-Hello, and welcome to Virginia Arts: Waiting in the Wings .

If you're familiar with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, you'll likely recognize our two guests.

Maestro David Stewart Wiley is a beloved leader and musical ambassador of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.

Next year will mark his 25th acclaimed season.

While he's conducted top orchestras around the country, and around the world, including Italy, Germany, China, and the Czech Republic, David made his triple debut as conductor, pianist, and composer with Boston Pops last year.

Violin virtuoso Akemi Takayama is known worldwide for her musical artistry; her performances have enthralled audiences throughout Japan, France, England, Turkey, Israel, and the US.

She's currently the associate professor of violin at Shenandoah University in Winchester.

And closer to home, she's concert master for the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.

Thank you both so much for joining me.

We'll talk a little more specifically about your talents a bit later, but as you know, especially David, since he's been here before, we've been doing this series to kind of highlight the challenges that this pandemic has created in the arts and with the artists themselves.

So, David, I want to start with you because I'm interested to know how has COVID-19 affected the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra?

-Thanks for asking, Lisa.

Well, we're hanging in there.

We are able to do a bunch of online things and some things live in-person, and really just finding all kinds of collaborative opportunities during the pandemic with our musical colleagues.

As many of our viewers will understand, it's a difficult time for freelance musicians.

And there was-- there's been a lot in the press recently.

Just the New York Times had a big article on the challenges facing artists with almost 50 percent of freelancers out of work.

But we are hanging in there.

We have a really supportive community.

Our musicians have been wonderfully flexible and collaborative.

And none more so than my beloved colleague Akemi Takayama who's with us today.

Our beloved concert master and an extraordinary artist and teacher.

-Well, I know and absolutely agree with you on that.

Akemi, I know you were in town over the holidays because the RSO, David, you did put a performance together.

In fact, it aired here on Blue Ridge PBS.

It did air here.

So, you have been sort of active doing some collaborations and really trying to get through this pandemic.

Akemi, how have you handled this?

-Thank you for asking.

Because now, more than ever, having any performance opportunity is so precious.

And I'm so grateful for any opportunity that I'm given.

So, when the Roanoke Symphony in the beginning wasn't sure, and then became like really sure that we're gonna have a concert, you know, without the audience.

I'm like, "Oh, this is so amazing."

So, as a performer, it's such a tricky time because it's not like it's been on the calendar from last year.

So, we really don't know what's coming up.

And then other things that was on the calendar got canceled one after another.

So, I actually personally went a little bit downward kind of-- I didn't wanna practice because I didn't have any concert on my calendar anymore.

And then after doing a lot of different things like doing a sourdough bread and kombucha, and doing gardening, which I don't normally get to do.

So, I got to spend time on things that I wanted to do in the past.

So then, by the time when the opportunity came to be able to perform, I was-- I'm refreshed and ready to share my art.

But unfortunately, it's not very clear still, but, you know, every opportunity we are treasuring.

-Well, I'm curious if the sort of the pause, the stop that happened, did it sort of mentally affect you?

Did it bring you down?

Did it, you know-- David, let's go with you, I mean, did it bring you down like it has a lot of performers and artists?

-That's a really good question.

I think, like Akemi, I found not only musical outlets like composing and playing my piano that make my heart sing but taking long walks with my wife and our teens.

And I was talking with my colleague cellist Zuill Bailey just the other day.

He's been with us, and we recorded some CDs together.

And he said, normally during the year, he's on the road, you know, more than 200 to 250 days a year.

And he has, every day, been able to take walks with his teenage kids.

And certainly, for me, our son is in his last year of high school before going off to college.

And playing basketball in the driveway, playing chamber music together, he and I have been able to perform together, nothing more precious than that.

And we'll record anthems for church.

I'm able to do a lot of online things with the local schools, retirement homes, chamber of commerce, on and on and on.

So, all of those things are things that are about human connection.

And for someone like me who is an extrovert, I miss being around people.

And Zoom isn't the same, but I still have that connection.

And it gets me out of bed in the morning, and I exercise.

And I practice.

-Right.

-And then find things to make the world a better place.

-Well, you were talking a little about teaching, and visiting, and performing for, you know, Zoom, whatever the case may be.

Both of you in essence do teach.

Akemi, I want to start with you because, you know, I know that you got your music degree in Japan, and you started very early.

I mean, my goodness, your performance career started at what, 15?

-[chuckles] Yes.

Partially because my parents-- -Talk about it.

-How did you start?

