愛ちゃん＆誠君のお母さん Makoto & Ai's mother
先生のご活躍を楽しみにしています。
愛、誠の母
宇佐美祥子
誠君の演奏動画
愛ちゃんの演奏動画
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
他の記事
音楽担当：YUMIE「龍田姫物語」の公演へ行った感想
I first came across Ms. Yumie about five and a half years ago.
My children studied with her for two years, from December 2009 until our return home in December 2011.
In our case, it all began quite by chance. While visiting a friend’s house, we heard Tomoya Hirayama playing the piano just for fun.
We were amazed and thought, “He’s so good—so impressive!”
At the time, my son Makoto had just turned five, and he said, “I wish I could play like that.”
That’s when Mrs. Hirayama introduced us to Ms. Yumie.
When we first observed Tomoya and Saho’s lessons with my children Makoto (5) and Ai (7),
both of them played so beautifully that I honestly wondered, “Could my children ever reach that level?”
My children have different personalities and environments from the Hirayama family,
so they may not have reached exactly the same level of performance.
However, thanks to what I can only describe as “Yumie Magic,”
they were able to grow in a way that truly suited who they are.
(For that, I am truly grateful.)
I especially love Ai’s expressive playing—she may not be the most technically agile, but she plays with feeling.
And Makoto, though still young, played with great confidence and presence.
The two of them usually argue a lot,
but when they played duets together, they moved in perfect sync—even the angle of their bodies matched the rhythm.
Those moments were truly precious to me.
Ms. Yumie’s teaching ability goes without saying,
but beyond that, she is a very captivating person.
She has strong beliefs, stays consistent, and is deeply dedicated.
That is why not only the children, but also I myself, could trust her completely and follow her guidance without hesitation.
Looking back, Makoto says:
“Ms. Yumie was kind, and she taught me even the smallest details.
When I couldn’t do something, she showed me how to practice it.”
The way Makoto played—almost as if he was completely absorbed in the music—
was exactly as Ms. Yumie once described: a bit of a “narcissist” in a good way.
He achieved excellent results in many competitions, and that confidence has stayed with him.
Even now, he continues to challenge himself to be the best in everything he does.
Ai says:
“I liked that lessons were not just tests of daily practice.
When I couldn’t do something, she would teach me how to do it during the lesson.”
For Ai, lessons were not stressful, but enjoyable opportunities to learn.
Even now, she continues to listen carefully and learn from others in school and club activities.
As for me, I must admit—I was probably Ms. Yumie’s biggest hidden fan.
I found her personality and her way of thinking incredibly fascinating.
The more I listened to her, the more I was drawn to her.
My husband would often laugh and say that I had fallen under “Yumie Magic” or was living in the “Yumie World,”
because I would happily talk about everything I learned from her.
She has a remarkable ability to work with children,
guiding them in a way that motivates and inspires them.
One thing that left a strong impression on me was that she did not make children repeat the same piece over and over endlessly.
As long as they achieved the goal or focus of that lesson,
it didn’t have to be perfectly flawless. She would move them forward,
keeping them engaged and preventing boredom.
When a passage was difficult, she would immediately show them how to practice it—
for example, by changing the rhythm—and guide them through it during the lesson.
Because of this, the children never felt frustrated simply because they didn’t understand or couldn’t do something.
They continued to improve.
At the same time, she could be strict when needed.
If a goal was not met, the student would not receive a passing mark.
There was a time when I picked up Makoto and found him almost in tears.
Ms. Yumie whispered to me with a smile, “He didn’t get a check mark today.”
It made me realize how perfectly balanced her strictness and playfulness were.
(Truly a charming—and fun—teacher!)
She carefully considered each child’s personality,
adapting her teaching methods and helping them grow in ways that suited them.
She didn’t just teach piano—
she looked at each child from many different angles.
The only thing we brought back with us from America that we truly treasure is our Boston piano.
Everything else feels like just “stuff.”
We brought it back because we wanted to continue the joy of piano that Ms. Yumie taught us.
Whenever we play it, it brings back wonderful memories of our life in America.
We once said we would work hard until the day we could return to Kentucky and study with her again—
but I heard that she has moved to Oregon.
(omitted)
I hope that in Oregon as well,
many children will have the opportunity to experience her wonderful teaching.
And I am sure there will be parents who also become captivated by her charm.
We look forward to her continued success.
Sincerely,
Shoko Usami
(Mother of Ai and Makoto)
