Nov. 23, 2024

Shima Kobayashi interview

Shima Kobayashi joins me on episode 124. Shima is a classical chromatic player originally from Japan, who has been living in the UK since 2004. After winning the World Harmonica Championship in 1995 she was awarded a bursary by the Japanese government to study with the great Tommy Reilly over a twelve month period. Shima has two albums to her name. The first has a number of pieces composed for chromatic harmonica. Her second album, Chromatic!, contains some pieces written for Shim...

Shima Kobayashi joins me on episode 124.
Shima is a classical chromatic player originally from Japan, who has been living in the UK since 2004.
After winning the World Harmonica Championship in 1995 she was awarded a bursary by the Japanese government to study with the great Tommy Reilly over a twelve month period.
Shima has two albums to her name. The first has a number of pieces composed for chromatic harmonica. Her second album, Chromatic!, contains some pieces written for Shima by Japanese composers.
After taking a sabbatical for a few years Shima is now back teaching and performing in duos, harmonica ensembles and orchestras in both the UK and Japan.

Links:
Shima's website:
https://shimaharmonica.com/

Tommy Reilly In His Own Words (The Archivist):
http://www.the-archivist.co.uk/tommy-reilly-in-his-own-words/

Videos:
Spivakovsky concerto at Harmonica UK 2018:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjtK_r0BchE

Playing Genevieve with the MSO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QavqmWBhUPM

Harmonica and Harp:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjV8iGugpjY

Shima practise video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkDAiAUE_Z4

The Third Orchestra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHsE8C2gGsA

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

01:34 - Shima is originally from Japan, now living in the UK

01:40 - Was inspired to take up the chromatic harmonica after seeing a concert when she was aged 12

02:17 - First instrument was electric organ where learnt to read music initially

03:39 - Played keyboard / piano from age six

04:14 - They don’t have music grades in Japan

04:53 - The chromatic player Shima first saw perform at age 12 became her teacher

05:27 - Early chromatic lessons were taught with a classical approach

07:01 - Shima’s teacher, Joe Sakimoto, had lots of pupils, and performed in a yearly concert with them

08:06 - Shima’s teacher also taught via the postal service (no internet then!)

08:48 - The student’s were all chromatic players and the teacher still teaches in Japan

10:51 - Belonged to two groups in late teens, one rock music and one classical chamber music

11:52 - Went to the US for 18 months and won a local harmonica competition while there

12:27 - Won the Hohner World Harmonica Championship in 1995, held in Japan, with Hohner circulating the location between countries at that time

12:56 - Winning piece from Shima was the Spivakovsky harmonica concerto

14:07 - In 1993 won the Japanese harmonica competition and reasons for entering competitions

15:30 - Shima studied with the great Tommy Reilly, and entered World Championship was partly to get the chance to study with him

16:10 - First met Tommy Reilly when studied with him for a week in 1994

17:27 - What Tommy Reilly was like as a teacher

18:25 - Shima had a lesson with Tommy twice a week, with the other days devoted to preparation and review

19:46 - A condition of the grant Shima was given was to document the repertoire of Tommy Reilly

20:24 - Tommy was eager to pass on the music he had and Shima had to learn quickly

21:23 - The year Shima spent with Tommy Reilly was from September 1996 to August 1997

21:37 - Tommy wasn’t teaching anybody else during this time

22:10 - After coming back from the US Shima decided she wanted to be a professional harmonica player and people advised to study music at university

22:48 - Joe Sakimoto said studying music at university wasn’t necessarily the best thing to do, and Shima didn’t want to follow that path

24:06 - When Shima studied with Tommy it was at the end of his career (around age 77) and he wasn’t performing at that stage

24:38 - Tommy Reilly died in the year 2000

25:07 - Tommy Reilly had a large recording collection that he would use to demonstrate points to Shima

25:33 - Shima has all the lessons recorded, which she would like to make available online

25:59 - Tommy Reilly loved to make playlists of recordings and would give them to Shima

27:20 - Shima went back to Japan and released her first album in 2000, Golden Girl (the title track is a Tommy Reilly song)

29:30 - Max Saunders sonata for harmonica was composed by Tommy Reilly’s son’s composition teacher

30:56 - Second album from Shima was called Chromatic!

31:05 - The Golden Girl album focused on original harmonica pieces and the second album was from a wider repertoire, including pieces written for Shima

32:28 - Songs by Japanese composers, including Mitsunaga Koichiro, on the Chromatic! Album

33:13 - Furusato song is loved in Japan, equivalent to the song Danny Boy

34:28 - Moved to the UK in 2004 and studied a degree in Social Sciences with Psychology and one in Music Education and does some teaching in schools (mainly piano with some harmonica students)

36:31 - Did a lot of travelling teaching in Japan and learnt the value that music brings to people and communities

37:57 - Disappeared from the harmonica scene for a few years when arriving in the UK, but is back now and eager to do some teaching of harmonica

38:58 - Took a break from playing and got back to it in 2015, and has performed at two Harmonica UK festivals

39:50 - Played Genevieve with the Misbourne Symphony Orchestra

40:39 - Played in Japan in 2023 on a version of Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince

41:31 - Played a concert in Tokyo in 2024 with pianist Midiro, as part of the Super Duo

42:50 - Plans to travel back to Japan to perform in more concerts

43:12 - Played in a trio with two other female Japanese chromatic players and Shima likes to perform in harmonica ensemble

44:06 - Shima is a fan of the King’s Quartet harmonica ensemble, with Rocky Lok (interviewed on the podcast on episode 79)

44:34 - Need more harmonica ensembles

44:51 - Did a concert with a harp player

45:52 - Took part in the Third Orchestra at the Barbican Centre in London in 2021 and the chromatic as a new ‘old sounding’ instrument

47:02 - Videos on Shima’s YouTube channel of practising a piece and showing the progression as she does so

47:54 - Ten minute question

50:01 - Chromatic of choice was Hohner Silver Concerto but found it too heavy. So now using a Georg Pollestad chromatic from Norway

51:15 - Collected the Pollestad chromatic in person from Norway

51:38 - The Pollestad took a little getting used to but ok now and likes that it is lighter than the Silver Concerto

52:09 - Did a concert in Norway in May 2024, using the Pollestad, which included Sigmund Groven (who also uses a Pollestad chromatic)

52:52 - Pollestad is a 12 hole. Shima only plays 12 hole chromatics

53:08 - Embouchre is both puckering and tongue blocking according to the desired sound and phrasing, and uses corner switching

54:12 - Amplification and mics uses the PA and leaves all that to the sound engineer

54:47 - Plays with mic on stand (doesn’t hold it in hands)

55:19 - The vibrato that Shima uses is dictated by the piece being played

56:03 - Future plans includes an orchestra appearance in March 2025 and local gigs

WEBVTT

00:00:00.450 --> 00:00:02.793
Shima Kobayashi joins me on episode 124.

