Hi, my name is Shoji. I’ve been living in New York City since 1986. I have been playing the flute since 13. I went to SUNY, Purchase and earned Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Flute Performance. I went on to Mannes College of Music for Masters in Music. I tried to “make it in music” but decided I want a family, and to me that meant I had to find a real job. I admit, I wasn’t a soloist career material. So, I decided to stop pursuing career in music, but as I did I vowed to myself that I will always remain an artist. I work in a bank, but I believe I have remained true to my words.

Life is wonderful. It is never straight. It throws so many unexpected happy and joyful turns as well as issues and obstacles. Through it all one becomes a unique, individual person.

I believe that each and every life is a sonata of an immense proportion. You have first theme in the home key, but through transition you make it to the second theme in the dominant key. In real life there might be even more themes. You are the composer of your life. You can simply let the music control it, or you can at least think that you are in command. You might think you made a mistake, but of course reversing the course or going up-stream to correct the mistake is not an option in life. However, you might be able to dodge similar issues later on, or steer your life to calmer flow. It is up to you. That is called development where you occasionally return to first or second theme, and everything morphs into one beautiful collage. Then comes the recapitulation – the moment of self-realization of who you are.

But wait – there’s more! The recapitulation consists of first and second theme in the home key – a familiar territory. Then there’s further interaction with lots of the materials that were flying around, without which life is not complete. Your children, reminding you of your own childhood. Your children’s children, etc. Finally, the Coda.

Do you want to enjoy your life like a sonata or a symphony? All it takes is to always be intro– spective (so you analyze every once in a while, as to what is happening right now) and retro– spective (to review what you have done and accomplished so far) so that you can be pro– spective (and determine the next course of action – your move that charts the new direction).

You know that each music in sonata form has a theme. That’s how one can tell which piece it is. Each one of us is given a theme. You can’t change it. You have to live with it. But you have the power to develop and transform it as much as you want. You can make it as meaningful as you want. And as beautiful or artistic as you want.

You might say there are pieces that are not complete, but look, even unfinished symphony like Schubert’s can be grand, absolutely awesome and completely meaningful. No matter how life ends, it has its meaning. It leaves a legacy behind.

My life is probably toward the end of the development section. There’s still recapitulation to look forward to, but definitely before I enter Coda, there are many, many things I still wish to accomplish. I want to share what I’ve learned in life. But I’m still learning in this current life! I can only wish that maybe I’m at the end of the second theme and that I’m just about to enter development. Who knows how grand this life of mine might yet be!!

This blog is about one of the more recent discoveries I made that has altered my musical landscape. It has excited me so much that I want to almost preach, to evangelize what I have learned and experienced.

Welcome to the world of Shoji’s Open G Sharp flute.