John Willard Utuk 

Composer, Pianist, Teacher, and Performer

1. When was the first musical experience you can remember?

            When I was around 7 or 8, I remember sitting next to my older sister and watching her practice piano. One of my favorite pictures is of her at the piano smiling and me next to her looking down at the keys! One of the first duets I learned by rote was “Sidewalk Café” by William Gillock. My sister showed me where to put my hands and where to play, so I learned the primo part under her instruction. We played that duet a lot when family friends came over and during one of my elementary school talent shows. I played the primo part in another duet, “Carillon (A Great Pealing of Bells)” by Katherine Beard, in a shopping mall with other students from my sister’s teacher’s studio. I sat next to an older student and was just big enough to use the pedal while he played his part!

2. Who has influenced, motivated, and inspired you in your music?

            I was lucky to have consistent instruction when it came to teachers. My two earliest influences were my now-late piano teachers: Eleanor Morgan, who graduated from Oberlin Conservatory of Music (and passed at 99 in 2010), from whom I took lessons from age 8 until 18, and Dr. Robert MacDonald at Florida Southern College, who was an amazing improviser and classically trained.

Pianist Jon Nakamatsu was a major influence in my early piano studies. I was really excited when I read his story in Reader’s Digest at 15 years old. I was more starstruck when I met him in person in 2001 when he played at the Sanibel Music Festival. I loved his story of being a “different” competitor—how he managed to win the 1997 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition as a teacher with a degree in German education, while his competitors had music degrees from well-known music schools.

At the time, it made me think that if you practice really hard, you can still be successful! So, I bought the Cliburn winners’ CD and listened to it over and over. I played the Brahms’ first Sonata in C for my junior recital in college, mostly because it was one of Jon Nakamatsu’s competition pieces.

My sister was also a big influence, since I heard what she was practicing at home. Both of us took lessons with Mrs. Morgan, and I wanted to play most of the pieces my sister played. Mrs. Morgan later told me she tried to match repertoire to her students’ personalities—so while everyone played works by well-known German composers, I sometimes played lesser-known works by MacDowell, Sanucci, or Charles Griffes. This motivated me to develop a personal interpretation of the pieces, since I didn’t have many reference recordings at the time.

As far as motivation, I was encouraged by the comments I received after my recitals, especially the paragraphs written by judges when I participated in the Music Teachers National Association’s Student Day and National Federation of Music Clubs’ Junior Division Festivals. The feedback was always positive, so I felt like I should keep it up!

3. What role has music played in your life?

Music has been something I’ve been surrounded by most of my life, from my dad playing NPR, classical, or world music in the house on weekends, to having the radio on in the car, and to both parents adding to the family CD collection over the years (and keeping vinyl from the 70s and 80s).

Studying music was something I could keep improving upon. In elementary school I joined the handbell choir over the steel drum ensemble (because we read music and not just letters written inside the pan, ha ha!). I watched a lot of Looney Tunes like hearing Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkeries” motif with Elmer Fudd’s words, or seeing Bugs Bunny or Tom Cat playing Liszt. 

            I used music while going to sleep. Disney soundtracks were on repeat some nights, and I learned about Mozart’s Magic Flute through the CDs in the Classical Kids Series, where a girl was backstage in an opera rehearsal and suddenly gets magically transported to the land where the Queen of the Night lived.

I also used music a lot in the hospital, when I’d listen to classical piano pieces to continue studying or to help calm me down. 

4. When did you first realize that you wanted to focus on music?

After the Reader’s Digest article about Jon Nakamatsu, I got serious about all things (piano) music. I felt like if he was able to play at a high level, then I could, too. When school choice allowed me to pick a high school, I auditioned for the Cypress Lake Center for the Arts. I really wanted to attend an arts school to focus on piano, but while I passed the audition, their piano program wasn’t available, due to a lack of funding.

Although I attended a different high school, I was still heavily involved in music. My sister gave me a quick lesson to start me on trumpet, and I basically taught myself. I played trumpet in concert band in middle school, high school, and college. In high school I also did marching band and a bit of accompanying and community recitals while continuing to take weekly lessons.

