Relocating from Japan to the United States as a non-English speaking eight year old might not be easy.

Kids make fun of me because my English was just horrible and they wouldn't, you know, imitate me.

So I just decided like, well, I'm just not going to speak.

Then they can't imitate me.

But this maestro found a way to overcome her self-doubts and grow into a true leader.

Tonight on the A-list, I talk with Chattanooga Symphony and opera conductor Kayoko Dan and in 2011, Kayoko Dan was named the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera's eighth music director.

She is notably the youngest person to ever fill that role, as well as the first woman.

It's impossible to deny the impact that female leaders like Kiyoko are making in a field still so dominated by men.

Her warmth, thoughtfulness and energy have made her a welcome.

New ambassador for the Arts in Chattanooga, and her passion for music, as well as her commitment to education, are sure to enrich our community for years to come.

Kayoko, welcome to the A LIST.

We're so glad to have you.

Thank you so much for having me.

And welcome to Chattanooga.

Thank you.

We are so excited you are not only the youngest, but the first woman conductor of the Chattanooga Symphony.

And we are thrilled.

How does that make you feel to be the first?

I guess I don't really think about too much of it because first of all, I can't change the fact that I'm a woman.

And second of all, I can't change the fact that I'm the youngest.

So, you know, my my teachers always said, you know, the time will take care of the age and you can't really change the way you are.

So dont worry about it.

So.

Do you think either factor, though, actually was a benefit to you and gave you an advantage over the other candidates?

I I'm not sure because I hadn't seen the other candidates, but I know when I go to work, when I used to go to workshops when I was a student, I was often the only female conductor in the workshop.

And I know I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

But it's memorable because a lot of, you know, conductors or male, mostly white, tall men, and I show up and I'm five feet tall and and I look like I'm younger than I am.

And I'm a female.

So I think people will at least remember, oh, it's a little Asian girl.

So that was a good thing or a bad thing.

But I think it's memorable.

And for women, I mean, this is a novelty still, isn't it?

I think.

2007, the first woman became conductor in Baltimore, you know, a lead conductor, I think now there are more women in the industry.

But I think, you know, women breaking into this profession.

Do you still see that as, you know, a moving up or as you said, gender shouldn't matter?

I don't think it should matter.

And people like Marin Alsop with the Baltimore Symphony really paved the road for us, for our generation.

So the people, the conductors in my generation, I don't think sees this as a novelty thing.

It's just what we do and and, you know, Marin Alsop, the Falletta and those wonderful conductors of previous generation, or actually they're still, you know, just amazing conductors who are breaking into this field really made it easy for us to walk in and just do our job.

So let's talk about your musical history.

I understand that you became at least musically inclined when you were just three, is that right?

Yeah.

Well, I started taking piano when I was three, but I was really horrible at it.

But what that class taught me was really like the pitch and rhythm and just I think is really important for small children to have exposed to sounds and rhythm early age, to have it really embedded in in your body and and soul.

And I thought I was a horrible pianist.

I mean, I wouldn't never call myself a pianist, but I really just the fundamental musical element were really growing into me since then.

And you grew up in Japan?

Yes.

What part of Japan?

I'm actually everywhere because my father was a banker, so I was born in September and moved to Kyoto, I think, and then back to Tokyo.

So.

And how old were you when you came to the United States?

I was eight.

Do you remember much about the transition from moving from Japan to the United States?

Yeah, absolutely.

It was very shocking.

Where did you move First to Houston.

And then what was that like?

I guess for a young girl of eight who I take it didn't speak much English at all.

Wow.

And it was very shocking and it was frustrating.

And I'm kind of stubborn.

And kids made fun of me because my English was just horrible.

And they wouldn't, you know, imitate me.

So I decided like, well, I'm just not going to speak.

They can't imitate me.

So I decided to be mute for a couple of years.

So the only time I was really able to speak or actually just let any sound out of my mouth was when I was in choir.

So I just loved being in a choir when I was in elementary school.

And I remember when I was in fifth grade, I tried out for a solo part in the choir, and I think that's the first time I lot of kids actually heard me my voice at all.

You know, they always say love is a universal language, but I really feel like music is more so.

Did you find that music was the easiest way for you to transition between not only two languages but two cultures at the time?

Absolutely.

And even I was a really shy child.

