We’re looking forward to introducing you to Hannah Ishizaki. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Hannah, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I would say that I am wandering! Composition, as a creative field, can look so different from composer to composer. Through wandering, I am exploring what my personal career could look like — what I enjoy writing, who I enjoy working with, how I think about the creative process, among other things. From one day to another, I could be building a synthesizer from just electrical components, writing an orchestra piece, or working with dancers, and that wandering is what makes each day as a composer so exciting to me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a composer and sound artist based in Princeton, New Jersey. Through my music, I seek to create community and foster connections between people, whether it is between the musicians themselves or between musicians and the audience. Often, I explore the physicality of music performance, and I am inspired by the process of composition itself. My goal of creating community in music has led me to experiment with a wide range of instruments and sound-generating methods — from acoustic instruments in an orchestra to digital sensors to rocks and zippers. I am immersed in the world of collaboration, and I love working with artists from other disciplines, including dancers, actors, filmmakers, visual artists, and even engineers.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that really shaped how I see the world was in my freshman year of undergrad. I attended a performance celebrating the dance works of Twyla Tharp. I hadn’t seen a live dance performance that close before, and since a few of her earlier works were done without music, you could hear every single step and breath. This listening and visual experience really pushed my worldview of what music and composition could be. After this performance, I decided to create a piece with a dancer only using the sounds of dance. Through working with her to create the piece, I learned about how truly collaborative processes could work.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one thing to my younger self, it would be: trust your ear and believe in your ideas and your taste.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I believe that I have the ability to learn what I want to learn and complete each project that I am working towards. There are so many projects or topics that will take a lot of hard work, time, and effort to truly follow through on, but I will do what I can for as long as I need to follow through.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing?
I think that taking good care of myself and making sure that I am not just working, but also, experiencing new things, taking care of my health, and spending time with the people that I love. I want to make sure that I maintain a balance that works for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hannahishizaki.com
- Instagram: @hannahishizaki
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannah.ishizaki/
- Youtube: @hannahishizaki1837
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/RJDLOQtVe3rUhYxilj
Image Credits
Kyla Jacobs, Oliver Killig, Shervin Lainez
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