00:00:04.676 --> 00:00:09.701
Shima is a classical chromatic player originally from Japan, who has been living in the UK since 2004.

00:00:09.942 --> 00:00:21.016
After winning the World Harmonica Championship in 1995, she was awarded a bursary by the Japanese government to study with the great Tommy Riley over a 12-month period.

00:00:22.466 --> 00:00:24.028
Shima has two albums to her name.

00:00:24.469 --> 00:00:27.533
The first has a number of pieces composed for Chromatic Harmonica.

00:00:28.094 --> 00:00:33.423
Her second album, Chromatic, contains some pieces written for Shima by Japanese composers.

00:00:34.926 --> 00:00:43.640
After taking a sabbatical for a few years, Shima is now back teaching and performing in duos, harmonic ensembles and orchestras in both the UK and Japan.

00:00:44.621 --> 00:00:47.085
This podcast is sponsored by Zeidel Harmonicas.

00:00:47.506 --> 00:00:56.841
Visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.zidel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at Zidel Harmonicas.

00:01:25.186 --> 00:01:27.430
Hello, Shima Kobayashi, and welcome to the podcast.

00:01:28.091 --> 00:01:28.593
Hello, Neil.

00:01:28.614 --> 00:01:29.676
Thank you for having me.

00:01:30.457 --> 00:01:32.242
Thanks so much for joining, Shima.

00:01:32.322 --> 00:01:34.046
So we have met, of course, in person.

00:01:34.105 --> 00:01:37.713
You're based in the UK, but you're originally from Japan, yeah?

00:01:38.174 --> 00:01:39.197
Yes, that's right.

00:01:39.906 --> 00:01:43.688
So tell us how you got started playing the harmonica in Japan.

00:01:44.109 --> 00:01:47.593
So I was playing different instruments as a child.

00:01:47.632 --> 00:01:51.975
Electric organ was the instrument I was given first from my parents.

00:01:52.316 --> 00:01:53.076
I had lessons.

00:01:53.117 --> 00:01:58.822
And then I think I went to listen to a concert, which was a classical guitar.

00:01:59.143 --> 00:02:08.751
And then I saw this chromatic harmonica player was playing one of the original pieces written for chromatic harmonica and classical guitar.

00:02:09.131 --> 00:02:13.288
So that was a introduction to the chromatic harmonic music.

00:02:13.830 --> 00:02:16.706
I think I was about 12 years old.

00:02:17.146 --> 00:02:19.088
Great, so you're playing the electric organ?

00:02:19.408 --> 00:02:21.971
Yeah, one of the trendiest back in time.

00:02:22.852 --> 00:02:29.258
My siblings all play musical instrument, piano, and my brother used to play violin.

00:02:29.518 --> 00:02:35.842
And I thought I was maybe given something like a flute or something alongside with this classical music.

00:02:36.283 --> 00:02:42.549
But I think being a third and a youngest child, I think the parents has less expectation.

00:02:42.788 --> 00:02:54.121
And I think she wanted me to try more vast So at the time, I don't know why she got this idea of this Yamaha electric organ, like two manuals with a pedal.

00:02:54.420 --> 00:02:58.566
So I was given that instrument, which was quite unexpected.

00:02:58.605 --> 00:03:02.490
And to be honest, I didn't quite like the electric sound.

00:03:02.870 --> 00:03:07.335
So you learn this in the same way that you learn the piano, though, I assume.

00:03:07.395 --> 00:03:08.616
It's just a different sound.

00:03:08.877 --> 00:03:15.143
That's where I learned how to read music notation in the usual way, plus a bit of a pen.

00:03:15.663 --> 00:03:18.878
thing on the on the footwork.

00:03:19.278 --> 00:03:33.471
Yes, so I think probably I learned how to know the keyboard instrument, but I used to sneak into my sister's piano room and using this idea, but the key is really, really different.

00:03:33.671 --> 00:03:39.175
The organ has a much lighter, stickier feel to it, whereas piano has really heavy keys.

00:03:39.516 --> 00:03:43.180
Well, how long were you playing keyboard before you started playing the chromatic?

00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:46.763
I started about five, six years old.

00:03:46.802 --> 00:03:55.431
I started And up until, you know, about 12, you know, I started to, and I was singing in a choir.

00:03:56.293 --> 00:04:06.403
So, yes, I mean, I did not carry on with the electric organ, but by then I was playing piano in my own way.

00:04:06.563 --> 00:04:09.567
So that's kind of gradual transition.

00:04:10.288 --> 00:04:14.012
So you had a good grounding in music before you started on the chromatic harmonica.

00:04:14.051 --> 00:04:17.935
So were you doing grades on keyboard, piano before you started?

00:04:17.935 --> 00:04:18.836
the chromatic?

00:04:19.237 --> 00:04:33.552
In Japan there's things such as grading so I don't know probably I could be equivalent of grade four or five by then and I just kind of shifted to piano and I kept on playing.

00:04:33.612 --> 00:04:52.350
Funnily enough the first grade I did was when I came to England so I wasn't sure what grade I was and I think I did like seven, eight when I came so that's the kind of my official thing but as a child I growing up I wasn't really doing this exam structure.

00:04:52.545 --> 00:04:53.226
Sure.

00:04:53.266 --> 00:04:58.612
So when you started playing chromatic, did you start playing age of 12 after you saw this concert?

00:04:58.891 --> 00:04:59.271
Yes.

00:04:59.632 --> 00:05:06.019
So the harmonica player had a connection through the guitarist.

00:05:06.158 --> 00:05:12.045
So he introduced me to the actual person who was playing at the concert.

00:05:12.125 --> 00:05:13.886
So he became my teacher.

00:05:13.906 --> 00:05:19.031
I think the arrangement was made probably about six months later.

00:05:19.050 --> 00:05:22.014
I think I was about 13 years old.

00:05:22.209 --> 00:05:26.654
even 14, yeah, around junior high school time.