I was I hated the attention, good or bad.

So I just lived my life just being really quiet and not attracting any attention.

But after the choir concert and I proceeded to playing flute and I was, you know, pretty good at it.

So I, I became a little bit more confident with myself.

And now if I'm standing in front of 80 musicians, you know, and with, you know, thousands of people behind me, conducting is just really unheard of.

My mother still can't believe that I do that.

Kayoko is family continued to move around throughout her childhood, but she was able to maintain consistency through her love of music.

It's clear that music was Kayokos greatest teacher from a very early age, but she also credits the many mentors she had along the way who helped instill confidence in this budding leader.

Experiencing the value of strong educators firsthand, Kayoko developed a passion for teaching that would help her decide to pursue music not just as a hobby, but as a career.

So do you remember at what age and what stage in your life you thought, This is going to be my focus.

I want to you know, I just don't want to just play the flute on the side or try my hand at the piano.

I'm going to make music my focus, my profession.

When did you when did you make that deliberate decision?

I think when I was a senior in high school, I was debating whether I should go into engineering or music.

And I always thought, you know, if I go into music, I want to teach because I've always had great teachers.

And I thought that was a great profession, which I think is a great profession.

And I was speaking to my friend at the time.

He was going into engineering and I was talking to him about it, and he said, well, which one would make makes you happier?

And I was like, Well, music is like, well, go for it.

I was like, Oh, so.

And my parents were always supportive about it.

So what happened in college?

What what pushed you along this path to go from a musician to one who conducts musicians?

Well, I played in live ensembles in college.

One semester I counted.

I think I played like six or seven different chamber groups, and I was in two orchestras and one ensemble.

So I was always playing with other musicians and I was playing under, you know, different conductors and, and as a chamber musician, I was a flute player.

And a lot of times I was the one who was setting up the rehearsals, calling everyone this is before like, you know, text messaging.

So I was calling everyone, sending up rehearsals and I was the loudest one, the busiest one.

So I ended up being the one who would say, okay, let's fix this and let's fix that and let's play this faster.

So I ended up basically rehearsing all the things, and they kind of came naturally and and I just fell in love with the orchestra music.

And I knew that as a flute player, I wasn't able to play at the level that I wanted to because there was definitely a limitation as myself as a flute player.

When was the first time you conducted?

Well, I was a drum major in high school, and bands but I dont think that really counts, but I think my first recital was 2000 or like in 1999, I put together an orchestra.

I just put together a recital, University of Texas as an undergrad.

The there was no undergraduate conducting, so I had to do my own and put together a group recital.

And luckily someone some of the people who played in my recital asked me to conduct their recitals, like, I want to put together a concerto, can you conduct it?

So by the time I graduated, I had a couple pieces under my belt.

Now, were you just doing it?

What came naturally to you?

Were you watching other conductors nationally to see how they move their body, how they, you know, gathered the instruments, how they put the program together?

You know, what?

What instincts did you use and then what did you use as your resources?

Well, in terms of physical stuff, of course, you know, I've been playing under a different conductor.

So I think even though I say I don't look like a particular conductor, I'm sure I have a lot of body languages that that I picked up along the way in terms of programing.

I tend to pick stuff that I like, you know, that resonates with me.

The pieces I feel comfortable with.

So it's more like pieces that I grew up with playing or been exposed to.

And then when you went to graduate school, that was really your opportunity to conduct in a more formal setting.

What was that like?

It was great.

The whole is actually as beautiful as this one.

Arizona State University at the Gammage Auditorium is just gorgeous and showing up.

You know, first actually my first day of first week as a graduate student, my professor was at his house and my other teaching assistant colleague was also at a town.

So I had to rehearse three or four for rehearsals, just my first thing.

And it was like Beethoven, five and Mozart, Requiem and all these big pieces.

So that was really intimidated.

But I pulled through and I felt like I just grew up like four or five years just in that first week.

But it was really exciting to actually have the opportunity to stand up on the podium and work with all these great musicians.

And.

Kiyoko earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from Arizona State University and has placed an emphasis on furthering her musical education.

And at every opportunity she has studied under some of the biggest names in the conducting world, including Kurt Masur and Leonard Slatkin and Learning from the greats has helped her gain perspective while developing her own unique talent.

