Dr. Chai Piano Mastery 蔡博士談彈琴

I was moved the first time I heard Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Put Your Hands Up.” Its harmonies create a hypnotic atmosphere—spacious yet restrained, with a subtle sense of artistic distance. Out of curiosity, I began analyzing the chords in the opening section. Try playing the chords along while listening—it’s truly beautiful. The chord analysis is in the comment box.

This piece appears on his 1999 album BTTB (Back to the Basics) and was used as the theme music for the Japanese news program Chikushi Tetsuya NEWS23.

Personal message from Ryuichi for this song--
"When you listen to this piano version, I think you can tell that it has "healing" properties (laughs). Perhaps it is due to Mr. Tsukushi's character in that program, but even for an event happening today seems, in just a short span of time, as if we are viewing it objectively like something that is a part of history. I wanted to project that kind of mood. In the past, most music for news has been fanfare sort of things. Fast tempos with wild drums became the mainstream. I wanted to boldly try to break from that sort of thing. Also, I have recently gotten into Celtic music, so I tried a few Celtic touches. Celtic music has a lot of grace notes that sound like Japanese kobushi songs. I think it probably suits the slightly "wet" sensibility of the Japanese people."

Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Aqua”， arr. by Shiori Aoyama


I invite you to listen with your eyes closed, in a quiet space—let the music speak softly to your inner world.
~~~~~
The first time I saw the word “Aqua,” I imagined a still lake in a soft greenish-blue hue.

As I listened, I was gently drawn into its world—so delicate, so introspective, as if it were breathing beneath the surface of silence. It touched something deep within me.

"Aqua" is not only water, but reflection. It invites me to look back on my life journey—its peaks and valleys, sweetness and sorrow, successes and failures, joys and struggles, gratitude and regrets. All of it flows together like ripples across the heart—a quiet reflection of the inner world.

There is so much in life beyond our control. Yet we continue to hope, to move forward—because in this quiet unfolding, every fragment, every experience, shapes us into who we are meant to become.
~~~~~

坂本龍一《Aqua》：
#坂本龍一

邀請你在安靜的空間裡，閉上雙眼聆聽——讓音樂輕輕地與你的內心對話。

第一次看到「Aqua」這個字時，我腦海中浮現的是一片靜止的湖水，帶著柔和的青綠色光澤。

當我聆聽這首作品時，彷彿被溫柔地帶入它的世界——如此細膩、如此內向，像是在寂靜的表面下輕輕呼吸，深深觸動了我內心的某個角落。

《Aqua》不只是水，更是一種映照與反思。它引領我回望自己的人生旅程——高峰與低谷、甘甜與苦澀、成功與失敗、喜悅與掙扎、感恩與遺憾。一切如同心湖上的漣漪，緩緩交織，成為內心世界的一段靜謐倒影。

人生中有太多無法掌控的事情，但我們仍然選擇懷抱希望，繼續前行。因為在這樣靜靜展開的過程中，每一段經歷、每一個片刻，都在塑造著我們成為現在的自己。

Catherine Rollin 的《Iberian Nocturne》深深觸動了我。

這首作品巧妙地融合了夜曲的抒情特質與細膩的西班牙風格色彩，透過溫暖的和聲與精緻的節奏變化，營造出一種沉思而夢幻的氛圍。

Catherine Rollin 的許多前奏曲——包括這首收錄於《Sounds of Spain, Book 3》的作品——都是非常適合中級程度學生的曲目。它們是銜接蕭邦夜曲的絕佳橋樑，有助於培養音色控制、旋律線條塑造、主旋律與伴奏之間的平衡，以及 rubato 與音樂敏感度。

我想和大家分享我彈奏的一首美麗樂曲——《French Movie Waltz》，由 BiBiPiano 改編，原曲為 Catherine Rollin 所作（收錄於《Dancing on the Keys, Book 2》）。

這首音樂帶著淡淡的憂傷，彷彿是對一位深愛卻再也無法回來之人的回憶。所有的愛與關懷，都靜靜地留存在心中，未曾說出口...

🎹114 年秋季竹松社區大學電子琴團班（初階）成果發表會🎶

🎼他們將為大家帶來的，是在一個學期中所學會的自選曲目。許多同學都是從零基礎開始學習電子琴，能在短短一個學期/18周內，把自選曲練習完成，並站上舞台，真的非常不容易。

🎶身為老師，我也感到特別欣慰。上個月，他們還一起到戲院欣賞了一部與音樂相關的電影，《鋼琴家們的秘密鍊金術》；此外，大家也自行組團，到音樂教室租借平台鋼琴進行彩排練習，甚至相約到同學的社區一同練習。

💗這樣彼此鼓勵、互相陪伴的學習精神，真的十分難得。感謝他們對音樂的熱情與專注！
#竹松社區大學