Student Interview with Huang Yufei | ISI Japanese Language School

Huang Yufei

From China
JUQ, a college preparatory school within the ISI Group

Toho Gakuen University
Kunitachi College of Music
Showa University of Music
Admitted

Hello! Could you please introduce yourself?: Hello everyone! I graduated from Cornell University in the United States, where I majored in Psychology. After graduation, I made a spontaneous decision to come to Japan and study music. I have been admitted to composition-related programs at Showa University of Music, Kunitachi College of Music, and Toho Gakuen School of Music.
Since you applied to such a specialized field, did you already have a background in music?: To be honest, I didn't have any formal background in music.

During university, I simply loved music and enjoyed listening to it. If I had to point to anything related, it would be the music psychology courses I took as an undergraduate. For example, we studied topics such as analyzing the harmonic structures in Stravinsky's works and exploring why certain combinations of musical intervals create distinctive auditory impressions.

Around that time, I gradually became interested in contemporary music.

Eventually, I found myself thinking, "Instead of continuing to analyze other people's music, why not try writing some of my own?" Since I had always loved music, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, I had begun studying composition.
What kind of music do you like?: I like music that reflects the composer's ideas.

I'm not particularly good at writing melodies that instantly surprise or captivate people. Of course, I admire music that can move listeners with a single melody. Personally, however, I'm more drawn to music that is carefully thought out—music that feels logical, mathematical, and even technological in its design.

That's exactly what draws me to contemporary music. That said, I enjoy listening to all kinds of music in my everyday life, including video game soundtracks and pop music.
What was it like when you first started studying music?: Basically, I couldn't do much of anything.

The only musical experience I had at the time was that I could play a little guitar. To be honest, though, I wasn't very good at it, so I was essentially starting from scratch.

As for why I decided to apply directly to some of Japan's top music universities, my reasoning was actually quite simple:

"If there are great schools out there, why not apply?"

Whether or not I would be accepted was never something I could control. The only thing I could do was apply. And who knows? I might actually get in. Having already graduated from a highly regarded university, I didn't want to spend the rest of my life thinking, "This is good enough." If I was going to pursue this path, I wanted to aim straight for the very best schools.
When you first came to Japan, did you ever have any doubts?: Of course.

After arriving in Japan in April, I spent the first month and a half mostly having fun. (Laughs) At the time, I was still naive and thought, “It’s a composition program—maybe I can get in just by writing music at home.” Then, in May, I saw the work of some senior students and realized, “I'm in real trouble. There's no way I'll get accepted unless I start studying seriously.” That was when I finally began looking for a preparatory school and putting together a proper study plan.
Why did you choose to major in composition?: At first, I thought I wanted to pursue music production. The subjects I studied early on, such as harmonics and orchestration, had a lot in common with music production.

However, as time went on, I realized that what truly interested me was something much more abstract and fundamental. I came to understand that what a university can truly offer isn't learning how to use software or technical skills. Those are things you can learn on your own at home. What truly matters are the deeper foundations of composition—its aesthetics, its logic, and the ideas behind it. That's why I decided to focus on the very core of music itself, and ultimately made the transition to art music composition.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your studies?: In fact, the learning process itself went very smoothly. The real challenge was reconciling the gap between writing music for entrance examinations and writing the music I truly wanted to create. After all, entrance exams don't ask what kind of music you genuinely love—they test what you've learned.

There were times when I wanted to write the music that truly resonated with me. Looking back, I realized that at my level then, even the music I genuinely wanted to write was still immature and lacked depth. For the entrance examinations, I had to write music that was more complex and demonstrated a higher level of compositional sophistication.

The biggest struggle during that period was constantly asking myself, "Do I really like this kind of music? What am I actually trying to write?"
What are your thoughts on studying music after coming from a different field?: Studying music after coming from a different field is, in reality, extremely demanding. At some point, you're suddenly confronted with the realization that the six months you've spent working so hard are being measured against someone else's twenty years of experience and dedication.

More than anything else, you need the mental strength to acknowledge your own limitations and recognize the talent of others. If you're not prepared for that, I wouldn't recommend making the transition from another field easily.

Many people say they love music, but loving music and studying it after transitioning from another field are two completely different things. In fact, I sometimes think it's better to keep the music you truly love as something personal. You should never let the hardships of changing fields make you lose your love for the very thing you loved most. That would be truly heartbreaking.
Looking back on the entrance examination process, what did you learn?: I believe that, these days, the overall level of competition has actually declined. Simply being sincere and putting in consistent effort is enough to surpass many others.

The most important thing is not to worry about having your own ideas while you're still inexperienced. Instead, focus first on doing what your teacher believes is right. If you have a teacher you can trust, and you meet the minimum standards they expect of you, you will naturally improve. Along the way, your own ideas and perspective will develop on their own.
What was the greatest support you received from JUQ?: More than the teaching methods themselves, I'm grateful that my teachers opened up a whole new world for me—especially Instructor Kimura.

I believe that composition is, for the most part, something you have to learn on your own. Whether you're studying at a university or a private school, the amount of actual class time each week is quite limited.
What truly matters is having a teacher who can guide you toward whose music you should be listening to and whose works you should be studying. We live in an age of information overload, so simply browsing YouTube or Bilibili on your own makes it difficult to find truly high-quality works. You need someone who can put genuinely worthwhile works in front of you—works that are truly worth studying. You then analyze those works yourself, absorb, and share your insights with your teacher. Based on your progress, your teacher recommends what you should study next. This is a highly positive cycle of learning.
Could you tell us what the interview was like?: What surprised me most was the interview at Toho Gakuen University. I had expected them to focus mainly on technique and basic skills, but the actual interview was quite different. They were asking questions like :
“Why did you write this kind of music?” At first, the questions seemed unrelated to the work itself. In reality, however, they were trying to understand the fundamental reasoning behind my creative process. I was deeply impressed by how thoroughly they explored that aspect of my work.

Tokyo University of the Arts followed a very traditional music admissions process. It included all the standard components you would expect, such as music history, impromptu composition, and a portfolio review. For the composition exam in particular, we were confined to a room for six hours and had to compose using nothing but paper and a pen. It truly tested our fundamental composition skills.

Showa University of Music placed greater emphasis on a broader range of abilities. In addition to evaluating applicants' work, the university also places considerable importance on Japanese language proficiency and communication skills. What surprised me most was when one of the professors suddenly began speaking to me entirely in English during the interview—from beginning to end! (laughs)
Do you have any advice for people who are thinking about studying music later in life?: First, make sure you are truly mentally prepared.

Second, don't think of a preparatory school as just a cram school. Instead, see it as a platform for expanding your resources, network, and perspective.

There is one more important point. Whenever possible, study your specialized subjects with Japanese instructors. They have a better understanding of what Japanese music universities are truly looking for.
What are your goals for the future?: To be honest, I am not particularly concerned at the moment about what kind of job I will be able to pursue after studying composition. Rather, I am more focused on how I can make use of an environment like Toho Gakuen University to raise my aesthetic sensibility, worldview, and artistic perspective to an even higher level.

In a place like Toho Gakuen University, simply being part of that environment allows you to grow, even if you are not actively doing something every day, because the people around you naturally encourage and inspire you. For now, I want to make the most of these two years.

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