Tomoko Akasaka
Born in:
Tokyo, Japan
Current centre of life:
Berlin
Instrument:
Viola
Second, third or even fourth instrument:
None
My career aspiration as a child:
Singer
This was the profession my parents envisioned for me:
Nothing concrete.
Works or concert experiences that shaped me:
When I had prepared the wrong concerto and had to learn the right one by heart within two days – going from Hindemith’s Trauermusik to his Schwanendreher was like a nightmare.
Work with the greatest music-making pleasure (and why?):
Beethoven’s middle and late quartets because of their complexity and the pure joy of the music.
I would like a work for my instrument by this composer (and why?):
Beethoven. There are fantastic sonatas for violin or cello and piano. I would like one for viola.
I would get up in the middle of the night for that:
Once I’m asleep, nothing can really wake me up….
Special / curious own concert experience:
When I played with Rotropovich in a primary school, I saw him with tears in his eyes – I thought my eyes had a problem, but that was not the case.
My most valuable tip for the next generation of musicians:
Go up slowly, then you have time to think.