At the Venice International Film Festival 2013. After it, Haruma began taking voice training from Kaoru Saito.
Part 2: Vocal coach who mentored Haruma Miura for 7 years says, "His Dreams continued"
Written by Journalist NKANO Kaori
It’s been a year since actor Haruma Miura suddenly passed away. Ms. Kaoru Saitoh, Haruma’s vocal coach, who trained and supported him for 7 years, took our interview.
‘'I decided to take this interview to deliver a kind message to all fans. So it would make heal not only myself but also his fans who still suffer from their scars and are looking for an answer.'’
This interview is structured with 4 parts based on Ms. Saitoh’s stories with Haruma. In the previous article, the first one, I reported on how Haruma faced the role of Laura in the musical "Kinky Boots," a breakout role that also won him the Sugimura Haruko Prize of the Yomiuri Theatrical Grand Awards. In this second part, I will share his story of pursuing his dream of becoming the person he wants to be.
Kaoru Saitoh
Vocal coach and pedagogue. Graduated from the Vocal Music Corse, Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts. Started her career in her childhood as a nursery rhyme singer. After working in the NHK education show as “Uta no One-san (The main woman singer),” she started her career as a trainer focusing on vocalization. She conducts lessons related not only to singing but also anything about vocals. 90% of her students are professional actors and singers.d to vocals. 90% of her students are professional actors and singers.
Lessons in between shoots
Haruma continued his efforts to improve himself. He sometimes returned to Tokyo to have lessons in between shoots.
'Haruma's primary work is in video production. In my lessons, I explained the differences in vocalization methods between video works and stage productions. I ensured that he could use the vocalization methods on stage and not apply them to video works. It is essential to use different voice production methods for stage and video. We have adopted an approach that views and practices singing and voice in the same scientific way as academia.
Haruma was always busy, and when there was a gap of about two months between lessons, I would call him without hesitation and ask him how he was doing. He sometimes said, "I have a movie shoot and will not be able to have lessons for a while, so please give me some assignments." Haruma came back to Tokyo at his own expense in between filming in the provinces to have lessons in sword fighting and voice training. He said, 'If I have one day off, I can take two lessons, and if I have two days, I can surf." '
To her students in the entertainment industry, Ms. Saitoh says, 'Play. Find a hobby. Keep your life steady and grip the core of your own. If not so, you will be swept away by your works.'
'Haruma is the type of person whose thoughts show on his face. I can tell what he has been doing while I haven't seen him. I got to know when he said a few words like something happened he did not want to say at his previous work or about his love life. I told him that he should have romances a lot in his twenties. He was a serious person, both in his professional and private life, and he was also a person who was serious about romantics. He could make friendships with women and had female friends to talk to.'
When he removed his aura, he was not recognized
Ms. Saitoh, who had spent 7 years with him, knew Haruma's true face.
'Haruma was an ordinary person in front of me. When I saw him in films, he was sparkling, but when I met him, he looked like a student his age. I liked his simple clothes. We invited each other and watched plays together when we had time. Haruma always dressed up on those outings. He wore a jacket and no cap. When we went to the theater, people would notice us together.
At all other times, Haruma was completely unrecognizable when he wore a cap. After watching a play, he asked me for a karaoke box to practice singing before his following schedule. He was so unnoticeable even to the staff with his cap.
Usually, Haruma used buses, trains, bikes, or even on foot. He had a car. His agent drove for him, but he was just an ordinary person daily.'
Chatting over coffee
They Chatted, having coffee before and after the lesson.
'Haruma liked coffee. He used to rattle the coffee mill and ground the coffee beans for me. We sometimes bought coffee beans together when we went out. As soon as he came to the lesson and said, 'Ms, can I have something to drink?' I passed him a pot, a cup, and a tea set I had prepared every morning, and he could have as much as he wanted.'
Haruma was having coffee with Ms.Saitoh in her lesson room. A tea set for Haruma was prepared too. Photo by Kaoru Saitoh
Haruma enjoyed imagining as he picked up the antique staff and cameras in Ms. Saitoh's lesson room.