00:05:27.196 --> 00:05:31.240
So how were you taught to play the chromatic harmonica over there in Japan?

00:05:31.661 --> 00:05:47.158
You know, I think because I probably, I was already able to read the music, so I think notation was just like as I would learn the instrument, probably same way as violin or piano, flute.

00:05:47.579 --> 00:05:58.096
I remember my tutor book, had an introduction to, you know, how the mechanics of the harmonica works using, you know, like numbers.

00:05:58.276 --> 00:06:04.942
And I remember my teacher started off with the middle range and the whole number, five, six, seven.

00:06:05.142 --> 00:06:12.629
So I started off that and then quite easily transferring that idea onto the music.

00:06:13.329 --> 00:06:17.033
So did you learn the chromatic, you know, learning classical music mainly?

00:06:17.052 --> 00:06:20.516
That's mainly what you're playing, you know, you were sort of classical trained Yeah,

00:06:20.937 --> 00:06:21.718
I think so.

00:06:21.737 --> 00:06:30.709
My teacher was, you know, classically trained and that's the repertoire he was playing and that was the piece I had listened to.

00:06:30.728 --> 00:06:31.850
So it was gradual.

00:06:32.151 --> 00:06:43.004
Of course, you know, we just start from simple pieces to start with popular, like an American folk tune and things like that, but then gradually move on to it.

00:06:43.024 --> 00:06:46.728
But I think it's pretty similar to how you learn instrumenta.

00:06:50.625 --> 00:06:51.870
Bye.

00:07:01.922 --> 00:07:07.833
So what about the scene in Japan for harmonicas and chromatic harmonicas particularly?

00:07:07.874 --> 00:07:10.017
What was that like learning the harmonica there?

00:07:10.038 --> 00:07:11.240
Were there other players around?

00:07:12.041 --> 00:07:15.307
Yes, so my teacher had a lot of pupils.

00:07:15.749 --> 00:07:22.382
And so although my lesson was always individuals, I had to go to his house and then have an hour lesson.

00:07:22.850 --> 00:08:24.569
weekly I think so that's how he started and I know he had a lot of people so I had a chance to play like there was a once a year annual concert where everybody get together so I had a chance to play solo piece as well as ensemble piece and listening to you know what other people doing there was a I think it was about 20 regular players in this annual concert myself and then I had I have another same age harmonica player who was also learning from my teacher and we used to be one of the youngest people and there was also an accordion player who was also in this group but he also started like online tutorials in today's equivalent there was no internet then but he devised this mailing system of learning harmonica so He had this book, textbook.

00:08:24.769 --> 00:08:29.295
So, and then anybody in Japan can have this course.

00:08:29.514 --> 00:08:31.237
I think it's about a year course or two.

00:08:31.456 --> 00:08:35.981
And so they would record their practice and send to the teacher.

00:08:36.042 --> 00:08:37.524
He would make a comment.

00:08:38.144 --> 00:08:40.187
Everything was done by post.

00:08:40.586 --> 00:08:43.129
And so his network got very big.

00:08:43.289 --> 00:08:46.452
And we also had summer camp.

00:08:46.472 --> 00:08:48.274
So distance learning, that sounds great.

00:08:48.335 --> 00:08:50.057
So you were playing in ensembles.

00:08:50.076 --> 00:08:52.720
And was everyone a chromatic player or did you have...

00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.322
orchestral harmonicas and any diatonics?

00:08:55.722 --> 00:08:58.927
I think it was only a chromatic harmonica.

00:08:59.287 --> 00:09:03.611
And to give the wider register, there was an accordion player.

00:09:03.932 --> 00:09:09.977
Often also we had a piano player to accompany us to make.

00:09:10.058 --> 00:09:19.688
So I remember playing Bach's double concerto and Vivaldi, all this orchestral arrangement arranged for the harmonica.

00:09:20.109 --> 00:09:20.710
Fantastic.

00:09:20.730 --> 00:09:24.413
So that's a great grounding in the education in chromatic harmonica

00:09:24.453 --> 00:09:25.534
does

00:09:25.554 --> 00:09:30.399
that still exist in japan now is that quite widespread or were you in a good time to learn in that way it

00:09:30.941 --> 00:09:56.172
seemed to be there's a lot of you know people playing and certainly my teachers still play and now he has to restrict people to play this annual concert and so i think that's still strong and also i know a lot of japanese player who based in else you know outside of Japan, but back to Japan and then creating.

00:09:56.192 --> 00:10:02.505
I think there's quite a lot of activities happening in Japan.

00:10:02.586 --> 00:10:02.807
Great.

00:10:02.826 --> 00:10:06.114
So is your original teachers still teaching, are they?

00:10:06.134 --> 00:10:06.634
Yes,

00:10:06.655 --> 00:10:06.956
yes.

00:10:07.277 --> 00:10:08.339
Oh, fantastic.

00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:09.422
And what is their name?

00:10:09.802 --> 00:10:10.825
Joe Sakimoto.

00:10:27.714 --> 00:10:28.635
So that's great.

00:10:28.696 --> 00:10:32.222
So again, fantastic grounding and great education there for harmonica.

00:10:32.263 --> 00:10:34.407
That'd be great if that existed in other countries.

00:10:34.427 --> 00:10:36.892
So was this tied into your schooling or anything?

00:10:36.932 --> 00:10:42.101
Did you play it in school or was it outside school, these lessons and performances?

00:10:42.743 --> 00:10:44.125
The lessons were...

00:10:44.354 --> 00:10:55.344
Outside, I think when I started like an equivalent of sixth form, I remember I belonged to two clubs.

00:10:55.823 --> 00:11:04.451
One was the rock band where I tried to play guitar, which I was terrible about it.

00:11:04.751 --> 00:11:08.534
Other club I belong to is a chamber music club.

00:11:08.794 --> 00:11:16.702
So it's like a really different genre of music, but at the time I loved both genres or any genre of music, which I think is good.

00:11:16.802 --> 00:11:22.548
So I did go to play like a Japanese rock or quite lively music.

00:11:22.808 --> 00:11:29.035
And then another time I would go to the music room and play Bach's Trio Sonata or something.

00:11:29.316 --> 00:11:37.764
There was three people and I was playing the keyboard part because my senior member, she was doing a flute.

00:11:38.164 --> 00:11:40.288
There was a cellist, so it's like a trio.