5. When did you write your first composition?

My first experience writing compositions was for my first semester of college music theory classes. The very first one I wrote, in October 2004, was for violin with piano accompaniment called “Lament.” I also wrote a short piano piece called “An Irish Melody,” a vocal and piano song called “Sunshine” about friendship, and a trumpet trio called “Pavane for Trumpets.” 

6. Tell me about your compositional process.

Initially I come up with an idea or theme, first asking myself, “What do I want to write about?” or “Who is my audience?” It’s easier when I have someone, a theme, or an occasion to write for, like when I’m writing a work for a friend or for Insight Timer(a smartphone relaxation app).

Generally, melody comes first, then harmony…and sometimes what I write is based on my mood. For some pieces, I’ve asked others for their descriptions or how they envision the work to sound. Adjectives and verbs really help me capture a “feel” for a work and direct what I want the music to sound like. Basically, I write down ideas, let them sit for a few days, and then come back to them and continue adding parts.
           

I’m old school and use manuscript paper before transcribing. In college I would sit at the piano with staff paper and write out ideas, starting with a melody. Even now, I write letter names on regular notebook paper, and the rhythm comes from experimenting ideas at the piano. Eventually, I get a theme or idea I like and notate it later. With the letters of the melody, I add directional arrows so I can remember where the melody is going.

More recently I’ve been using the “French” method of making musical cryptograms (or encipherment). This has been a great exercise in creativity, giving me something to work with to see what I can do with a seemingly disjointed melody. After I come up with a melody based on a word, like “peace,” I expand the phrase with more notes, then think up a proper accompaniment. Then I work with the fragments until getting to a main idea and finally developing an overall ABA format for the work.

7. Have you changed the way you teach and compose music during Covid-19?

With composing, not much has changed, though I find myself trying to explore different genres and noticing what music/artists I like and why I like them.

Because of Covid, I now teach mainly online. I’ve also done hybrid during and after the start of the pandemic. I became more intentional and concerned about my equipment—I got a better web camera and microphone for sound quality—and I’ve learned to appreciate the value of overhead camera angles for instruction.

Online teaching has made me better at explaining my ideas, and my students now can take direction independently and interact with their score rather than have me point at it from my seat next to them in the room. Remote teaching reminds me to talk less and insert my recommendations sooner to direct the student in their playing.

It’s interesting what the pandemic did for teachers. I remember first teaching online from 2013–2015 with Google Helpouts, one of the earliest live, interactive, virtual-services programs. Since this was before YouTube became a hub for tutorial videos, at the time I wasn’t sure teaching this way was working, until one father left a review after I worked with his five-year-old daughter on a piece for an upcoming recital. He told me he was surprised I didn’t charge anything (compared to other providers) because I was doing it for the [online teaching] experience. (He said, “I would’ve paid, if you charged!”) 

8. How has Covid-19 changed your life?

            The pandemic has reminded me to be more intentional about how I spend my time, and that there is so much more left that I want to experience in general. Things can change suddenly, so there seems an urgency to activate parts of my life I’ve neglected.

I am introverted, so staying inside wasn’t much of a change. I continue to be sensitive and thoughtful (translation: I think a lot before acting), but now I’m encouraged to take steps forward, like meeting new people, networking with fellow artists, or putting my creativity out into the world, to experience the world more than I did pre-Covid. I’ve become more assertive in certain situations and remind myself that the discomfort I feel when trying something new is only because I’ve done the opposite for so long. I’m more aware of how much I dislike seeing suffering, and so I look for ways to help others through my music, offering advice, or building new relationships. I was hesitant to reach out before.

9. How did you feel when you published your first compositions?

            I felt excited and proud once I finished a composition. It was an “I created something out of nothing!” feeling. Getting positive feedback from my professors and classmates was wonderful. When I first published online, I felt the same feelings—as well as scared, unsure, and doubtful—because I wasn’t sure anyone would like the music/arrangements or would want to play (or buy) what I wrote.