'He often looked into the kaleidoscope. The hairbrush used in the dressing room was an elaborately crafted item by the rich in England. I told him, "I guess Lola would have loved something like this to make her rise, hasn't she?" I told him the old opera glasses were used in old theaters long ago. I gave him an antique memo stick made of sterling silver to celebrate winning the Sugimura Haruko Award.
Haruma had a digital Leica camera and often took private pictures on the set at work. He said he wanted to take photos with a telephoto lens and developed them in black and white. I told him, 'You can use your digital camera with my cine lens to take pictures,' and he excitedly said he wanted to do this and that.'
Photo by Kaori Nakano
Photo by Kaori Nakano
Photo by Kaori Nakano
During the period of self-restraint before and after the declaration of the state of emergency last spring, they had more lessons than ever.
'The musical Haruma performed in has ended halfway through, and the agent has closed too. He rehearsed English plays and sword fighting and came to me at least twice a week.
We carefully reviewed how to apply voice sound to film works. After the lessons, we ate at a favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. We snacked on my homemade orange peels and sweets with tea between the lessons and talked about many things.'
Ms. Saitoh's homemade orange peel was also often served to Haruma. Photo by Kaori Nakano
The promise that he would look at his future
When Ms. Saitoh looked back at the text exchanges, Haruma had obtained a driver's license to ride a large motorcycle in February 2020.
'He rode a motorcycle in a previous drama and seemed to like it. I also ride a bike, so I took him to a motorcycle shop, and he said he wanted to race at some point. I always told him to have time for fun and hobbies.
Haruma renewed his driver's license first thing in the morning, on March 4th, 2020. The procedure took so long at the driving examination center in Samezu that he was almost late to come to adjust his vocalization, so he gave me a live report of the congestion. We also promised to go touring after the drama shooting, and he bought a motorcycle.'
The last lesson was on June 6th, 2020
On June 6th, 2020, Haruma and Ms. Saitoh met for the last time. They practiced for the release of his second single, "Night Diver," in August.
'We had a regular lesson and practice Night Diver and B-side piece. I think he was very energetic.
Once he started a drama shooting, he could not have lessons for three or four months. At the same time he was filming his last drama, the release of his second single and performance in a TV music show were planned. I am sure he tried his best in all his works, yet he must have swamped. I imagined Haruma's situation later and wondered if he could sleep and relax enough.
When I saw the music video for "Night Diver," I could feel how much he had practiced by himself, which filled me with emotion. He was amazing. Everything was improving, and it was full of his joy.'
Haruma thought about others' feelings first
Some fans have suggested that Haruma had trouble continuing his job.
'If you're in the entertainment industry, you're probably constantly worried about your ability, popularity, and relationships. Even if you are ordinally working person, you may have some problems you cannot tell anyone.
Haruma thought of others' feelings first and didn't impose his ideas on others. I told him it's okay to have his own way more as he was in a position to shine, rather than choosing things based on others' feelings.'
Many people wondered if the staff around him had not noticed his disorderedness.
'Haruma's staff, I knew, were all kind and listened to him well. There was a small green potted plant in his dressing room. Haruma liked nature, and having green plants nearby calms him...
Since July of the previous year, he had a new agent, and it must have been tough for him to cope with the excitement of the end of the self-restraint, the groping COVID-19 control, the filming of the drama, and the preparation for the second single song. When I watched his last drama, Haruma got thinner than when I met him on June 6th. I sensed that he must not be feeling well after we met.'
Haruma said he wanted to play the role of Lola for the rest of his thirties, and Ms. Saito said, 'You can do a third performance!'. He also had a dream of performing on Broadway.
'We shared his dreams of The Thirties. Unfortunately, it didn't come true. But I want to pass on the ways to become the person you want to be, to younger actors/actresses chasing the same dream as Haruma. I am moved by hearing Haruma's voice telling me I can do it.'
Haruma has been thinking of who he wanted to be for a long time. Photo by Getty Images
◇In the third part of Ms. Saitoh's interview, she will tell us the secret story of the "singing career" that Ms.Saitoh recommended and the "notebook" that Haruma carried around with him.
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