00:11:40.827 --> 00:11:48.956
I was so desperate to play her flute part on the harmonica So I was always longing to play, but I couldn't really say that.

00:11:49.437 --> 00:11:52.561
So that was the kind of music activity.

00:11:52.961 --> 00:11:58.126
Then I went to America as an exchange and spent a year and a half.

00:11:58.626 --> 00:12:04.433
So I took my harmonica and playing all the pieces I've learned.

00:12:05.073 --> 00:12:11.441
Actually, I went into a local competition and kind of won a fast prize and things.

00:12:11.461 --> 00:12:14.224
So I quite like enjoy doing these things.

00:12:14.224 --> 00:12:20.208
Not kind of sort of high-level stuff, but I always carried my instrument.

00:12:20.830 --> 00:12:21.450
Yeah, great.

00:12:21.990 --> 00:12:26.054
So you went back home to Japan after you'd spent some time in America, did you?

00:12:26.514 --> 00:12:26.815
Yes.

00:12:27.235 --> 00:12:27.475
Yeah.

00:12:27.836 --> 00:12:31.418
And then so two exceptionally notable things that you did.

00:12:31.458 --> 00:12:36.283
So first thing you did is you won the World Championships in 1995.

00:12:37.485 --> 00:12:38.666
So where was that held?

00:12:38.946 --> 00:12:41.708
It was held in Japan, in Yokohama.

00:12:42.028 --> 00:12:42.929
Was that the Honu one?

00:12:43.330 --> 00:12:44.932
Yes, that's right, yes.

00:12:45.471 --> 00:12:48.695
So at that time, they didn't hold it always in Trossingen, did they not?

00:12:49.155 --> 00:12:52.739
I think it's like every three or four years.

00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:56.001
I think it took place in a different country.

00:12:56.442 --> 00:12:56.802
Okay.

00:12:57.102 --> 00:12:59.645
So what piece did you play to win the world championship?

00:12:59.985 --> 00:13:12.097
It was Spivakovsky's First Movement, Spivakovsky's harmonica concerto.

00:13:12.118 --> 00:13:15.197
piano plays softly you

00:13:49.922 --> 00:13:50.764
Fantastic, yeah.

00:13:50.803 --> 00:13:52.706
So that was in 1995.

00:13:52.746 --> 00:13:55.211
Did that get you some recognition?

00:13:55.251 --> 00:13:57.897
Anything happen after you won that first place?

00:13:58.778 --> 00:14:02.926
Yes, because I don't like going to competitions.

00:14:07.169 --> 00:14:17.467
Prior to this 1995, I had a national competition, which is also Japanese Horna that organize.

00:14:17.729 --> 00:14:23.558
So I did that before, like in 1993, I won that national thing.

00:14:23.778 --> 00:14:34.953
Because if you wanted to be a harmonica player professionally, if you don't have anything to prove, Apart from, of course, the performance comes first.

00:14:35.134 --> 00:14:41.504
So only for that reason, I did this national one and then the World Championship.

00:14:41.764 --> 00:14:47.695
Two reasons, because it's held in Japan, so I don't have to travel outside.

00:14:48.135 --> 00:14:49.878
And it was just the right timing.

00:14:50.099 --> 00:15:00.606
And the Japanese Horner, gave me the automatic sort of entrance for me to enter because of the 1993 national thing.

00:15:00.726 --> 00:15:09.780
So, yeah, I like to play music, but I don't like the atmosphere of people competing over something.

00:15:10.162 --> 00:15:12.384
Music's not a competition, is it, Ashima?

00:15:12.404 --> 00:15:13.166
That's good to hear.

00:15:17.793 --> 00:15:18.014
MUSIC PLAYS

00:15:30.658 --> 00:15:40.846
so after well I don't know after this so another fantastic thing that you did is you studied with the you know the great Tommy Riley did that come after you won this world championship or

00:15:41.167 --> 00:16:01.245
yeah main motivation for me to do this world championship was that would give me more chance that I could then come over to study with Tommy so that that would have the right kind of things for me to apply for a grant that I wanted to apply for.

00:16:01.544 --> 00:16:01.845
Right.

00:16:01.865 --> 00:16:08.532
So you knew that there was an opportunity to study with Tommy and it was a case of getting your credentials up to apply, you mean?

00:16:09.052 --> 00:16:09.633
Not quite.

00:16:09.653 --> 00:16:15.318
So first time I met him was before World Championship in 1995.

00:16:15.658 --> 00:16:18.461
I went to Tommy's place was 1994.

00:16:18.542 --> 00:16:22.005
I had two weeks of studying.

00:16:22.245 --> 00:17:21.482
That was purely I wrote to him and asked him if you know he could give me lessons so then you know he he said yes so I went and for two I think is it a week but so at the end of my stay he said he can't teach everything in in in this short time so he said to me you need to come back for longer so that's how I came back and then I thought about how can I go back and study longer so then there was a this grant guarantee this 12 months of a stay in your chosen country as like a part of artist so that's what I went for but the chance of me getting something like that was very very slim already because there's very fierce competition across the instrument there's a music that's the kind of only possibility so that I could just present something so

00:17:21.883 --> 00:17:30.771
yeah so you had one week with Tommy and then then you had 12 months what a a short while later yeah yeah and uh so what was tommy riley like to study with

00:17:31.492 --> 00:17:37.739
um well what do you think do you think uh what do you imagine that listen with tommy like

00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:54.493
um i imagine he's probably quite strict and uh you know and formal with technique and i know i've seen him he's up and keeping his arm raised onto the side when you're playing and you know it's all uh you know i imagine it to be like that yeah i'm sure he's a lovely guy yeah

00:17:55.778 --> 00:18:18.489
I think everything you said, I'm sure there might be some recordings of him teaching.

00:18:18.669 --> 00:18:20.731
So, yeah, it's all true.

00:18:20.791 --> 00:18:23.516
But it's really funny.

00:18:23.655 --> 00:18:24.557
He's very funny.

00:18:25.057 --> 00:18:30.556
When you stayed in the UK for 12 months studying with him, I mean, how regular were the lessons then?

00:18:31.157 --> 00:18:34.689
So lesson was sort of a set up twice a week.

