TEDxRedmond - Ray Ushikubo - Pint-sized Pianist
Ray Oshikuru, who is currently 10 years old, attributes his passion for learning piano and violin to a Japanese TV drama, which inspired him to practice daily because he realized that consistent hard work directly correlated with the audience enjoying his music. He supports this by detailing the purchase of his violin, the dedication to practice despite illness, and his commitment to researching composers and music theory.
## Speakers & Context
- Ray Oshikuru, 10 years old.
- Presented at TEDx Redmont.
- Mentions attending Cobra Academy, a pre-college course in Los Angeles.
## Theses & Positions
- The initial inspiration to learn classical instruments came from watching a Japanese TV drama featuring a student talented in both piano and violin.
- Consistent, daily practice is crucial, as the audience enjoyment of his music was directly linked to his own diligent practice.
- Understanding the context surrounding the music is vital, requiring research into both the composer's biography and the history of the music.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Learning Progression:** Started piano at five and a half, then violin.
- **Study Habit:** Despite having a high fever and being absent from school, practiced piano and violin during free time at home.
- **Performance Reflection:** Discovered that when the audience *didn't* enjoy a performance, he felt sad and regretted it; conversely, when the audience *did* enjoy it, he felt genuinely happy.
- **Music Study:** Actively researches composers' biographies and the history of their music.
- **Music Theory Study:** Learned music theory from Mr. Warren Spades at Cobra Academy.
- **Research Scope:** Focuses research on both the music itself and related fields, such as cars.
## Named Entities
- **Mr. Original** — current piano teacher.
- **Mr. Robert Lives** — current violin teacher.
- **Cobra Academy** — pre-college course located in Los Angeles.
- **Japanese TV drama:** *No damn Incan table*.
- **Mercedes-Benz** — brand he claims specialized knowledge about.
## Numbers & Data
- Current age: **10 years old**.
- Started piano age: **five and a half**.
- Started violin age: **six years old**.
- Cost of violin: **about $20**.
## Examples & Cases
- **Initial Motivation:** Inspired by a TV drama where the hero was a music student skilled in piano and violin who aspired to be a conductor.
- **Practice Discipline:** Practiced constantly, even when ill with a high fever, rather than adhering strictly to parental instructions to rest.
- **The Recital Shift:** Observed a correlation between intense practice and audience reception; a poor performance led to sadness, while a successful one brought happiness, fueling his drive for daily practice.
- **Research Example:** Successfully researches not only music but also cars, specifically Mercedes-Benz, demonstrating depth of knowledge.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- Piano.
- Violin.
- Mercedes-Benz (brand knowledge emphasized).
## References Cited
- *No damn Incan table* (Japanese TV drama title).
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- Initial parental reluctance regarding the violin, requiring persistent pleading ("please please please") to obtain it.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- Continuous and deep research—encompassing biography, history, and theory—is necessary for mastering music.
- Invites attendees to a backstage viewing for more information regarding Mercedes-Benz purchases.
## Implications & Consequences
- The link between dedicated individual effort (practice/research) and external positive affirmation (audience enjoyment) motivates sustained creative output.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"I watched a Japanese TV drama no damn Incan table' which is a classical music drama and the hero was the music school student who wants to be a conductor and he was also good at the piano and the violin."*
- *"finally my parents bought me the violin which was only about $20."*
- *"I always practice the piano in the violin because they were my most favorite."*
- *"I found out if I don't practice hard nobody will enjoy my music if I practice hard the audience will enjoy a lot."*
- *"I research the composer's many times I read the composer's biography and EH the history of the composers is important to understand the music."*
- *"If you have a plan to buy new Mercedes Benz please come to the backstage later don't ask the salesman because I know about mercedes-benz much more"*