-Partially because my parents are both musicians, and they set it up things that I would have enjoyed, I think.

Yeah.

So.

-Well, so now you're in the United States, in Virginia particularly.

And now, you're teaching.

So, you studied in Japan, but you're teaching here in Virginia at Shenandoah University.

Talk a little bit about that experience of teaching because I love the fact that you're able to offer one-on-one instruction.

-Yes.

However, I was kind of chickened out going to my small room teaching in person.

So, I did most of the teaching on-- by Zoom.

-Right.

-Which was very interesting, because you will be able to record, and I'm able to send my students the recording.

So, they are like listening to themselves, which they don't normally do in daily basis.

So, they're like "Wow, I don't sound good."

So, they actually learn to play.

However, today, I just came back from Athletic Center at Shenandoah University where I teach, where vaccination's going on, COVID vaccination.

-Wow.

-And so, they asked for volunteers, so I just went to perform with my student.

So, we did a duet and in-person.

So, audience miss the vibration and sound of the live music.

-Right.

Right.

-So, that was just a win-win situation.

We enjoyed performing, and they enjoyed hearing us.

So.

-Yes.

-And so-- go ahead.

-To dovetail on that as well, one of the other opportunities that we've had with the symphony, words cannot express our great gratitude to our healthcare professionals.

And we have been having musicians performing for the healthcare workers at the changing in their shift at Carillion.

We have a partnership where we provide music for them.

And in retirement homes since it is not safe to have people come together, do performances that are broadcast over the closed-circuit television so that the residents connect with us.

And this is just an extension of the long, long partnerships that we've had with the Roanoke Symphony for many, many years.

So, we have a memory care program and local retirement programs in retirement homes that we do.

And finding ways that music, more than many other things, really accesses people's emotions and makes them happy, and brings them back to a time when we can be together.

And so, the privilege of having that now more than ever is so present in my mind.

-Okay, yeah.

Definitely, I think that's one thing, one of the things that I've found in doing this show is that artists, performers, they're finding other ways to give back to the community.

If you can't perform right now, then find other ways to really be, you know, of some joy, to add some joy to people lives.

And I think you're both doing that very nicely.

Akemi, I wanna go back a little bit, because I know we're in the middle of pandemic, I know things kind of sort of turned, you know, pivoted when it came to the teaching, especially at Shenandoah University.

I'm curious if-if the way that you learned in Japan and the way that teaching and learning takes place here in the United States, I'm curious if you found any kind of big difference in that either teaching or learning of the violin that you teach?

-I feel like you opened my brain and saw what I was thinking [laughs], because I constantly think about that.

And for teachers, there's always teaching philosophy that we think about.

And I find myself thinking like this is it, and then a few years after that, I always kind of revise that, what's my philosophy.

I think in the beginning, I thought being friendly, being open, being trusting relationship would form a good relationship.

Now, I start-- as I age more, I start thinking my students, getting younger, they more-- they are a generation where they use more, you know, computer and stuff.

So they sometimes need a lot more encouragement.

They question themselves sometimes, and then so all-- I, just, you know, connect with them, and really try to reassure, you know.

That's more important it seems.

And then, to be able to do like a slow repetitive like boring work is meaningful.

Like I have to kind of, you know, slow down rather than say do this, do this, do that, do that.

'Cause if they don't see you why they're doing it, it really doesn't come with a tangible result.

So, it's tricky.

It's tricky.

But I think that in Japan if I say do this, do that, then the people do it without really thinking about it.

-Oh, wow.

-It's simpler.

I guess it's-- people obey more for the authoritative figure.

Where in America, they would challenge you like, why do I need to do this?

And so, I have to say, well, because you can do this and that.

And once they understand, they're like very, very creative.

So, it's an interesting combination.

-That's fascinating.

I would have never known that.

And I saw in one of your interviews when I was doing some research that you tend to, to be more like a mother figure to your students.

Is that true?

-Yes.

Because for me, if your mind is not healthy, then you cannot give yourself 100 percent.

And being a teenager, they always wonder, they question, they're not very trusting with themselves.

Like, you know, you can see them, by the moment they come into the room, I know, they had a great week, or not so great week.

And being a nurturing community, you know, encouraged by the school, where we really try to get the student.

And then, when they really feel like the teacher cares, understand you, and then they really trust what the teachers says, then they respond.

So, it's very emotional thing.

-Hmm.

Fascinating.

David, I'm curious, what-what has Akemi brought to the table per se, to you as a conductor and to the orchestra as a whole?

