MUSIC APPRECIATION: “At our Summer Festival, we try to broaden the participants’ minds by including various speakers and lecturers as well as pianists and piano pedagogues. All classes and events will be open to the public, and we hope everyone can visit us, see the metamorphosis of the young pianists, and experience beautiful music-making with us.” John Perry and Mina Hirobe-Perry, directors of the John Perry Academy of Music, are shown with Seiji, their 6-year-old son.

By Jean Stratton

“We are the music-makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams.”

—Arthur William Edgar O’Shaughnessy

Something special will be available in July for all those who love to make music and for those who may be dreaming of doing so someday.

The John Perry Academy of Music (JPA) is scheduling its International Summer Music Festival July 2 through July 14 at The College of New Jersey, located at 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing Township.

It is the first time the prestigious event will take place in New Jersey. After many years in Los Angeles, John Perry and Mina Hirobe-Perry, directors of the Academy, have relocated to Princeton.

“A festival of this type offers the opportunity for the talented music student to immerse himself/herself in an intense music performance program without the distractions of other subjects, other classes, and all other competing demands on their time,” explains John Perry. “There is no question that one walks away from this experience greatly enriched and knowledgeable about the art of music.”

Unique Voice

“We design our program with passion, to nurture your artistry, stimulate your curiosity, and expand you horizons,” adds Mina Hirobe-Perry. “And importantly, we try to eliminate a sense of competitiveness here at JPA because we want you to feel safe to follow your heart and discover your unique voice in your art.”

In addition to their work as accomplished teachers, the Perrys are experienced professional pianists who have performed all over the world and in various settings, including as soloists, with chamber groups and orchestras.

Besides her love of teaching, Hirobe-Perry takes great joy in performing. “Like teaching, preparing for a performance requires a tremendous level of patience and consistency,” she says. “The reward can be very direct and obvious. The sensation of being able to reach an audience is so special. There is nothing else quite like it.”

Formerly a professor of piano at USC in Los Angeles, John Perry is now professor of piano at Rutgers University and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Traveling from Princeton to New Brunswick to Toronto keeps him on the road. Also, in 2021, he had the honor to be inducted into the Steinway Piano Hall of Fame.

Originally from Japan, Hirobe-Perry studied and performed in Germany, where she met Perry at a piano festival, and later studied with him. They then settled in Los Angeles, where they established their Academy and began the Summer Music Festivals in 2013. Their programs attracted students from around the world, who had an opportunity to play for master teachers and perform in recitals.

Moving to Princeton in 2020, the Perrys expected to launch a Summer Festival here, but their plans were interrupted by COVID-19. Now, however, opportunities for experienced students from 5 years old and up will be available for them to study for one or two weeks with the Perrys as well as a group of visiting artists.

Master Classes

Advanced beginners and intermediate students can enroll in the Junior Academy, with lessons from July 10 through the July 14. The two-week program, from July 2 through July 14, is available for more advanced piano students of all ages.

Sessions will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Master classes are typically two to two and a half hours, and private lessons 45 minutes. Lectures will be one hour. Junior level classes will reinforce basic music skills.

The Perrys offer a unique program founded on a true appreciation and love of music, as well as the development of technical expertise. The festival will include visiting artists and lecturers, who will contribute to the students’ overall experience.

Those participating include Mikhail Voskresensky, Ann Schein, and Robert Levin, among others of renown.

The importance of introducing students to a wide range of musical experience, including the history of music, is a crucial part of the Perrys’ approach to teaching.

“We live in an era of the ‘instant world,’ of quick-fix meals, quick communication via electronic messages, social media, smartphones, growth hormones, etc.,” points our Hirobe-Perry. “We have lost the sense of patience to sit and wait for something. But if you wish to be excellent in what you do, you have to understand the importance of taking slow steps.”

Love of Music

“I believe that in music education we should never aim for a quick outcome,” continues Hirobe-Perry. “The goal should be set for the long future, never a shortsighted victory. If one is gifted, that student should be handled very carefully so that he or she can blossom to his/her maximum capacity. it takes time and enormous effort from the student, the parents, and the teacher.

“When we are inspired and determined to perfect a piece, a passage, and yes, a note, it can require hours and hours of practice. But with this approach, students will not only develop technical expertise, but the true love and feeling for music.”

Making such a commitment and dedicating oneself to music as an art will bring tremendous pleasure, emphasizes John Perry.

“The aim of our festival primarily is to teach people to understand, appreciate, and perform music,” he says. “It is not merely to teach them how to play the piano, but to become participating musicians who support, understand, and appreciate music and the other arts. The synthesis between technique and understanding is not easy, and either one not in balance with the other will lead to diminished results.

“By exposing our students to many teaching views, many lectures by musicians and non-musicians, and providing them the opportunity to observe their peers and listen to their instructors, they will leave after two weeks with a larger and more comprehensive view of music and the related arts. Two weeks is not long enough to seriously train a musician, but it is long enough to open many doors that may not have been noticed before.”

Gift From Heaven

Perry also happily recalls memories of his own boyhood musical experiences. “I remember with great fondness the summer camps for music which I attended in junior high school and senior high school. The total immersion in music was a gift from heaven compared to the daily routine of the normal school year.”

At the end of the festival, students will participate in a concert to which the public is invited free of charge. In addition, recitals by two of the guest artists are planned, and throughout the two weeks, visitors may audit the classes for a fee.

Scheduled concerts include Mikhail Voskresensky, July 2 at 7 p.m. and Ann Schein, July 8 at 7 p.m. A lecture by Robert Levin will take place on July 5 at 7 p.m., and John Perry’s Master Class is planned for July 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through the website.

To apply for the Summer Music Festival, advanced students are required to send two recordings of contrasted musical works. This is not required for the enrollment of students attending the Junior Academy.

Deep Level

The Perrys are very proud of  their upcoming festival, and look forward to sharing both their expertise and their love of music with everyone. Teaching for them is a special privilege.

As Mina Hirobe-Perry explains, “Teaching is a complex art. It requires a tremendous level of patience, and various skills, including an understanding of child psychology. I think it is most rewarding. Music exists in the center of our hearts, as it has a capability of moving one’s emotions. To relate with students on such a deep level, particularly during the time when they are in the process of shaping who they are as a person, is a great privilege, and at the same time, a big responsibility.”

She has seen her students achieve success by winning competitions and gaining acceptance at prestigious conservatories, but some of her most meaningful moments have come later.

“A true rewarding moment is when I hear from a student who left me many years ago, and says that as they have matured, they have understood the meaning of the things I taught, and how it has influenced how they listen, play, and even how they live their lives,” she says. “It is truly amazing to be able to influence someone’s life. Music has such a power, and I am grateful every day that my life exists within the art of music.”

And, as John Perry adds, as he invites students to the festival, “We are all here together in the name of that great art that is music.”

For information on applying, class times, etc., and tickets to events, visit the website at johnperryacademy.org or email johnperryacademy@gmail.com.