Beyond the dichotomy of 'sensibility vs. theory'—The true value of a logical approach to deepen piano expressiveness

Recently, I received a comment on a short video I posted on Instagram and YouTube: "If you teach in such an analytical and mechanical way, wouldn't it become mathematics instead of music?" I thought, "Oh, that's an interesting question," and it gave me a valuable opportunity to seriously reflect on it.

"Is analyzing expression not musical?"

This time, I want to passionately and sincerely share my answer as a teacher and performer, and why we should deepen our expression through "analysis."

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1. Does the attempt to 'quantify' and 'structure' emotions break music?

I can well understand the feeling that mechanically analyzing and teaching 'how to sing' or 'how to shape a phrase' might make it feel like mathematics rather than music.

However, I'd like you to consider this for a moment.

"Why do we feel 'beautiful' or 'moved' when we listen to a particular performance?"

In fact, in the world of global research institutions and acoustic psychology, the speed of a performer's touch, the acceleration of keystrokes, the layering of sounds (overtones), and the exquisite agogic (tempo fluctuation) between phrases are meticulously quantified, and research is advancing on the acoustic properties (constituent elements) that make the human heart feel 'warm' and 'emotional'.

A familiar example is umami components, like in 'aged cheese' or 'rich soy sauce'. Delicious dishes always have a 'scientific basis for umami'. But no one would think, 'This dish isn't delicious because it's scientifically analyzed,' or 'Let's eliminate the umami components,' right?

Music is exactly the same. Behind 'performances that people find beautiful,' there is always a physical and kinematic logic. Analyzing and unraveling this does not, by any means, turn music into inorganic calculation.

2. Why relying solely on 'instinctive teaching' has its limits

What if we simply concluded with, "If you can't feel it, then you can't express it?"

There are 'geniuses' in the world who are born with an overwhelming sensibility. However, it is utterly irresponsible to simply preach 'feel more!' or 'put more emotion into it!' to those who are not like that, or to students struggling with a specific piece or phrase, thinking, 'I just can't figure out how to sing this,' or 'I can't find a way to express this.'

I myself have always had a strong desire to play a certain way, but even so, I couldn't perfectly grasp 100% of every part of every piece. Thanks to my teachers who logically unraveled questions like 'Why should this particular note be emphasized here?' or 'How should I shift my body weight to produce that specific tone color?', my perspective broadened step by step, and ultimately, I became able to feel the music with my whole body.

Logic to broaden one's world

The true purpose of analysis is to gently push the 'wall' in a student's mind outwards, thereby showing them new landscapes they hadn't seen before.

Logical analysis (understanding how and where to play to produce a beautiful sound)
Practice of correct body movement (actually creating sound according to mechanics and structure)
Listening to the sound with your ears (feeling the beautiful sound born from your own hands)
Blossoming of sensibility (when your heart is moved, realizing, 'Ah, so this is it!')

Even if the approach initially comes from the head (analysis), the moment a beautiful sound truly resonates, human emotion will inevitably follow. Analysis is not a framework that confines sensibility, but rather the best key to unlock it.

3. Education not just for 'this very moment,' but for the student's life and future

What I feel most critical about in music education is 'stopgap finishing' and 'teaching solely for immediate evaluation'.

The 'style of teaching that distorts sensibility merely to please judges or specific teachers,' often seen in Japanese competitions, can potentially rob students of their future musical lives.

Teaching is not merely about conveying how to play the piano; it is an endeavor to broaden a person's way of life and worldview.

If students can analyze, understand, and express 'why they play that way' themselves, they will be able to interpret scores and build beautiful musical worlds on their own, no matter what pieces they encounter in the future, without relying on anyone. Equipping them with strong 'wings' to walk their musical path for years to come is the source of my passion as a teacher.

4. To avoid being swayed by information: The process of making knowledge 'your own'

In today's age, with the spread of social media, information on techniques and know-how has become easily accessible. However, much of the information circulated includes thinly-supported claims and misleading motivational theories.

What's important here is 'not to blindly accept knowledge you hear'.

Knowledge, if merely kept in your head as knowledge, means nothing.

Try it out yourself
Observe how your body and sound change
Determine if it is good for you

Only by practicing up to this point does knowledge truly become 'your own power'. Please try out the approaches I share regarding keystroke speed, finger usage, and body mechanics on your own piano. And I hope you'll incorporate what you truly feel—'Oh, the sound really changed!'—as your own asset.

Conclusion: Where logic and passion intersect

'Analysis' and 'musicality' are by no means contradictory.

When overflowing 'emotion' is built upon the 'logic' of thorough analysis, performance becomes the supreme art that stirs the listener's heart.

When you find yourself stuck in your practice or expression, don't just rely on emotion; calmly analyze the score and your body's movements. Beyond that logical approach awaits your own deep and rich musical world.

May your piano time today be filled with wonderful discoveries.

Haruka Ogawa

Is analyzing 'musicality' not musical?