10. Why do you write music or do what you do in the field of music?

            I write music so others can play it, to give something that people might be interested in. I like creating something and seeing where it goes. It’s fun to start with a few notes that eventually end up being a composition—a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

The first mashup/arrangement I made was for (piano) students who love classical music to be able to play a popular song within it. The piece would be a nice introduction to classical repertoire while the familiar melody was also recognizable. I also thought about how general audiences would react, so it wouldn’t be strictly one style or the other.

            In the field of music, I currently teach general music to K–5 kids and group/class piano to middle and high schoolers, I accompany band students for solo and ensemble, I perform solo recitals when invited, and I write music to share and for the Insight Timer meditation app.

11. Do you have a favorite genre?  How do you see your music fitting into today’s society?  Which demographic are you trying to reach?  How would you describe your music?

            I listen to different types of music and mainly like specific songs/artists instead of a favorite genre. When I was growing up, I first connected with classical piano (especially the Romantic era composers Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Brahms, and Debussy) and whatever was on MTV. It’s hard for me to listen to classical purely passively these days, since I recognize the melodies and analyze the artist’s interpretation compared to what I’ve heard in the past.

Right now, I tend to listen to jazz when I’m working or in the mornings when getting ready. I’ve listened to lots of instrumental music over the years—some varied ensembles but mostly peaceful piano, contemporary piano, minimalist/new age piano, pop music covers with classical instrumentation, and orchestrations or piano solos of video game music. I’ve always liked the singer-songwriter genre, especially John Mayer’s Continuum album. For fun, I like the Bardcore style, which bridges my fondness for Renaissance music and nostalgic pop songs from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.    

            My music would fit with those who want something new and different—the mashups are for those who appreciate classical but also want more variety in their repertoire. In society, my original works (so far) I think would fit with movie or video game music, and my mashups would fit into the piano or instrumental covers of popular music, or classical crossover (like some artists do with video game soundtracks).

            I’m trying to reach the early intermediate to late advanced pianist, which could be young teens to young adults, older adults, and piano enthusiasts. One reviewer revealed he was self-taught and wrote of my “Vayriel’s Theme,” “[I] am sure that students who are teens, young adults, or fantasy fans would really love this piece.” It’s encouraging to read!

            As I’m still early in my compositional journey, I would describe my music as program music. I aim for it to be expressive and evoke images and feelings in the listener. Most of my piano music leans to lyrical, with a moderate tempo, so it is “contemporary piano” for now!

15. Do you use technology in your compositions, teaching, or business? If so, then how?

           
1. Composing: I use Sibelius for transcribing.

2. Teaching: I couldn’t do without my:

A. Laptop’s webcam
B. Zoom H5 mic for better audio quality
C. Overhead Logitech camera for online videos and teaching

3) Business:

A. QuickBooks Self-Employed helps me track income and expenses and do my quarterly taxes
B. Canva allows me to make custom thumbnails for my social media (YouTube, Instagram, etc.)
C. Google Docs and the entire suite help me keep track of all my ideas and future projects

16. Do you see yourself primarily as a print music composer? Or do you see yourself branching out into writing for the media? (TV, film, and gaming)

I see myself doing print and later branching out into writing for TV, film, and gaming. I can already hear orchestrations in my head for the piano solos I wrote, so it’s a matter of gaining the skills to be able to orchestrate at my workstation. I feel it’s all possible, yet I need to gain experience creating more works, putting them out into the world, and repeating the process.  https://www.facebook.com/JWUPiano

17.  I am half Black and half Asian, just like you. How do you see your ethnicity playing a role in your compositional processes?

As far as ethnicity relates to my compositional process, the trait of perseverance—keeping going—is a large part of it. A child of immigrants, I know how much energy it took my parents to come to this country and create a life for themselves. There was a lot of adversity, sometimes from the people closest to them, but they were set on moving forward with what they wanted, regardless. I have these (musical) ideas and start them…but sometimes I let Life get in the way. Nevertheless, the ideas still hold a place in my mind, asking when I’ll get back to them. I remain determined to finish them, no matter how long it will take.

Another trait that can be part of Asian culture that plays a role in my work is perfectionism—the undue pressure I put on myself for the music to be a certain way. But perfectionism, along with some self-doubt and wondering “What will people think?”, can halt the process of creating.