00:18:35.170 --> 00:19:17.809
so in between days so like i think it was lessons was tuesday and thursday so monday i would prepare for a piece that i'm going to be bringing to him on the following day so i will have a lesson on a tuesday wednesday i will reflect on it but at the same time preparing for my next piece to for me to bring on thursday and in the friday you reflect on the lesson on Thursday and then because of part of this bursary it was like I was sent by the Japanese government so I have a monthly report to write exactly what you're

00:19:18.130 --> 00:19:18.630
doing

00:19:18.650 --> 00:20:23.329
so I'll do that maybe on Friday weekend and then same cycle starts because every lesson I would learn a different piece so he would have his archive there and so I will pick one piece and so one thing we Bosnian sounds like a lot of time but it's not a long time to like keep going on the same piece as you would in a normal lesson so part of my purpose that I got the grant for is to like almost like a document the repertoire you know he has and then learn about it not just photocopying the music but learn the technique go behind it learn how the piece is made all of these things so that was my main purpose to be spending time with them so all the actual acquiring the technique and performing that just come after for the rest of my life so during this day we are so focused on just going through as many pieces as possible.

00:20:23.609 --> 00:20:36.968
So on the first lesson I had, I would go to his room and he would open the cupboard full of music and he said, you can pick any music you want to play.

00:20:37.449 --> 00:20:39.111
So that's what I did.

00:20:39.250 --> 00:20:41.835
But he always had a recommendation.

00:20:42.355 --> 00:20:47.701
He always had the pieces that he really wanted to pass on, his knowledge and information.

00:20:48.343 --> 00:20:50.365
But every lesson was different.

00:20:50.402 --> 00:21:20.330
different so you know you have to be very quick to pick up the information to have the music ready to to play so you would have a piece of music so that you will just kind of read and you know see it's like a basic basic idea to have but you have to be able to play and then on the then you bring to the lesson and tommy would go probably one note by note, every bar sort of thing, then go through the piece.

00:21:20.770 --> 00:21:23.233
And then I listen to the recording.

00:21:23.894 --> 00:21:24.494
Fantastic.

00:21:24.515 --> 00:21:27.897
So what year was this that you spent the 12 months with Tommy?

00:21:28.338 --> 00:21:34.525
So it was 96 September to August 97.

00:21:35.405 --> 00:21:35.967
Fantastic.

00:21:36.227 --> 00:21:37.147
So what an opportunity.

00:21:37.188 --> 00:21:40.290
Was he teaching many other pupils at this time?

00:21:40.971 --> 00:21:41.251
No.

00:21:41.571 --> 00:21:41.952
Wow.

00:21:43.394 --> 00:21:45.883
so an amazing education over there with

00:21:45.903 --> 00:22:16.000
uh it was the best education i've ever had I didn't remember making decisions, so after coming back from America, I knew I wanted to play.

00:22:16.513 --> 00:23:42.111
harmonic and to be a musician so Joe Sakimoto my Japanese I went to him to talk and my natural thinking then was people around me as well was okay if you wanted to learn this well less established music probably you know go to music university and then like I take composition as a major then learn this instrument alongside with it and I thought probably that's what I do but Joe Sakimoto was kind of saying just you go to university and a music degree doesn't automatically make you musician to perform and so there was two ways and I don't know at the time I kind of thought about it but I think at the time I couldn't imagine myself learning about music in like a square classroom with lots of different people I think now I would enjoy that but at the time music was much more really personal thing for me so I just kind of went to just throw myself and to establish so I didn't have that formal sort of university sort of education so it's the equivalent so I think the time I had was really like intense You

00:23:43.432 --> 00:23:48.461
had one of the best chromatic players ever teaching you for a year so that's pretty amazing you can't get much better than that

00:23:56.546 --> 00:23:57.662
Thank you.

00:24:06.690 --> 00:24:09.593
Did you see Tommy play, you know, perform when you were over for the year?

00:24:09.653 --> 00:24:14.416
You know, did you able to sort of see his life as a harmonica player and he's doing recording sessions?

00:24:14.477 --> 00:24:20.061
I think he was just stopping all this, you know, playing.

00:24:20.461 --> 00:24:24.645
Apparently, he started to have a limitation in, you know, his hands.

00:24:25.625 --> 00:24:36.655
So, I think, again, I was lucky because if he was very busy traveling and performing himself, probably I didn't have so much of his attention for that.

00:24:36.655 --> 00:24:37.872
for the lesson.

00:24:38.178 --> 00:24:51.910
yeah so I think he died in the year 2000 didn't he so yeah just four years after so yeah he was obviously more aged at this time but yeah so yeah he got in a great time and picked up so many lessons from him I'm sure so yeah great that he was able to pass that on

00:24:52.309 --> 00:25:13.430
I think he was sort of sometimes time to time frustrated that he cannot demonstrate as he was very good player at the time but he was very frustrated that exactly how you know he wanted to so that's why he had lots of recording that at the end of the lesson, you know, oh, let's listen to this.

00:25:13.529 --> 00:25:21.238
And then he would show lots of recording to explain or to demonstrate what he meant was in each, you know.

00:25:21.438 --> 00:25:24.240
So that was really enjoyable.

00:25:24.401 --> 00:25:27.365
And then we would listen to his old performances.

00:25:27.404 --> 00:25:31.749
And then he would maybe that reminds of something and he would talk about it.

00:25:31.989 --> 00:25:35.232
And so I recorded all the lessons.

00:25:35.292 --> 00:25:38.096
That's something he allowed me to do.

00:25:38.096 --> 00:25:41.163
that so that I can reflect on and learn.

00:25:41.846 --> 00:25:44.172
Have you still got those and still listen to them sometimes?

00:25:44.692 --> 00:25:45.434
Of course.

00:25:45.454 --> 00:25:50.307
Well, I mean, that's something, you know, I must do something.

00:25:51.048 --> 00:25:54.217
It's very precious and it needs to be...

00:25:54.753 --> 00:25:56.075
you know do something

00:25:56.154 --> 00:25:58.717
about digitize them and maybe make them available yeah

00:25:59.137 --> 00:26:17.993
you know I think if he lived in today's world he'd be glued to computer all the time like making a playlist and then all this amazing thing you know he he used to when I went to his for 1994 he was already you know like a cassette tape

00:26:18.294 --> 00:26:18.694
yeah

00:26:18.714 --> 00:27:11.769
in a I'm sure you made a playlist and in a in a favorite order and this he did just that and so he would have lots of little selection of music for me to listen to so that was the thing I was given even 1994 so that because these sort you know music wasn't available in Japan at the time at all yes so he does have the similar sort of selection of cassettes or CDs but the thing is he can't quite remember which side it is so now I kind of yeah Tommy that's this side and you know he would keep pressing seeing this button and it's quite a bit of a Lauren Hardy moment in this and yeah so summer CDs lots of you know recordings of radio show or somebody made a live recording and so very interesting to listen to

00:27:12.250 --> 00:27:25.064
yeah fantastic so yeah amazing time that you've had learning with Tommy Riley there so so what did you do after this you went back to Japan and you recorded two albums I think in Japan didn't you did you do them and during that time?

