Midori in an interview

"Music fosters, nourishes, heals, and inspires the mind."

Midori is a visionary artist, activist, and educator. Through her tireless desire to explore and expand the connections between music and the human experience itself, her unique career has transcended traditional boundaries. This energetic spirit of innovation and the resulting expressive interpretations and projects, which have made Midori one of the greatest violinists of our time, also permeate her other roles as a leading international cultural ambassador and passionate music educator.

Classicpoint.net: You inspired the composer Peter Eötvös to write his Violin Concerto DoReMi, which you also premiered. Was it a collaboration between you?
I thoroughly enjoyed working with Mr. Eötvös, both as a composer and as a conductor. It was special to perform under his direction and to record the piece. He is a very clear composer, and yet the character of this piece is very rhapsodic and individual. I was somewhat overwhelmed by its depth at first. It is not a long piece, but it contains a great deal.

You founded two non-profit organizations that celebrated their 25th anniversary last year. Can you tell us about them?
When I saw music being cut from New York's public schools in the early 1990s (I was 19 at the time), I wanted to do something about it. Music brings us together, and I know the joy it can bring. I felt that these immense benefits shouldn't be withheld from students, so I started holding concerts in schools and talking to students about music, my instrument, my career, and so on. That was the beginning of Midori & Friends. To date, it has reached approximately 250,000 students in underserved public schools in New York City.
In the same year, I founded MUSIC SHARING in Japan. Initially, it was the Tokyo branch of Midori & Friends; since 2002, it has been an independent non-profit organization. MUSIC SHARING is committed to serving the needs of children. The organization brings Western classical music and traditional Japanese music into the lives of young people in Japan and in (primarily developing) areas throughout Asia. It offers free activities in schools, hospitals, and other institutions, and has reached 250,000 children in the 25 years since its founding. Many of these children would otherwise not have had the opportunity to learn about music or enjoy live music performances. For example, once a year we organize the International Community Engagement Program (ICEP). It's a cultural exchange, outreach, and training program. Every year I form a string quartet with three young musicians, and together we spend two weeks in an Asian country, primarily in underserved regions. Six months later, we spend another two weeks in Japan, where we visit and perform at schools, hospitals, refugee camps, housing projects, and other educational or social organizations that care for people in difficult situations.

You've also developed other projects. Can you tell us a bit more about those?
One of my other projects is the Partners in Performance program, which presents chamber music concerts with the aim of stimulating interest in classical music. This is especially important in smaller communities outside the radius of larger urban centers that lack the necessary financial resources. And then I also run the Orchestra Residencies Program, which supports American youth orchestras. Over a period of five to seven days, I participate in a variety of events, such as masterclasses, performance workshops, meals with Q&A sessions, and so on.

You also regularly give lectures on cultural diplomacy. What are the core messages of these lectures?
The belief that music fosters, nourishes, heals, and inspires the mind, and that it has, and will continue to have, a positive impact on our future as a global society if we introduce and teach music to children.

You have received several awards, such as the Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum in Davos, and you are a UN Messenger of Peace. Where can you exert your influence?
I enjoy bringing people together to work collaboratively, get to know each other, and have discussions. Music is very effective for this. Ultimately, I can exert my influence everywhere, whether it's in the concert hall when I'm teaching students, or when I'm active for one of the organizations I've founded.

You have been teaching in Los Angeles for 14 years and are now moving to Philadelphia. At the same time, you are also a visiting professor in Japan. Where do you see the biggest differences within classical music between these two cultures?
My main teaching position has always been in the USA. In Japan, I teach public masterclasses twice a year. There, I don't have my own students like in my "studio" at the US schools. I also teach masterclasses in Europe during the summer, or during the school year if my schedule allows.

You also studied gender studies and psychology at New York University and have developed a holistic teaching philosophy. Could you explain this?
I enjoy working with young artists and helping them find their own voice by considering their whole personality.

You are so versatile and dedicated; how do you balance all of this?
I enjoy the work I can do in all these different areas I'm involved in. Each project inspires the others and serves as motivation for new projects.

Do you have time for yourself?
Yes.

What do you wish for your future and the future of humanity?
That we all find the peace to enjoy the joy that comes from art; that state which allows us to savor the beautiful things in life. It is not only a peace that brings us physical well-being, but also allows us to feel happy, to feel human, and to be at peace with the rest of the world.

Interview by Florian Schär | Classicpoint.net | May 1, 2018
© Photo: K. Miura