About Makoto Nishimura

 

 

Makoto Nishimura's goals for her teaching are

twofold: to spread shamisen music in the world,

and enjoy playing music. The former is difficult,

as these days the shamisen is only rarely seen

or heard in Japan, let alone abroad. Nishimura

plays nagauta music, a style still heard in the

Kabuki theater today. However, it is rapidly

disappearing due to the considerable expense

of lessons, and to apathy. Nishimura has found

more interest in traditional Japanese music

among foreigners than with the Japanese

themselves. "It's very ironic." She smiles,

relishing the paradox. "My foreign students

are in some ways more 'Japanese' than most

Japanese."

 

The second of Nishimura's goals - to simply enjoy the music - is more complicated than it sounds. "Many Japanese people don't really enjoy learning or playing music. It's all about being perfect and not making mistakes. I like to enjoy the music with my students. Even professional musicians don't often play music together. They usually practice alone, and get together only once to rehearse before a concert. Playing music together may be a relic of bygone days, when this music was popular." The people of the late Edo period, at the peak of nagauta’s popularity, were very sophisticated. Public baths often had community centers on their second floors, where people could sing or play shamisen together. It was a part of daily socializing. If a person couldn't play something, it was considered shameful. Of course, there was no radio or TV. Nishimura has created her own version of Edo with her students, assembling them often for concerts and group rehearsals at her house.

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So, I wrote him a fan letter.” Since then, Dr. Malm has visited Nishimura and her group several times on his visits to Tokyo. “I felt more serious and inspired after I met him. Like I had a foundation for my teaching." She now uses Malm's books and articles to accompany her instruction, and often includes explanations of basic musical concepts at performances, so the audience can enjoy the music more with deeper understanding.

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In recent years, Nishimura's own focus has turned more academic. Last fall, she went to Northwestern University in Chicago to teach a week-long shamisen workshop in a Japanese theater class taught by one of her former students. "Northwestern was invigorating because it was pure music. There weren't the distracting personal dramas that I have with students here in Tokyo. We could all just concentrate on the music. Paradise!” Although she would like to increase her experiences teaching abroad, Nishimura knows that her main work is in Japan.

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Unfortunately, in Japan there is little support for Nishimura's efforts to resuscitate nagauta music. Although she has studied shamisen for more than 40 years, graduating with a degree from the prestigious Tokyo University of Fine Arts, she is still considered an amateur. "The amateur musician in Japan is not respected. No matter how skilled the musician, it will always be a hobby. Non-musicians don't understand. They soon judge and criticize. They think we are wasting our time and should do something to make money instead." The only thing Nishimura is interested in making is music, and in doing so she will continue to provide access to the mysteries of Japan and nagauta music at home and abroad for a long time to come.

- Janet Pocorobba

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In 2009, Makoto was featured in an article in Tokyo's "Metropolis" magazine. To read the article, go HERE.

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