00:27:25.105 --> 00:27:43.364
So I returned to Japan in 1997 and so then a couple of years I was kind of back and forth between Japan and UK and then this CD was made during 1999.

00:27:43.604 --> 00:27:48.269
Recording was made in 1999 and then released in 2000.

00:27:48.690 --> 00:27:49.410
Which one was that?

00:27:49.590 --> 00:27:51.553
The first one was the Golden Girl.

00:27:51.913 --> 00:27:56.318
So Golden Girl this is a song I think composed by tommy riley and james moody

00:27:57.340 --> 00:27:57.661
that's right

00:27:57.780 --> 00:28:02.990
yeah so obviously you'd learn that from um from the horse's mouth so to speak and so you recorded that song

00:28:34.210 --> 00:28:42.292
That was the song I never knew before I came to England and he showed me one day.

00:28:42.594 --> 00:28:44.776
And at the time, there was no recording.

00:28:45.036 --> 00:28:47.939
He didn't make any official recording for this piece.

00:28:48.358 --> 00:28:52.962
And he showed me, and I just was like, wow.

00:28:53.804 --> 00:28:57.027
I remember he said, this might be a good piece for you to play.

00:28:57.067 --> 00:28:57.747
That's right.

00:28:58.146 --> 00:28:59.828
Because of the titles.

00:29:00.169 --> 00:29:01.770
Then he showed me this.

00:29:02.570 --> 00:29:04.292
Yeah, one of my favourite pieces.

00:29:04.692 --> 00:29:05.213
Fantastic.

00:29:05.294 --> 00:29:11.318
And so you've got some other pieces on this first album, Golden Girl, which you play with a pianist, obviously, as you say, recording.

00:29:11.538 --> 00:29:12.140
So there's...

00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:25.897
another James Moody piece on there, period piece.

00:29:30.684 --> 00:29:35.651
There's also a sonata for harmonica written by Max Saunders.

00:29:37.473 --> 00:29:37.534
Yes.

00:29:50.306 --> 00:29:53.250
So Mark Saunders, that was another piece that he suggested.

00:29:53.289 --> 00:29:55.952
Oh, Shima, you know, I think you should learn this.

00:29:56.334 --> 00:30:02.961
He said the composer was Tommy's son, David Riley, his composition teacher.

00:30:03.903 --> 00:30:06.287
And so they knew each other.

00:30:06.507 --> 00:30:14.237
So there are lots of pieces, you know, evolving to lots of these personal connections and how the music is evolving.

00:30:14.616 --> 00:30:16.480
I think it's really always interesting.

00:30:16.900 --> 00:30:17.942
So again...

00:30:18.433 --> 00:30:19.939
very difficult piece.

00:30:29.890 --> 00:30:31.333
Hey,

00:30:31.353 --> 00:30:45.518
everybody, you're listening to Neil Warren's Harmonica Happy Hour Podcast, sponsored by Tom Halcheck and Blue Moon Harmonicas out of Clearwater, Florida, the best in custom harmonicas, custom harmonica parts, and more.

00:30:45.999 --> 00:30:50.125
Check them out, www.bluemoonharmonicas.com.

00:30:51.137 --> 00:30:51.979
So yeah, so great.

00:30:51.999 --> 00:30:58.508
So you had this Golden Girl album in 2000, and then you had another album release called Chromatic.

00:30:59.209 --> 00:31:02.795
Was that also recorded after then, still in Japan?

00:31:03.214 --> 00:31:05.679
Yeah, they're both under the same label.

00:31:05.959 --> 00:31:12.729
So the first one was, I wanted to focus on the original harmonica pieces that I had learned.

00:31:13.169 --> 00:31:16.173
The second piece, I wanted to have a bit more...

00:31:16.546 --> 00:31:23.298
variety of pieces, maybe something of, you know, my own little piece as well.

00:31:23.617 --> 00:31:33.596
Like the things that I wanted to do, like some pieces written for me and more of the Shima world I wanted to include in.

00:31:33.935 --> 00:31:37.000
Was this one of these, the one called Harmonica Girl?

00:31:38.723 --> 00:31:40.446
I'm glad you mentioned this, yes.

00:31:56.961 --> 00:31:59.069
That was written for you, was it, harmonica girl?

00:31:59.201 --> 00:32:07.709
Harmonica Girl was kind of discovered by, I think, one of the, somebody Japanese, some producer discovered this.

00:32:07.990 --> 00:32:19.420
There is a song about harmonica, like a really like a Japanese old fashioned song and like a really old fashioned song and it could be cool to rearrange it.

00:32:19.460 --> 00:32:21.741
And it wasn't even for the harmonic.

00:32:21.801 --> 00:32:23.923
It was for like a song, lyric song.

00:32:24.104 --> 00:32:26.826
And so, yeah, that's kind of a little

00:32:27.467 --> 00:32:27.807
trial.

00:32:27.987 --> 00:32:29.167
But there's another song on with it.

00:32:29.167 --> 00:32:37.380
the japanese composer isn't there so um you've got uh some japanese music on there yeah so

00:32:50.882 --> 00:32:54.728
That was written for me by a composer, Mitsunaga Koichiro.

00:32:54.928 --> 00:32:57.291
He has this amazing ability to...

00:32:57.311 --> 00:33:00.457
He used to accompany me for my competition.

00:33:00.537 --> 00:33:02.980
He's an amazing pianist, composer.

00:33:03.020 --> 00:33:05.885
So he started to know how the harmonica function.

00:33:05.945 --> 00:33:09.511
He doesn't play, but sort of, oh, I can write the music.

00:33:09.692 --> 00:33:12.856
And so it's got amazing chords and a really nice one.

00:33:13.238 --> 00:33:17.423
The other thing is the Japanese people love this particular song called Furusato.

00:33:32.226 --> 00:33:37.316
which is for the hometown, which I included in the recording, like an equivalent of a Danny boy.

