English

About me

I’ve always embraced a boundless imagination, never confined by the traditional frameworks of music learning. Beyond the conventional titles of a piano teacher, concert organizer, or performer, I’ve pursued the infinite possibilities music has to offer.

Moving forward, whether as an artist or a professional player, I aim to explore and share new potentials in music through YouTube performances, teaching, and jam sessions.

Background:

From a young age, I was drawn to the piano, which led me to teach, perform live, and eventually venture into music production.

Influences:

Artists like Keith Jarrett, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Joe Hisaishi, Kiefer, Moonchild, idealism, Erik Satie, and Debussy have significantly influenced my work.

The Essence of My Music Creation

My daily life seamlessly translates into my music.

I play around with melodies without actively thinking about them, leading to a curious sensation of being both myself and someone else.

Once a phrase forms, a world expands from it, and before I know it, a whole universe of sound has been created. This process is fleeting; if not captured immediately, the inspiration vanishes.

For instance, if I hear the sound of rain, I imagine its melody on the piano. These imaginings are instantaneous. I rarely ponder over making a melody better. It’s about capturing what I see and hear into the piano’s notes and chords. That’s all there is to it.

I infuse familiar chords with a sense of intimacy, occasionally adding dissonance or changing the time signature for a bit of fun.

Creating music is an intuitive process for me, akin to improvisation based on the landscapes, scents, and sounds that hit me in the moment. It’s hard to explain this state, but it feels very much like having a conversation.

My compositions are straightforward, featuring melodies and chords that feel familiar and easy to connect with. While I aim for my music to be enjoyable for many, I believe in the importance of playfulness. A twist here and there can stir the listener’s heart, embodying the restless spirit of a child, which is both fun and exhausting.

In essence, this process gives me a profound sense of being alive.

Music creation requires a breadth of knowledge, so I’ve listened to a wide array of songs. However, this was less about studying and more about a delightful detour.

I’ve never been interested in formal music composition studies. Playing with music and cherishing those moments have been paramount for me, leading to significant growth.

I’ve always learned by watching others, believing in this approach as the right way for me. I’ve trusted and followed my own methods.

My compositions are never pre-written; they are improvised and recorded directly.

I plan to transcribe my favorite and most popular pieces into sheet music eventually.

I’m not one for rigorous study; it feels too much like stuffing information for a report.

Music is about expressing fleeting thoughts and feelings through melody, rhythm, chords, and lyrics.

Though it can be exhausting, living each day with a keen sense of life is incredibly fulfilling.

Music allows for the expression of pain, joy, thoughts, experiences, teachings, and learnings—all manifesting through sound.

This interaction fascinates me, and I believe it evokes something in the listener.

Maintaining a delicate sensitivity daily, noticing the hues of nature, the nuance of words, the expressions on people’s faces, and listening to sounds, is crucial.

Beyond being a musician, it’s about keeping a basic human sensitivity.

These are the days of my life, from which my music is born.

Erika Asai

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