[Member Interview] Mikiko Hattori (Viola)

We will be sending you regular interviews with members of the orchestra until the concert. Our fourth member is Ms. Mikiko Hattori (viola)!

Q: Where are you from?

A: Fukushima Prefecture.

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: I like spicy food.

Q: How long have you been making music?

A: I've been playing the violin and piano since I was about 5 years old, and played the horn in the brass band in junior high school. I also joined the brass band in high school and played the clarinet, and started playing the violin again when I entered university. I'm trying to play the viola in the Tohoku Youth Orchestra (TYO).

Q: What is the best thing about being a musician?

A: I think the biggest thing is that I make more friends. Also, even though I'm just playing, I can communicate with the audience. This is true from their reactions during the performance and from their feedback in the questionnaires. I think it's great to be able to create a space where everyone can have fun.

Q: How is your work at TYO going?

A: I think there are a lot of different kinds of people. Some are better than me, and some have a lot of potential. But it's nice to see that everyone loves music. I think everyone is highly motivated because they've come together with a clear purpose.

Q: Has anything changed since 3/11?

A: I think the people around me have changed. I think I have changed too, but I'm not really aware of it, I didn't evacuate, and I didn't see the tsunami. But I understand that people have started to treat me like I'm from Fukushima. I also feel like I'm gradually being forgotten. Maybe I feel this more because I'm from Fukushima, but the problem of the nuclear accident still exists, and there are still people who have evacuated. There are also reports of bullying in evacuation centers. I think the natural disaster is over, but the man-made disaster is continuing, and I feel like I'm being forgotten. I want people to forget, but if we completely forget, I don't think there will be any lessons to be learned...

Q: Please tell us your enthusiasm for the concert in March!

A: Last year, we were all dependent on the adults, but this year we've been coming up with our own ideas. We want to make it a day where people who come can enjoy our breath, feelings, and spirit. The tickets aren't cheap, so we need to provide a performance that's worth the price. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also a bit scared (laughs). I'm more worried than anything... We have a performance in Koriyama, so we want to give a good performance so that the locals will think of us as "the orchestra of my town."