In 2005, she began her three year tenure as assistant conductor of the Phenix Symphony and later had the opportunity to exercise her love of teaching as the music director of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra in Lexington.

But when the Chattanooga Symphony began their search for a new leader, Kiyoko started the long process of earning her first job, leading a full orchestra.

Now, when when the typical person thinks about applying for a job, they think you go to a few interviews, a process last couple of weeks, maybe even a few months, you find out, you move on.

That is not the case now.

The conducting world is such, I think, in an intense and extensive process.

How long did this process last?

And was that typical of your experience interviewing for a.

Job right before this job for music director job, there are different kinds of jobs.

Like if you apply for an assistant position, it may just be two or three months process.

But for music director, because it's such a big job, because music director represents not only CSO but the whole performance and just fine arts in general.

And Sid, I believe, is a leader and in all sorts of different fields in the city.

So I think it's, it's the responsibility for the committee to make sure that whoever they hire will serve the community and the orchestra as to, as they hope.

So I think if I think it started three years prior to when I got hired, so you send in your resume and they look at it and they said, well, we're going to say keys in this tape and you send your DVD.

And I think they invited, I don't know, nine or so candidates.

Out of 250, I.

Think.

Right.

And I wasn't even the final candidate.

I was like a last minute fill in a got called two months before the audition and it's like, oh, okay.

But I did read that when the committee was was talking to the musicians and going over everyone, you're the only one that no one had a single negative comment about.

How important is that rapport with your musicians?

Oh, it's really important.

And it's one of those things that you can't really I don't know.

I don't know if it's something that you can build or something you bring to it.

Because I go to some orchestras and I feel like I'm listening a £200 walk and or I'm walking ten dogs at the same time.

That's going in different directions, but we're CSO Even from the first rehearsal, I felt really good.

I felt like I was playing a chamber music with them and and it's all this chemistry thing, so you can't really describe why it's there and why it's why it's like that.

But it's like this collective energy that, you know, whether it works or not, it's just really instant and you can feel it.

And I know you're a big advocate and passionate about music education in the arts, in schools.

How important is it, do you think, that, number one, that's tied to curriculum these days and also that parents encourage their children to take a musical instrument no matter what?

That is?

I think either playing an instrument or singing in the choir, I think really develops of teamwork kind of thing.

And discipline is a big thing because we practice, you know, we're expected to practice at least like half an hour a day in middle school or high school.

And I mean, I'm sure I practice a couple of hours a day in high school because that's what my passion was.

But it's just, you know, sitting down by yourself, practicing until you get it.

I think it builds discipline and playing in a group or singing in a group to so that for a common goal, like to have a great performance or getting the first rate thing at the contest, having a common goal with 50 or 60 other people and achieving it.

And I think it's amazing that you can, you know, only get that through those kind of activities.

How different is it conducting for an audience that you believe is primarily adults versus school groups?

School groups are fun and I mean, because they're really honest because when they're bored, the whole audience is shuffling around like this.

And but when they're really excited, it's like a rock concert.

And so it was really amazing.

But it's different for adults, you know, I make sure that the artistic quality is there because and for kids, it's more like planting a little seed, making them excited about music so that, you know, they'll grow up to play an instrument.

So they go up to go, go see concerts.

So I mean, basically the same I try to provide great concerts, you know, that's fun and entertaining and educational and inspiring, but it's a little the function is a little bit different.

So what are your aspirations.

As a conductor?

Sure.

Well, at this point, I'm just having a lot of fun conducting CSO and you know, we want to achieve a higher artistic excellence as a group.

And I just like to conduct and anyone who wants to meet the conductor, I'll go there and hopefully my arm, I just love it.

The meeting with different musicians all over the country and making music is it's like making instant friends and it's just great.

Kiyoko, whose role in the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, has quickly made her a leader in the arts community, and her responsibilities reflect that between programing, rehearsals, performances and her constant efforts to inspire a love of music in our youth, this young conductor is constantly on the go.

Even so, Kiyoko does manage to find time for herself.

Now, I've also heard that you are quite the triathlete and a marathon runner.

Yes.

How is that something that you do just for your own benefit or is it important for you to maintain kind of that athletic, you know, athleticism when you're on stage?

I'm I would say I'm a triathlete in the marathon hour, but I'm really slow.

But I only do it because I can get my mind off out of everything else.

