Japan – Zurich – Japan

How did you get into music?

Mio Yamamoto: My older sister started playing the violin when I was two years old. I really wanted to too, but had to wait until my fourth birthday. I was so happy when I got my instrument! It remained a hobby for a long time; I only decided to study when I was 17. My teacher turned pale when I told her that - my level wasn't particularly high back then. I am enormously grateful to her for supporting me so much in preparing for the entrance exam.

Mari Parz: I can't even remember the first time I held a violin in my hand. It must have been very early on - my parents were both amateur violinists. We always played together at the weekends. As I wanted more at some point, I decided to study in Osaka. But for a long time I wasn't sure whether I would make a living from music. That only became clear when I moved to Vienna.

Yukiko Ishibashi: My mother was an opera singer and my father was an amateur conductor who also enjoyed playing the bamboo flute shakuhachi. There was always music in our home, both classical and traditional. I first studied in Japan, but then I wanted to find out more about the background. I wanted to know what the music sounds like in a European church, what the bowing style is like in the violin's homeland. That's why I came to Europe at the age of 21.

Seiko Périsset-Morishita: My grandfather already loved classical music, so my mother grew up with a piano - which was not common back then. She wanted to study, but had to give way to her younger brothers. That's why she encouraged us a lot. When I started playing the violin, she learnt the cello at the same time. We played together in an amateur orchestra, which was a great time. But I stopped playing there when I was 15 because I wanted to prepare for the entrance exam in Tokyo.

Andreas Janke: My mother once came to Munich from Japan to study piano and then stayed; my father was also a pianist. To put it bluntly, my parents knew before we were born which instruments we four children would have ... My musical education was absolutely European, but otherwise I was brought up very Japanese. Japanese was my first language and I went to Japanese school every Saturday. Today I also speak Japanese with my daughter.

What was your path to Zurich like?

Mio: I wanted to play in a European orchestra after my studies. A friend lived in Winterthur and I asked her by fax if I could live with her for three months to look for a job. I thought it would be very easy, because I didn't realise that you needed invitations to audition in Europe! I applied for about fifty auditions, but only got two invitations as I had only studied in Japan. I then got a job in Hamburg, but couldn't take it up because there was no work permit for a tutti position. But the people there were nice, I was allowed to do a concertmaster audition, so it worked out after all. But I didn't like it, I wanted to play tutti. That's why I applied in Zurich - and this time I was invited because I already had a position in Europe. The style here is very different from Japan, for example the vibrato.

Mari: I was 22 when I went to Vienna to continue my studies. In Japan there were exams every six months, but in Vienna I had four years until my final exams and could take my time to work on something. For the first six months I did nothing but bow empty A-string longtones. I was really thrown back to the absolute basics. What's more, I went to concerts almost every night back then, the standing room was cheap. That was incredibly inspiring! After graduating, I played in the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra for a year, after which I got my job in Zurich.

Yukiko: I came to Lübeck at the age of 21, to Zakhar Bron, and then after a short time to Winterthur to study. I was then able to do an internship at the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich and was subsequently offered a permanent position. I actually only wanted to stay for a year and then go back to Japan. But then I met my husband. And the conditions were ideal, I was able to choose my workload so that I had enough time for chamber music projects and my family.

Seiko: After my studies in Tokyo, I was recommended a professor in Munich, but that didn't work out. I then started to watch lessons in different places - that's how I came to Nora Chastain in Winterthur. During my studies, I was allowed to play in the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich for about three years; when my residence permit only lasted three months, I got a permanent position. I've now spent more than half my life in Switzerland.

Andreas: It was a coincidence! I was 22 years old and hadn't even finished my Bachelor's degree when my teacher told me about the job in Zurich. I then started as 2nd concertmaster, and two years later I moved to the first desk.

When you go on tour in Japan, what are you looking forward to the most?

Mio: The concert halls, they are very different to those in Europe. I'm looking forward to the Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo, we've never been there before. And then I'm looking forward to being able to present our work to my family and friends.

Mari: I am proud when I can play with our orchestra in Japan. Precision is the most important criterion in the orchestras there. We are also precise, but at the same time we can be very personal. I find this mixture really special.

Seiko: For me, a tour of Japan with our orchestra means a connection between my two homelands. I come from near Sapporo, so unfortunately we don't play there. But some of my friends and relatives are travelling to Tokyo or Osaka, which touches me a lot.

Yukiko: I am happy that we can present our orchestra in Japan. I think we have continued to develop over the last few years, we have such a beautiful, warm and transparent, yet multi-layered sound in the strings. And the winds are fantastic! The tour ends in Osaka, where I grew up - a lot of people I know will be coming.

Andreas: I'm looking forward to the food! In Japan you can go to the smallest, simplest, cheapest restaurants: It's always good.

What is different about concerts in Japan?

Mio: There are no historical halls in Japan, but there are very good modern ones. The acoustics are outstanding.

Mari: The halls are much bigger than in Europe! And acoustically tuned so precisely that the individual sounds travel through the room like a high-speed Shinkansen train - crystal clear and as fast as an arrow right up to the last seat.

Seiko: The audience in Japan is extremely disciplined, it is always absolutely quiet in the hall. Nobody coughs there! So we also feel a great sense of concentration on stage.

Yukiko: After the concerts, there are always lots of people waiting at the artists' entrance. Paavo is hugely popular in Japan, and we also talk to them. Sometimes we even receive gifts, sweets or flowers.

Andreas: The atmosphere in the hall is different, you can feel an enormous intensity when listening. There are many music lovers in Japan who know so much. The applause also sounds different than in Zurich: brighter, faster.

What do you do in your free time?

Mio: Go to the shops! Not just to shop, but to enjoy the familiar atmosphere and the way you're greeted.

Mari: I'll meet friends, look around to see what's in fashion - and enjoy the feeling of home.

Yukiko: This time I will be teaching. I'm really looking forward to being able to pass on my experience. I will also be meeting my former teacher. And it goes without saying that I'll be eating delicious food and visiting hot springs with my mum.

Seiko: I'm taking my daughter with me, she'll be staying with my sister in Tokyo. I will do something with her in my free time. After the end of the tour, my husband and son will also be coming, and then we'll stay in Japan as a family for another ten days.

Andreas: I have friends from the Japanese school in Munich who went back later. I will definitely meet up with them. Apart from that, I'm not planning anything, I'll let the mood guide me.

When you are asked for tips: Which ones do you give?

Mio: There are about 3,000 hot springs (onsen) in Japan with beautiful traditional hotels (ryokan).

Mari: Get out into nature! Japan has many national parks. You leave the metropolises behind you, drive a few hours through rice fields and are suddenly in a completely peaceful mountain world. Nature is strictly protected and very different from Switzerland. From the cherry blossoms in spring to the colourful foliage in autumn - you really have to experience it.

Yukiko: If someone asks me in Osaka, I would advise them to go to Kyōto! It's only twenty minutes on the train. You can eat very well in Osaka, but Kyōto has much more to offer culturally.

Seiko: The fish market in Tokyo is always an experience. You can eat the freshest sushi there at five in the morning. Otherwise, it's worth visiting the Skytree - it's one of the tallest towers in the world.

Andreas: The best thing to do is simply experience the cities, the juxtaposition of ancient temples and modern skyscrapers. Or the service in shops and restaurants: it really is unique in Japan.