00:33:37.355 --> 00:33:42.465
And then you did some of the more well-known, you know, from the classical repertoire.

00:33:42.486 --> 00:34:04.968
PIANO PLAYS Also Rhapsody in Blue.

00:34:05.009 --> 00:34:05.048
Oh.

00:34:21.442 --> 00:34:32.110
so some amazing pieces on there so yeah some some great stuff so you got those those two albums out in um again whilst you're still in japan and then you moved across to the uk in i think 2004 yeah

00:34:32.670 --> 00:34:33.853
that's right yeah

00:34:34.050 --> 00:34:36.592
And have you been living in the UK since then?

00:34:36.972 --> 00:34:38.012
Yes, that's right.

00:34:39.134 --> 00:34:42.516
Yeah, so what prompted the move to, the permanent move to the UK?

00:34:43.378 --> 00:34:44.298
I really don't know.

00:34:44.338 --> 00:34:57.050
When I, I do remember in 1994, when I first arrived to England, I saw River Thames and Parliament buildings for the first time.

00:34:57.070 --> 00:35:02.315
And I really don't know, but I just felt like coming back home.

00:35:02.655 --> 00:35:03.335
I don't know why.

00:35:03.375 --> 00:35:04.016
I've never been to England.

00:35:04.016 --> 00:35:21.735
England I really had this really weird feeling and I went to Hammondswood and so after that well basically after I came back to UK to because I had my family I married with an Englishman that's a simple answer maybe

00:35:22.034 --> 00:35:31.786
yeah so you moved over and then I think you spent a bit of time studying some degrees in psychology was it and social sciences and psychology and also in music education

00:35:32.226 --> 00:35:32.907
yeah and then

00:35:32.947 --> 00:35:38.092
you started sort of after that teaching teaching music but in schools is that you're doing

00:35:38.512 --> 00:36:07.485
it's called a peripatetic teaching for on the piano recently I have a few harmonica people kind of diverting harmonica from piano so which I'm really quite happy about yes so I did all that stuff I have never think of doing because I used to think I would be a terrible teacher I've got no patience etc but I think it was coming to England for So one reason was, you know, my personal reason.

00:36:07.605 --> 00:36:22.585
But I think this time gave me a really different view on life and reflecting a lot of, because things were so busy back then and I had time to reflect on about being as a musician, what kind of music.

00:36:23.106 --> 00:37:17.672
want to be doing that sort of reflecting time so the experience I had in Japan one of the busy time I spend was I was traveling a lot of time to do outreach program it's called a cheeky sozo program so I would collaborate with some local authority and visit places create a music workshop doing this and then leading to a concert and through that I met a lot of children and the people and I as more aware became more aware of how music is really ingrained in the people's society and well-being and I felt like I lived my life so selfishly just doing the music and just doing the stuff I want to do all the time and you know it's just kind of a changing shifting and then so I wanted to do something and

00:37:18.338 --> 00:37:19.798
Give some music back, yeah.

00:37:19.898 --> 00:37:26.684
Yeah, and so learning social science and psychological study was a really good thing to do.

00:37:26.945 --> 00:37:33.791
So you're still teaching in this, mainly piano, with some side chromatic harmonica, is it?

00:37:33.811 --> 00:37:38.135
So is it in the educational institutes you're not actually teaching chromatic?

00:37:38.355 --> 00:37:45.061
Yeah, because to be honest, teaching harmonic is really difficult than teaching piano for me.

00:37:45.802 --> 00:38:19.016
And also, I don't think a lot of people actually know that I'm sort of up for teaching the harmonica I think a lot of people well probably I think to be honest I kind of disappeared from the harmonica scene since I moved to England for a long time so I don't think a lot of people you know know about me in the first place so I'm really open to people who would be interested in learning the instrument and if I'm helpful I'm ready I feel like I'm ready to do that.

00:38:19.097 --> 00:38:28.827
Before I think I was still quite a lot of information given by Tommy Riley so I needed my time to digest that.

00:38:29.146 --> 00:38:29.248
A

00:38:29.608 --> 00:38:38.117
fantastic opportunity for any serious chromatic online students to get a line through to what Tommy Riley taught you.

00:38:38.157 --> 00:38:39.659
That's an amazing opportunity.

00:38:39.938 --> 00:38:41.481
Now you know where I am.

00:38:46.585 --> 00:38:46.686
Music

00:38:52.737 --> 00:39:04.690
So as you say, you took a bit of a break and then you started getting, I think, more back into playing around 2015.

00:39:04.750 --> 00:39:06.853
So you've been pretty busy since then, yeah.

00:39:07.172 --> 00:39:13.139
And you've been quite involved with the National Harmonica League, slash the Harmonica UK, here in the UK.

00:39:13.159 --> 00:39:17.684
You performed at a few of our concerts here, I think in 2018 and 2022.

00:39:17.884 --> 00:39:18.063
Yeah.

00:39:27.202 --> 00:39:34.942
Thank you.

00:39:45.697 --> 00:39:47.740
You've also played some other great stuff as well.

00:39:47.760 --> 00:39:49.384
You play with orchestras.

00:39:49.503 --> 00:39:54.853
For example, you played Genevieve with the MSO, the Mistborn Symphony Orchestra.

00:39:54.893 --> 00:39:55.574
Where was that?

00:40:05.530 --> 00:40:05.630
MUSIC

00:40:10.657 --> 00:40:12.619
So that was about two years ago.

00:40:12.639 --> 00:40:22.387
I had a chance to play Spivakovsky's Harmonica Concerta, which has been postponed several times for lots of reasons, including COVID as well.

00:40:23.128 --> 00:40:26.150
So Genevieve was an encore piece.

00:40:26.711 --> 00:40:28.793
He allowed me to choose one other piece.

00:40:28.893 --> 00:40:34.838
And I thought, I watched this Genevieve film, and I just laughed so much all the way through.

00:40:34.878 --> 00:40:36.099
What lovely music.

00:40:36.119 --> 00:40:38.661
And then my husband made an arrangement.

00:40:39.242 --> 00:40:40.384
You also played in...