It's just me and my shoes and go and it's great.

When I was in graduate school, I know when I was an undergrad, you take other classes like English and science and stuff like that.

But when I went to grad school, it was just music and I felt like I was becoming a one dimensional human being.

And so I said, Well, I need a hobby because my hobby is to be the music and now it's my life.

So grad students don't have money.

So I just bought a pair of running shoes and I just started running and I started doing races after I graduated from because racing is not cheap either.

So after, you know, I got my first job, I started racing and I really don't feel complete unless this I'm like, my mind doesn't get cleared out unless I'm running or biking.

I would say to everybody watching this would agree that even the slowest triathlete is still attractive.

Kudos to that.

That's amazing.

Have fun.

The other thing I know people know that when when you're conducting it is technically very challenging.

There's a lot to think about and to organize in your mind and also with your body.

But what about physically?

Is it physically challenging?

Is it tiring?

I mean, really, does your arm get tired of doing this?

You know, after 2 hours of of music.

After maybe a couple days of a couple rehearsals, a my arms gets a be tired because I'm short.

Right.

So I, I try not to do this but I bring my arm way up higher than I should because I feel like they can't see me.

So I have to go higher.

And so my arm starts to hurt after a while and I'm like, okay, just bring it down.

But it shouldn't be that physically taxing.

But if I have a couple of rehearsals a day and after four or five days of that and yeah, it's less painful.

Despite those long, painful rehearsals, Kiyoko certainly makes her job look effortless.

So I couldn't let the interview end without getting a few pointers from the master.

All right.

Well, luckily you brought.

With you music and some batons, so.

All right, I'm ready for my first lesson.

Conducting 101.

First of all, let's just say that I use baton because it feels good to me, but some conductors don't use the baton, so it is a preference thing.

But anyway, so I can take your baton.

It has to be on your right, right hand.

I usually put my like the end of the shaft in the, the the handle part here and then just kind of wrap your hands fingers around it.

Yeah.

And then flip it over.

Yeah.

So that your hand has to be like an extension rather than like some people try to do it like a naturally and that would really end up hurting you.

So I brought the score to Ravel's Lero, which is in three fourth time.

Oh, perfect.

This is what I'm accustomed to it.

So basically three, you just go down one, and then two is to the right and three is to the up.

So it's just 1 to 3.

One.

That's beautiful.

See.

I'm seeing if my editor's really good.

She's going to put the actual score of this under and I will be conducting in perfect rhythm as if I've been doing this my whole.

Life, right?

And so basically that's what your right hand is jobs to do.

Just keep time.

Obviously, just little things that you can do is like if you want to collect really soft music, you can be smaller.

Yeah.

To three and down right up.

So or like if you want something really exciting, you can be you can use your elbow even and just, you know, just use a whole arm.

Yeah, exactly.

That is very exciting.

Yes.

All right.

And then what does this hand do?

This hand.

I kind of wanted to go with the flow, but I'm.

I sure.

That's right.

And, you know, I will imitate the right hand, which is fine.

Okay.

But we can use the left hand as an expressive thing.

If someone's playing too loud, you can give them the hands.

I'm good at that.

Yeah.

It's just, you know, softer.

Or if you want something more, you can say more.

Or like if the someone is coming in after resting for 60 bars, 60 measures, you can just bring them in like, please come in, please play with us.

You know, you can use the left hand as a cue.

So they're having to watch their music.

And I you at the same time, basically just.

They have a third eye somewhere right now as a professional, a peripheral vision kind of thing.

And a lot of us, you know, when we're playing, we position the stance so that, you know, if I am playing flute, I see the music.

But with I could just go like this with my eyes and see the conductor at the same time.

But most of the time as the music is rolling along, it's you don't really need to look at every beat.

That's when you start to feel like, Ooh, it's not quite together.

Everyone.

Then you know, and then orchestra.

We look up to the conductor to find a beat or if there's a really important transition like tempo change or stuff like that, then the orchestra musicians will watch the conductor.

So we'll conduct, conduct coming out of the.

Yes and join us next time on the illustration.

I need my own theme music so I can conduct it now.

Do you both in or is that not appropriate.

Towards.

Our towards the audience?

All right.

That would not be good value the other day.

I have so much to learn.

So thank you so much, Yoko.

That's what you.