Musicality: Natural vs Learned, Simple vs Complex

Sylvia interviewed Timothy. He discussed his musical background and the process of writing his music.

http://unseenskaters.wordpress.com/...sky-pianistcomposer-junior-grand-prix-skater/

sunny0760 said:

Do you happen to know who this Japanese female commentator is?
What she is saying makes me curious. She is certainly not Arakawa, Yaginuma or Midori Ito but someone whose voice I don't know of.
Maybe Yuka Sato? She is jokingly saying, "I am not supposed to praise a skater from other country (laugh) but this girl has a really good potential."

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It's Ms Noriko Shirota, a former ice dancer/ Japanese and International skating official/ ISU judge. She's regarded responsible for the success of the Japanese skating in the past several years, being the founder of the annual intensive summer program where future champions like Arakawa were found. She has a very interesting newspaper column: http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/column/shirota/index.htm (In Japanese)

Thanks, Doris and Hikki, for the information.

One of the great things about being part of the GS forum is that I get to hear about people who are very active in skating (and in the case of Ms. Shirota, crucial to the sport) who don't get much press in the mainstream media. I wouldn't have a clue that such fascinating people exist without you all. Skating is a multi-textured universe, and most people in the "outside world" just know the top two or three skaters in one or two disciplines.

Are we talking about the same Shirota who gave the green light to the Japanese skaters, including Asada, Ando and Nakano, to gang impede Kim during her warm-up in 2008 GPF? Sure, she has been fierce in protecting her compatriot skaters. What else has she done for figure skating, seriously?

sunny0760 said:

Do you happen to know who this Japanese female commentator is?
What she is saying makes me curious. She is certainly not Arakawa, Yaginuma or Midori Ito but someone whose voice I don't know of.
Maybe Yuka Sato? She is jokingly saying, "I am not supposed to praise a skater from other country (laugh) but this girl has a really good potential."

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Your quotation is not entirely correct. Immersed in the euphoria after Asada’s win, this is exactly what she said on Kim during her gala performance to Ben at 2005 JWC: “She is a good material and has some potential.. Maybe that’s pretty much it that we have to praise other skaters from now on (giggling).” How arrogant and short-sighted.

Olympia said:

Entire post.

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You're very welcome Olympia. I, too, am so happy to be able to learn new things from people here- this thread in particular!