What does she bring that fascinates you or that you enjoy?

-There's so many things I could say, but I want to first tell a story.

Unbeknownst to Akemi, a few weeks ago, one of her students taped her teaching-- -[Akemi laughs] -and she knows where I'm going with this.

It's a beautiful story because it shows the kind of loving and creative presence that this extraordinary artist is.

She was literally dancing along in the studio.

The phone was kind of hidden down low.

And she's kind of dancing along and singing and playing along while the student is playing.

And clearly, it was what this young woman needed to be inspired.

And I have observed this on many occasions.

And this is just one example with one student.

Coming to our Roanoke Symphony, the concertmaster is quite literally the leader of the string section.

And the relationship between music director, in my case, and our beloved concertmaster, is a collaborative venture.

She is the conduit by which we communicate our musical wishes.

And during rehearsal, she is constantly talking to the other string principals, demonstrating for the orchestra what needs to be done, physically with her bow or by talking to them, making suggestions.

And she, quite literally, is like the head coach along with the music director.

And I think of it as an equal partnership.

Because the conductor doesn't make sound or at least shouldn't when we're doing performances and recordings, right?

Other than the old grunting and so forth that Bernstein and Toscanini used to do.

So, that partnership is one of the most important collaborative partnerships in the symphony orchestra.

And it is made extra special by the fact that she and I do recitals together.

We've done recordings together with piano and violin.

She has premiered some of my compositions for violin and piano.

And we've done recitals with quartet, with symphony, she's done solos.

And the final thing I will say is that she is living example of how a musical leader like her can go out into the community and be beloved.

She does master classes.

She and we partner in the schools on many, many occasions.

And it's one of the reasons why the Roanoke Symphony continues to be such a success story is because of her continued presence with us.

-Fantastic.

I love it.

Your number one cheerleader, right there, Akemi.

-True.

-I love it.

-And-- -Yeah, David is amazing.

And, you know, the fact that he just can talk about others and, you know, don't really think about himself, it just shows how much he's really into, you know, giving others, you know, the beauty of arts.

So, I'm very fortunate to be working with him.

Because he can really guide us to the-- you know, whatever he envisions, so.

-Right, right, right.

And I'm curious to know from you what does coming to Roanoke, and coming to this part of Virginia, what does that give you?

What does the symphony give back to you, if anything?

-I love coming to Roanoke because we.

we've been here for long time.

Now, players that have been playing, I don't know how many years, is the longest people, but for me, it's since 2004.

So, it's really friends that we've gone through a lot of things.

We talked about things.

One of the favorite things is we go out for lunch together.

We chit chat, or after the concert, to get together.

-Right.

-Those are the really great things.

Because there are lot of groups that just officially meet and play and then go bye-bye, and really do not blend with each other.

But we are not like that.

We really click with each other, and I think it shows in our playing, hopefully.

What do you think, David?

-Absolutely.

And I think, in many ways, sets an example because of the deep educational collaborations we have.

A lot of our musicians are also active in ways that our audience or the Blue Ridge PBS viewers might not see.

-Right.

-Partnering in the schools.

For example, just this last week, she and I, and flutist Julee Hickcox, were working with Jeff Midkiff, who is the director of the Patrick Henry High School Orchestra.

And one of the ways we teach, and we can mentor the young students, is by example.

So, we recorded the solo parts of one of the great concertos by JS BACH.

And we are going to have that video and audio Zoomed to the students.

And they will record their parts with us so they can watch Akemi play.

It's like, "Oh my goodness, so that's how you bow, and you articulate, and you phrase Bach."

And so, it is the best of all possible collaborations.

We're mentoring the young students.

They learn by seeing an example of one of the great players, and it's a win-win.

And that is one of the things I wanna say is a shout out to our local schools.

The amazing work that our educators are doing, including the arts educators.

And one of our most important responsibilities as artists, are keeping and building those partnerships because now more than ever, creative outlet is what kids need.

As we become more isolated, the ability to express one's emotion through the arts is absolutely a necessity.

It's not a luxury.

And now more than ever, the arts are needed, and those partnerships are just another one of the things that really get both of us excited and engaged with what we do as musicians.

-Well, that brings about another question then.

Akemi, what advice would you have for someone who might be wanted-- at any age, but let's talk specifically about young kids, who are interested in maybe taking up the violin?

What advice do you have for someone who's interested?

-Well, interesting thing is that now I'm getting calls from like different states.

Like, now it's not limiting to in-person anymore.

So, that if I know how to guide with just showing from here.

