Sensei...

Sensei Keiko Kawamura

Sensei Keiko Ogiwara

Sensei is Japanese for Teacher. Tomorrow I fly to Sacramento to study 5 days with Keiko Kawamura and Keiko Ogiwara who are visiting from Japan. We will have some discussions, but mostly watch teachers and students take lessons from these two ladies.

They will be coming to Orange County in February and also directing the rehearsals for the 10 Piano Concert next August in Sacramento again. I'll be there both times. I have two students who want to play in the 10 Piano Concert, so I'm very, very excited about that.

I'm looking forward to a break from the daily routine and know that I will learn a lot as I have when I've studied with them in the past. When it's over I'm always excited to come back and teach what I've learned. What I'm not looking forward to is sitting and watching piano lessons almost 8 hours a day for 5 days. Sometimes they are sooo technical that I just tune out (pardon the pun). I just don't have that long of an attention span.

That's when I'll pull out my German book and quietly study the language. (Must be sure to sit near the back or the door so I can escape occasionally.)

I'll be staying with Tom's sister, Nancy, who is conveniently located just 10 miles from the university. And the best part is that I'm flying! Even with my new car I DO NOT want to drive 450 miles there and 450 miles back.