00:40:40.623 --> 00:40:52.617
Japan recently for the Happy Prince which is the Oscar Wilde story it's a sort of piece written so that was in 2023 and yeah so you took part in this tell us about that

00:40:53.056 --> 00:41:10.576
yeah so I'm kind of restarting a lot of I feel like I'm ready to restart again and reconnecting with people who I used to do music and things with Happy Prince was one of the piece I did about 20 years ago then I made a lot of revisions

00:41:10.576 --> 00:41:31.670
advising so

00:41:31.710 --> 00:41:40.898
yeah and you also i think went back to to tokyo and japan in 2024 and performed as part of the the super duo with pianist midori so um

00:41:41.478 --> 00:42:22.885
yeah this is another thing so i reconnected with midori we used to play a lot in japan he used to accompany me but now i feel like a more natural that we we are making music together so rather than solist and accompany punished I wanted to work with her as a duo partner so that's how the things come about And I really like that format, contributing each other's inner strengths.

00:42:22.985 --> 00:42:29.251
And to see her piece as well as my piece, it just makes a contrast, creating the new repertoire.

00:42:29.492 --> 00:42:37.177
So especially in that duo, we did Robert Fernand's Predator Dance, which is one of the major orchestral work.

00:42:37.418 --> 00:42:44.965
But I always knew that the orchestral part was so effective on the piano, almost like a French era music.

00:42:45.025 --> 00:42:45.945
It's really beautiful.

00:42:46.206 --> 00:42:48.367
And Midori did justice to that, sorry.

00:42:48.367 --> 00:42:49.608
I'm really pleased.

00:42:50.329 --> 00:42:51.271
Oh, fantastic, yeah.

00:42:51.411 --> 00:42:57.318
So, I mean, is that something you'll be doing, travelling back to Japan to play any more concerts on a more regular basis?

00:42:57.577 --> 00:42:59.360
Yes, that's my intention.

00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:03.423
So this is the second year I started coming back on force.

00:43:03.724 --> 00:43:05.987
I hope, you know, like once a year.

00:43:06.387 --> 00:43:09.851
So this was streamed live on the internet so people could watch it on the internet.

00:43:09.891 --> 00:43:12.273
So, yeah, it was available for people to view.

00:43:12.414 --> 00:43:18.320
During part of this show, you also had two other female chromatic players and you did a trio piece together, yeah?

00:43:18.320 --> 00:43:23.677
Bye.

00:43:24.610 --> 00:43:37.260
So that's one thing, you know, when I restarted to be connecting with my, you know, Japanese people or any concert that I have, I'm really quite interested in harmonica ensemble.

00:43:37.621 --> 00:43:39.023
It's like a bit like a strings.

00:43:39.163 --> 00:43:51.313
It's very, you know, lots of there, lots of harmonica ensembles, but it's actually very difficult to have that ensemble going because it's like a violin bow, you know, a tiny bit of a different air pressure.

00:43:51.532 --> 00:43:54.456
And if everybody tried to do this, it's just...

00:43:54.576 --> 00:43:58.039
really uncomfortable if it's not done pitched well.

00:43:58.340 --> 00:44:03.846
I am kind of experimenting and trying out with lots of people the ensemble.

00:44:04.045 --> 00:44:09.552
So Harmonica Quartet, like, you know, King's Quartet, you know, the Hong Kong King's Quartet.

00:44:09.692 --> 00:44:11.813
I really enjoy their performance.

00:44:12.074 --> 00:44:13.315
Yeah, I interviewed Rocky.

00:44:13.356 --> 00:44:15.759
He was part of the King's Quartet, yeah.

00:44:15.998 --> 00:44:18.201
Yes, I met them in Taiwan.

00:44:18.521 --> 00:44:29.632
I was one of the adjudicators and so, yeah, they were very, very nice people and I I think one of the quartets that I really, you know, enjoyed listening to.

00:44:29.733 --> 00:44:33.777
So something like that, you know, if we have people, find the people too.

00:44:33.978 --> 00:44:35.559
We definitely need more harmonica

00:44:35.579 --> 00:44:35.760
ensembles.

00:44:35.780 --> 00:44:36.920
I know, yes.

00:44:38.041 --> 00:44:39.583
They're quite popular in Asia, aren't they?

00:44:39.603 --> 00:44:41.246
But you don't tend to get them much over here.

00:44:41.266 --> 00:44:45.610
Obviously, we've got some harmonica groups which I've had on the podcast, such as Fatima Ghan and Swang.

00:44:45.630 --> 00:44:47.351
But yeah, you don't see too many.

00:44:47.391 --> 00:44:50.715
And I think that would be fantastic to get some more ensembles.

00:44:50.735 --> 00:44:51.076
So yeah.

00:44:51.876 --> 00:44:54.179
So yeah, some other great things you've done.

00:44:54.300 --> 00:44:58.045
So So you did a performance with a harp, so a harmonica and harp.

00:44:58.065 --> 00:45:14.846
We often get that combination with a song called Entraxed.

00:45:18.402 --> 00:45:18.961
where was that

00:45:19.322 --> 00:45:51.092
recorded oh yes yes the harmonica and harp are amazing combination just so lovely I had this harpist called Shino Kataoka she's a very good player so unfortunately right now we're so far away she's in Japan so not so much chance to play yeah we did a James Moody's suite for harmonica and harp we did a bit of a storytelling together she does an Irish harp as well and yeah the entrance was one of the recordings on my YouTube channel.

00:45:51.271 --> 00:45:52.052
Very effective.

00:45:52.373 --> 00:45:55.358
You also took part in something called the Third Orchestra.

00:45:55.398 --> 00:45:58.862
This is at the Barbican Centre in London in 2021.

00:45:59.262 --> 00:46:00.846
So this is really interesting.

00:46:00.925 --> 00:46:04.269
So a great and interesting setting for the chromatic harmonica as well.

00:46:04.311 --> 00:46:08.335
So made up of musicians from Western and non-Western instruments.

00:46:08.376 --> 00:46:10.338
So it's kind of an intercultural thing.

00:46:10.539 --> 00:46:18.110
So that was a really interesting, like I say, environment for the chromatic harmonica, yeah.

00:46:20.385 --> 00:46:25.827
Yeah,

00:46:26.610 --> 00:46:28.117
I think it's very...

00:46:28.610 --> 00:46:52.545
appropriate because harmonica being really modern instrument but somehow it just brings so much nostalgic or some something very you know ancient at the same time and it doesn't belong to sort of any of the historical sense but at the same time you kind of i don't know old and new so i was really fascinated by it

00:46:53.186 --> 00:46:55.648
how did you get involved with that how did you get invited

00:46:56.161 --> 00:47:05.117

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