From a childhood love of languages to singing in them: Looking back at my language learning journey

I had a long-awaited meal with my Italian teacher and classmates.
On the way home, I suddenly found myself wondering, "How much have I actually studied languages?"

This time, I'd like to put into words the realization that the "languages I learned for singing" have, before I knew it, become a part of my own landscape.

I would like to look back on my relationship with languages from childhood to the present.

English: It started in childhood. Not for exams, but "to use"

The first foreign language I encountered was English.
While I learned it quite normally in junior high and high school, perhaps I liked the feeling of connecting with people and worlds beyond the language.

After I started working, I held jobs that required English, and when an internship at an American university was decided, I was too anxious to rely on self-study, so I started attending a language school, which was the beginning of my serious learning.

After that, there were times when I was away from English, but one day, when I was a graduate student at a music college, I learned that "students can take the TOEIC at a discount," so I took it for the first time in a while and, for some reason, my score had gone up to 925. Moreover, I got a perfect score on the listening section.

English still feels the most familiar and comfortable to me, but I feel that my sense for it dulls quickly if I don't use it.

French: Days spent learning happily with classmates

The next language I encountered was French. I attended the Institut Franco-Japonais for a long time and learned while having fun with my classmates.

I obtained a B1 level in the DELF exam, which includes an interview.
However, I remember being cautioned during the interview, "Please speak a little more politely." Perhaps I had developed the habit of speaking casually with my classmates.

Even so, there is a resonance to French that makes me excited just hearing it, and it remains a language I love.

German: Because I wanted to sing German Lieder

When I first entered music college, influenced by my first teacher, I was strongly drawn to German Lieder (German art songs).

Since I had set a goal from the time of enrollment to go to graduate school and sing German Lieder for my master's recital, in addition to my university classes, I also attended a language school in Yoyogi called "Heidelberg."
There was also a time when I stayed in Berlin, attending a language school while going to the theater every day to watch operas.

If you want to accurately understand the meaning of lyrics, you cannot avoid language study.
When I realized the background of beautiful poems and the relationship between grammatical rhythm and melody, I felt a connection between singing and language.

Italian: When the purpose of learning was "to take lessons"

Actually, I didn't get involved with Italian in earnest until I went to graduate school.

I started taking lessons in Italy during every long break, and the person who introduced me to my accommodation suggested,
"Since you are here for a short stay, use your time effectively," and recommended that I study the language through private lessons.

In Milan and Florence, I attended in the form of a one-month language school plus singing lessons.
In Florence, I was even able to train with a scholarship from the Italian government, so I think I was blessed with a learning environment.

For the 10 years leading up to the pandemic, I would travel three times a year—spring, summer, and winter—during my student days, continuing to stay for two weeks to a month each time,
and while in Japan, I started attending the Italian Cultural Institute once a week. Before I knew it, I had been doing this for over 10 years.

My current language life and future goals

I am currently taking online courses at the Italian Cultural Institute at a leisurely pace.
This spring semester, I completed the final volume (Volume 6) of "Nuovo Espresso," the main textbook used in the course.

I have been participating in the class for seven years, but when I hear that some of the initial members have been continuing since 2000, for 25 years, I feel I still have a long way to go.

I still believe that "it's better to be able to speak to some extent" when it comes to languages for singing, but rather than starting a new language from now on, I want to value reviewing and maintaining the languages I have learned so far.

And one more thing, I also have a desire to master Korean, even if it's just at a beginner level.

Conclusion

Before I knew it, while I can't say I speak every language fluently,
I can read books and understand local announcements and opera lyrics as they are. Being able to communicate in the language of that country, even if clumsily, gives me the feeling that I am walking on my own two feet.

That said, it is impossible to become able to speak every language in the world.
I will study within a range I can enjoy and not give up on communicating by utilizing AI and translation apps.

It is often said that "language is a tool," but for me, it is an important partner that enriches my music and my life.

I realized once again that being a child who loved languages is firmly connected to my life today.

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