How to hold a bow.

How to, you know, use your body.

If I can explain, then students could be from, you know, different countries.

In the past, we didn't think about that that much.

But now, you know, people from Michigan, you know, want to just setup lessons.

And, oh, this-- I feel like it's opening up for more possibilities, in a way.

Hopefully, students can just feel good about seeing the teacher on the screen.

That's the only downside.

So, I mean, yeah.

-Well, it sounds as though the pandemic has allowed for interesting possibilities that you maybe didn't have before.

-Exactly.

Exactly.

-Both from the teaching and the performance aspect of it.

-It's, you know, the driving, amount of driving that I used to do was so much, I can't even remember.

It's 15,000 miles a year or 20,000 miles a year.

-That's a lot.

Either way, that's a lot.

-Yes.

So that was every year.

So, my car mechanics know.

When I go, they would just put me upfront because they know that I need to go on to the next place right away.

So, anyway, now when I drive like two hours, I'm tired.

[laughs] I don't have the, you know, built-up energy anymore.

So, now we have to think about what's worth making a trip?

What you can do by, you know, meeting.

Like sometimes, I just went for meeting for driving long hours.

But.

-Right.

-I don't do that anymore.

So.

-Right.

Right, right.

-Yeah.

-So, again not knowing what the future holds in terms of this virus and the pandemic, what does the future hold for Roanoke Symphony Orchestra?

And, David, I have to say congratulations to you because you're entering your 25th season.

Is that correct?

-That's right.

This coming year, 25 years.

It has gone by so quickly.

And-- -Wow.

-I'm so, so grateful for the community and the beloved partnerships that we have.

It still feels after almost a quarter of century like a honeymoon.

We love living here, raising our families, making music.

And part of it is that sense of family that Akemi was talking about.

That when you can do what you love, with people that you care about and respect, our board, our administrative staff led by David Crane is extraordinary.

The partnerships that we have with other arts organizations.

The partnerships that we have with Roanoke City, and the trajectory of the city and its support of the arts and education is one of the reasons why we stay here, and why I stay here after all this time.

I will say this, even before the pandemic, we as the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra tried to be entrepreneurial and innovative in what we were doing.

And so, a lot of what has happened during the pandemic is accelerating the experimentation of some of the things that we were already doing.

Of course, we were doing recording and online things, but now by necessity, we've had to refine that.

And from that will come new possibilities for the future.

Social distancing, as our viewers saw, with our December string and piano concert, we had to work with having the orchestra separated on the stage by a lot of distance.

That has forced us to listen in a different way.

I was thinking about that with the Vivaldi that you played with us as well.

It was so different being so separated spatially when we had to record that.

It forced us to really hone our listening skills.

And I think now, more than ever before, where we live in a world that is polarized on a lot of levels, that deep kind of listening that we do as musicians, and that we, as teachers, try to teach to our young people, is amazing.

The value of silence, right?

-Wow.

-That we feel we have to fill the space in a conversation all the time.

But music, some of its most poignant moments are those silences before or after the piece.

Never again will I take for granted applause.

We record without an audience.

What a weird feeling it is not having that applause there.

And the gratitude, that's the most important thing.

-And I did see that because I was there, as you know, shooting some video of the performance and things like that.

So, I did see that, and I-- it was kind of strange to watch.

So I can only imagine how strange it was to actually perform it.

I have about a minute left.

So, Akemi what does the future hold for you?

[sighs] I know that's a hard question because no one knows what's going to happen, right?

-Yes.

But I think we appreciate this performing opportunity even more.

So that I can even see myself in the video recording that I-- each note means even more than before.

Like before I would, you know, go and perform, but now it's like I just want to take this moment to appreciate the sounds, the beauty.

So, I don't know if that's elevating the, you know, artistry, or just that's in my mind only.

I do not know.

But if we can just only get better at what we do and then have, you know, if we go back to the-- you know, somewhat more normal circumstance, maybe the arts would be even more, you know, soaring.

-Hmm.

-Right, right, right.

Well, I'm sure both of you are very much looking forward to having an audience, to getting that response, that immediate response from an audience.

And all of us here at Blue Ridge PBS wish you the best of luck.

We're here to support you.

We'll get you on the air, again if we have to, for more performances.

We'd love to see that.

But for now, I just want to thank you for being here and for sharing your experiences and what the future holds for the both of you.

Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

-Thank you so much for the support.

-And thank you all for watching as well.

We'll see you next time.

[♪♪♪] [music fades out]