Pianist Noriko Ogawa: Classy, commanding caresser of keys

Last Saturday, world-renowned classical pianist Noriko Ogawa performed in an exclusive concert, called Spirited Impres­sions: An Evening of Classical Music with Noriko Ogawa, at the Francisco Santiago Hall of the Banco de Oro (BDO) Corpo­rate Center in Makati City.

Since she won third place in the prestigious Leeds Inter­national Piano Competition in 1987, the now-52-year-old Ogawa has built a vibrant international performing career and earned a reputation as a specialist of the music of French composer Claude Debussy, who is regarded as one of the most influential composers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Proof of this is the album Debussy: The Solo Piano Works, which Ogawa recorded in 2011 and was described in a BDO statement as a “beauti­ful, all-encompassing six-disc boxed set.” The distinguished recitalist and chamber musi­cian considers a tour of Japan with the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Ensemble and Vienna Philharmonic leader Rainer Honeck as her most notable chamber projects.

Spirited Impressions was held as part of the continuing partnership between BDO Private Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of BDO Uni­bank that provides complete wealth-management services and supports the education and development of young people in the arts, and Steinway Boutique Manila, the official dealer of Steinway-designed pianos in the Philippines. They previously co-presented the 3rd Philippine Steinway Youth Piano Competition in May.

In a pre-concert inter­view with BDO Private Bank, Ogawa, who divides her time between Tokyo and London, discusses her beginnings as a musician, her career, and other pursuits.

BDO: How did your life as a pianist began?

Noriko Ogawa: My mother is a piano teacher, and she always taught local children at home. I was so keen to play the piano, so I used to crawl under the piano, sit on the floor, and listen to her pupils. When I was four-and-a-half, my aunt made an appointment with a piano teacher in Tokyo. My mother was half-forced to take me there!

BDO: How did classical mu­sic nurture you as a person, especially growing up?

Ogawa: I so enjoyed going to Saturday music classes, where all the other children were musically talented. I think classical music is a great way to express oneself—that is probably the most wonderful thing about playing music. My mood, skills, and everything I am as a person come out in my piano-playing. When I was [between] six [and] 12 years old and in primary school, it was not always easy to have piano lessons, because I was not really allowed to talk about my musical talent at school. This is probably why I enjoyed the Saturday music classes so much.

BDO: Who were your mu­sical influences early on, as well as later in your career?

Ogawa: The first influence was my mother. My aunt used to play piano duets with me, which was lovely, too. When I was a student, I was influ­enced by several world-famous pianists: [Martha] Argerich, [Maurizio] Pollini, and [Sviato­slav] Richter in particular, and also historical pianists, such as Solomon [Cutner], [Walter] Gieseking, and [Arturo Bened­etti] Michelangeli. As for teach­ers, I am strongly influenced by Prof. Takashi Hinonaka in Tokyo and Benjamin Kaplan in London. I actually feel them in the way I teach, too!

BDO: How would you describe classical music, compared to other musical genres?

Ogawa: Classical music is definitely different from pop music. One thing you know: When you hear it, you know it is first-class. Every classical musician who is out there is professionally trained at a spe­cialized school. Top quality is already guaranteed before you walk into the hall.

Also, you know they will do their best at concerts, and there is nothing plastic or made up about it. The com­plexity of piano playing is a very notable thing.

The piano is a relatively new instrument. It developed as classical music developed in the 19th century. The tech­nical demand for pianists is huge, and pianists always have to work very hard to “make sense” in each piece, but it is really so rewarding.

The most fantastic thing about piano music is the rich repertoire by big composers and we can play those pieces alone. We alone can send the messages of those great com­posers. Happy, sad, devastated, joyful, angry, disappointed— they are all there! It requires a good instrument to send direct messages from great compos­ers. Once an excellent pianist plays an excellent piano, the power of the music becomes so strong that you cannot miss the message in the music.

BDO: You’ve played all over the world and with the best orchestras. Have there been concert halls that were especially enchanting?

Ogawa: I have performed in huge, 2,000-seat venues, in big cities, as well as small school halls out in the sticks, and the acoustics on both were wonderful. I have performed in Africa and formed a rapport with the audience there. Every venue is memorable. I recently worked with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican [on] a newly written piano concerto—[it was] really difficult for everyone! It was one of the most exciting moments, because we were all aiming for the unknown goal—performing the new work together.

BDO: What advice are you keen to share with budding artists who have a growing interest in classical music and who may want to take up the piano?

Ogawa: To very young pia­nists, those aged four to 10, I would like to ask them to have their hands in a good shape at the keyboard. Having a nice shape at the keys becomes essential when you start playing more complex pieces. To teenage pianists, it is time for you to discover your own ways to practice. Finding your strengths and weaknesses will help you find ways to work. To college-level pianists, start looking into the repertoire you would like to focus on. Also, it’s important to do chamber music and to play with other musicians.

BDO: What other pursuits are you passionate about?

Ogawa: I am always busy performing, recording and teaching (at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and the Tokyo College of Music), and also doing masterclasses wherever I am given an opportunity. It is like a wheel that keeps going. My personal passion is Jamie’s Concerts, which I started doing back in 2004. The concerts are made to suit the busy lifestyle of the parents of and families with autistic people. This is all based on my personal experience with an autistic boy named Jamie. Jamie has given me another reason to play the piano. For more details, visit uk.jamiesconcerts.com.

For more information about BDO Private Bank, call (632) 848-6300 or send an e-mail to wealthadvisors@pb.bdo.com.ph. For inquiries and appointments with Steinway Boutique Manila, call (632) 892-7508, or send an e-mail to info@steinway-boutique.com.ph.