Meet Motoko Honda

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Motoko Honda. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Motoko below.

Motoko, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I believe my resilience comes from chasing a dream that often felt impossible and failing more times than I can count. I’ve made so many mistakes and often taken inefficient paths. Since childhood, my life rarely unfolded the way I expected, and I had to travel a long, winding, and unexpected road to get to where I am today. Along the way, I even lost the fight entirely—I wasn’t always strong, and there were moments when I gave up everything: my dream, my life, even myself. That breaking point led me to leave everything I knew in Japan and move to the U.S. to start over.
It was in those darkest times that I realized there were people who loved me even when I felt like nothing. That love taught me to care for myself again, gave me the strength to move forward, and inspired me to take responsibility for my own happiness and rebuild my life. That experience also taught me compassion—not only for others but for myself. Learning to forgive myself for mistakes and disappointments is a lifelong process, but my commitment to it has become a source of strength, allowing me to rise again and keep pushing forward.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m a pianist, composer, and sound artist. My work blends classical roots with jazz, world music, and contemporary and extended piano techniques—including prepared and electrified piano. I focus on improvisation and interdisciplinary collaborations, creating immersive performances that combine piano, electronics, and visual or dance elements. I love exploring sound in ways that surprise and engage audiences, turning each performance into a “sonic adventure.” I also love architecture and see space as an essential element of music, often creating site-specific projects in both private and public settings that bring out the unique character of each place.
I perform worldwide in a variety of venues – from jazz clubs to museums, theaters, and concert halls. Most recently, I toured nine countries in Europe and I’m now preparing for a tour in Japan. While live concerts have always been my main focus, I’ve released two singles, and many recordings I’ve accumulated over the years are finally set to be released in the coming years—a long-overdue milestone. I also give workshops at universities and institutions, sharing my passion for structured improvisation, composition, and collaborative media projects with students and fellow artists.
Looking ahead, I have two distinct projects coming up: my solo prepared piano project, The Emergent Piano, which will be presented at the Flower Piano Festival in San Francisco, and Simple Excesses Quartet, a jazz-chamber project performing at the Center for New Music in San Francisco and the Angel City Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Life has taught me many lessons, but if I had to choose the three most important qualities, I would say: trusting my instincts, compassion for myself and others, and not being afraid to seek help. These qualities are deeply interconnected and have been shaped through my experiences.
I remember coming to study in the U.S. at 19, without speaking English—I felt like a three-year-old again. Having always prided myself on independence, I suddenly had to ask for help in nearly everything, from studies to daily life. It was humbling, but it taught me that accepting help fosters vulnerability, grace with one’s imperfections, and a deeper awareness of the world and others.
These lessons enriched my music far beyond practice alone, as I believe artists translate the life and world around them. I’ve learned to find beauty in imperfections rather than pursuing perfection. Accepting help helped me cultivate compassion—for both others and myself—and strengthened my trust in my instincts, even when mistakes occur. Mistakes are not setbacks but guideposts that shape who I am meant to become.
For anyone starting their journey, I would advise: trust your instincts, embrace failures as opportunities for growth, and cultivate patience and compassion. By allowing vulnerability and openness, we live fully, and the scrapes and scars we carry become sources of pride, reminders that we have truly lived each moment.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

My number one challenge right now is releasing my albums. There are several reasons I’ve been hesitant: I’ve always focused on live performances, my perfectionist tendencies (Yes I’m still working on it!) often freeze me when approaching something new or important, and recording lacks the urgency of a live concert, which makes it easy to procrastinate.
However, I realize that taking this step is essential. I have already many wonderful recordings with incredible artists—some quite famous—so not sharing them is ridiculous. I see that this has been a significant obstacle, but I am actively working to overcome it. I’ve been seeking advice and support from others, taking small, manageable steps forward instead of trying to tackle everything at once, and reflecting on any mental blocks to understand the source of my hesitation.
Now, I’m also making a conscious effort to talk about this challenge publicly. By putting it into words and sharing it, I create accountability for myself and encourage myself to finally move past it!

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Image Credits

Charales DeGuzman, Hillary Goidel, Will Cohen

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