A scene from a music class at an elementary school (Image provided by Minori)

—I heard you also offer special classes at elementary schools. What was the reason for that?
When the Midori Art Park (Yokohama City Midori Ward Community Cultural Center) hall was built in Nagatsuta, they were recruiting artists, so I applied and was accepted as a pianist. During my time there, I became friends with one of the staff members. After a while, that person was transferred to Kanazawa Ward, but they remembered me and asked if I would be willing to teach a songwriting class at an elementary school.

We who live in the present tend to perceive music as something we receive, but in reality, it's something we can create ourselves. In fact, the reactions of the elementary school students I interacted with initially were mostly along the lines of, "How do you make your own music?"

—Indeed, music is often associated with listening to it, and learning and practicing existing songs. What is a composition class like?

The class consists of three sessions, during which students will present the songs they have created. (Image provided by Minori)

Depending on the nature of your request, we generally offer a total of three lessons.
In the first session, we get a feel for how songs are made by using popular songs as examples, and then we discuss the kind of song we want to create as a group. In the second session, we think about lyrics based on the words we came up with in the previous session and try putting them to a melody. In the third session, we all practice the completed song and perform it. Finally, we often review the process by asking for feedback and then have a mini-live performance.

The children are all surprised and delighted, saying things like, "We never thought we could compose our own music!" I think the idea of "composing music" isn't something they often think about, but anyone can do it if they just take the first step. I hope my lessons will serve as an experience of stepping into an unknown world and connect to other things in their lives.

—Your lessons are based on your own experiences, aren't they?
I myself went through a very long period of uncertainty, and I think there are many others who are struggling with the same thing. I don't want children, who will be responsible for the future, to see adults giving up and thinking, "This is all I can do," and think, "So this is what adults are like." I want them to live with hope and strength. That feeling is what drives all of my current activities.

—Does your music school, "M's Music," also have a curriculum that emphasizes challenges?

A recital for the music school "M's Music" that she runs (Image provided by Minori)

At our recitals, students can perform in their preferred style. This includes piano solos, ensembles with siblings, family, or friends, and some even perform in bands with professional bassists and drummers, playing piano, keyboard, or singing while playing.

The organizing committee is actively involved, with volunteers from the third grade of elementary school and above forming an executive committee. At meetings, they decide on the theme and the song everyone will sing together, and assign roles. The stage banners, program covers, and decorations are all handmade by the children. The executive committee members also share the responsibilities of emceeing, making announcements, and lighting the stage on the day of the event.

For the past three years, we've also been running a "Children's Band" project as part of our recitals. Based on the concept of "Let's just try it ourselves!", students in the 5th grade and above who wish to participate form bands and perform everything from song selection and instrumentation to stage production without any guidance from instructors. It was truly moving to watch from the audience as these children, whom I'd watched since they were toddlers, created their own performances.

And on March 31st, 2024, we finally stepped outside the recital setting and held our first ever band live performance. The 11 students who have gained band performance experience through the recitals are handling everything themselves—planning, managing, and promoting—through trial and error. They are constantly coming up with fresh ideas that adults wouldn't think of, and we are often surprised by them. You can watch it for free from 3:00 PM at the live jazz bar "INTO THE BLUE" in Machida. Please come and see us!

—It's unusual to see a live performance created by the students themselves!

"M's Music" announcement event where you can perform with professional bassists and drummers (Image provided by Minori)

In typical recitals, students perform within a given framework. Of course, they practice diligently towards that, but I think there's always a feeling somewhere in their hearts that "someone will somehow manage it." Ultimately, some children rely on adults to somehow fix things, depending on the situation, but I think they can become much stronger if they let go of that mindset. Making mistakes is a privilege of childhood, and I want them to try things out in the reassuring environment of adults quietly watching over them, and to see whatever the outcome, as a valuable experience. As adults, we have concerns about leaving everything to the children, but we are also very much looking forward to seeing what will come of entrusting them with something important without any limitations. I want them to grow stronger while enjoying the unknown world. I hope they will grow while making the most of their individual characteristics and abilities, their strengths and weaknesses.

—That sounds like it will be a valuable experience that will be useful even after you enter the workforce.
Creating something by thinking for ourselves, discussing it, and putting it together—it feels like a microcosm of what it's like to live in society. I hope we can continue this not just this time, but next year, the year after, and for many years to come. This live performance will be a great source of inspiration for the young children who watch it, and I believe that by inspiring them to want to try it themselves, we can create a cycle where we continue to hold live performances in this format in the future. In the long journey of making music, there are tough times, and I don't think you can overcome them with just the feeling of having fun. Nevertheless, the wonderful memories of music I enjoyed so much as a child supported me through difficult times. I hope that we can nurture in children the attitude of growing towards a bright future without lying to themselves or becoming apathetic.

—I'm looking forward to the future of these children. Please tell us about your own plans for the future as well.
In addition to teaching music, I will also be actively pursuing a career as a singer-songwriter. I'd love to perform acoustic live shows in places I've never been before. I'm looking forward to the day when I can share exciting moments with everyone I haven't met yet.

Minori
Singer-songwriter / Music school owner

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Born in Saitama Prefecture. Graduated from Tokyo College of Music, Piano Performance Course (as a special scholarship recipient). In 2007, won the Silver Prize in the F category of the Young Artist Piano Competition. After graduating from university, she worked as a pianist while also opening a music school, "M's Music," in Yokohama City. Since 2018, she has been performing live with original songs accompanied by piano. She is also dedicated to education, giving concerts and special lessons on songwriting at kindergartens and elementary schools, performing live and holding workshops at commercial facilities, and creating content. She provided music for the NHK BS Premium drama "Shibatsu Monogatari" and authored the children's piano textbook "Watashi Pianist" (I Am a Pianist). In addition, she has composed background music for musical plays and short films, and theme songs for companies and organizations.

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