Having grown up in America, I feel like a bridge between two cultures. In Western society, there’s a push to be productive and create as much as you can, sometimes with an individualist mindset (“I’m doing this for me”) compared to the Eastern notion of the collective (“I’m making this [art] to help others, to impact the community”). I see both sides of these philosophies and combine them, so I feel good about what I create and the value it brings to others. I’ve adopted taking time for things to flow and not pushing productivity, so ideas aren’t forced.

I want to learn more about the creative process of musicians from around the world and how their culture influences how they create. I’m fascinated how different cultures have their own distinct sounds, yet usually with a thread of similarity between all styles. If I ever get to a point where I can have musicians perform my music, I’d like to showcase musicians with diverse backgrounds. I feel their stories and histories would affect the flavor of the interpretation.  

18. Do you have any upcoming CDs or projects?

My main project is the Etherea Suite, Vol. 1, piano solos inspired by a friend’s soon-to-be rereleased sci/fi-fantasy novel “Trials of the Innermost.” I’ve released the first movement of digital sheet music on Sheet Music Plus (soon to be ArrangeMe) and will finish the second movement, hopefully within the next few months.

Other projects include learning new repertoire, studying more about composition, creating additional original short classical and meditative tracks for Insight Timer, and establishing a more efficient and timely system of writing, transcription, and releasing videos/sheet music.

I’m also open to more collaborations, like when I combined my music and the word “peace” with my friend’s poem “Mother and Son.” A CD would also be fun to do…I’ve recorded only one personal CD in a studio, and that was many years ago.

19. How do you promote your music?

In various ways. I post my most recent compositions on Instagram and YouTube:

Instagram: @jwupiano

YouTube: www.youtube.com/vcpianoman

My website, www.jwupiano.com, has links to my music:

Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/jwupiano3
Website Projects page: https://www.jwupiano.com/videosprojects.html

Sheet Music Plus: Catalog of solo piano works on SheetMusicPlus.com

I also did a Facebook livestream during the week of Piano Day to talk about and play the Etherea Suite pieces.

20. Do you have any advice for composers today?

Believe in your own work and try to find the audience you think would appreciate it. It’s one thing to create in private and not share for fear of judgement, but it’s better to put the work out there so it becomes a habit. Also, as hard as it is, be inspired by other artists/creatives but don’t compare yourself to them.

As one just beginning the process of composing and who enjoys hearing about the success of people like Lin-Manuel Miranda, I remind myself that he also started small, and I am not at the same point in time in my creativity as he is now. Basically, success doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time, while the output remains consistent. Your version of “making it” can look different from someone else’s.

It’s great to study through podcasts, videos, books, and mentors, but time is better spent experimenting, creating, “failing,” and trying the process over again. It really takes consistency and a mindset of continued growth to see results.

It helps to have people you can talk to about your struggles, hopes, and fears—while also taking what anyone says with a grain of salt. The quality and thoughts behind the works go farther than one video or social media post.

Learn how marketing works and how your art affects others.

Finally, don’t be attached to the outcome. Sometimes art isn’t well received, but if it’s a personal project and you wanted to make it, it is still a success, even if it’s only for yourself.

Collaboration (networking or meeting fellow composers or artists) is always a good thing. It can help spur more ideas for yourself or bring a shared vision to both (or more) of you. Talking to non-musicians and people outside the arts can also provide a fresh perspective about what you can create.

21. How do you want to be remembered?

            I’d like to be remembered as someone who was kind, thoughtful, and helped others through my presence and example. I’d especially like to impact those who feel different or aren’t self-confident, reminding them that they have qualities to offer the world. Those qualities don’t have to be big things; they may be as simple as having a great laugh or always smiling at strangers. I’d like them to know it’s just fine to be who they are.

Some younger students I teach are quiet and don’t say much, but I can tell they have a lot to say within them, because they’re going through a lot or don’t want to feel judged. I’d like my music, my writing, my teaching to inspire them in a positive way, just as my reading a story about a high school teacher got me excited to get serious about piano. Creativity can come in many forms, not just music or art, but the way you interact with people and leave situations better than you found them. I’d like to be remembered as someone who had a positive impact on those he met and those he taught, by helping people think differently about themselves and the world.