Sigma Alpha Iota

16 Winter 2026 • sai-national.org Cposers By Mary Jane Tashiro MY story as a pianist and composer is a bit unusual compared to most artists in music, so I never thought to take time to write about it. I can only explain by starting from the first incident in my life that led to my present status. On Dec. 7, 1941, World War II began with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. All families of Japanese ancestry were taken to a relocation camp. Even though we were all American-born, law-abiding citizens, we were included. Our family—including my parents, grandma, and five children—with our necessities in pillow cases, went by truck and train to an unknown town: Poston, Arizona. (The United States Government has since then apologized for this.) Our new home was a desolate, dry area with no trees or grass. The many barracks were divided into three sections for three separate families; however, one barrack would stay as-is to be used for Sunday church services. What happened after this was the catalyst for music in my life. After we were settled, everyone was invited to a church service in Block 12, next to our block. We were anxious to attend. The person in charge welcomed us and asked whether someone could play piano for Junior Church. I was only eleven at the time, but bravely raised my hand. Sight-reading the hymns was not a problem, but making them expressive and supporting the singing was the challenge. One day, during the evening adult service, I heard an older lady play the hymns so magnificently and with a natural flair that I wanted to emulate her. I listened intently, hoping I could match what she did. It was soon apparent that she used the words in each verse to determine whether to add more upper notes, as well as bass notes to give more expressiveness and inspire congregational singing. This was so fascinating that I began to enjoy my newly- found purpose in piano playing, which took away the distress of adjusting to life in Poston. Three years later, the government allowed us to relocate to Denver, Colorado. I had no chance to pursue music because of our family's serious financial problems. I missed playing on Sundays, so I started looking for a church. Luckily, there was one within walking distance of our house that welcomed a Japanese- American pianist. I did double duty by also teaching a Sunday School class for young children. It was also a chance for me to compose simple, lively songs for the children before teaching the Bible story. The minister was a trombone player and a singer, so he would take me on his preaching excursions as piano accompanist. I was totally astounded one day when he and his wife offered me part of their tithe money to pay for piano lessons with a reputable teacher! In the years that followed, by then being married with two children, I continued to pursue finding the best teachers to become a more accomplished pianist. My husband surprised me by getting a loan and taking me into New York City to select a 100th- Anniversary Steinway Grand. I started to practice with diligence and became familiar with all the great classics and contemporary music, performing them in four separate concerts. Even though my teacher said I had no problem in technique, I was aware of my tension in fast passages. I was fortunate to discover a concert pianist who had recovered from polio and the use of her fingers through the "reflex stroke." This technique cured my problem and enabled me to enjoy performing even more. However, I wanted to try something that was questionable for me to attain: to be a composer. At forty-one years old, I was attending California State University at LA to complete the half-year credits needed for my BA. After a noon concert, I was asked by the Head of the Music School to be on faculty, even though I was still a student. It was then that I happened to hear someone playing music in the practice room that intrigued me with its unusual harmonies. When I asked what it was, he said the method was not taught in universities. It was the Equal Interval System, by Lyle (Spud) Murphy. Since I was now a "professional" after five years of study (which Mr. Murphy required as a beginning student), I graduated. EIS deserves every accolade for providing the tools for me to become a thriving composer. A sudden tragedy occurred in 1979 with A Story About a Japanese-American Woman Composer Kobe Concert Grand Kobe Concert Grand performance performance

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