Interview: Emiko Hori, Musician and Speaker

“Speech is my Music. Music is my Speech” – Emiko Hori A native of Japan, Emiko Hori grew up in California. An accomplished musician, she has been actively speaking and giving presentations to corporate clients and young adults about the connection between musical performance and public speaking and presentation skills. A graduate of the renowned Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Emiko has give piano recitals throughout the US, Europe, and Canada including masterclasses in Bergamo, Italy, the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, and at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival in Germany. Her new book Let's Play Speech!: How to Give a Better Speech Using the Principles of Musical Performance is now available. The book is an entertaining and instructive exploration of the ways public speakers can improve their "performances", learning from the ways musicians use pause, rhythm and tonality and the way they have to learn to listen to the audience: Did you know there are many similarities between piano performance and public speaking? They both have a clear message to deliver in front of the audience. They both impact the audience’s life and way of thinking. Interestingly, the musician’s mindset seems to coincide with many aspects of public speaking. It is packed with practical tips that will improve anyone's speech preparation and delivery. Speaker's Academy Archive I caught up with Emiko at a National Speakers Association Northern California Chapter meeting immediately prior to the start of the Speaker's Academy program. She surprise me by sharing why what she calls the "Strippers Walk" is a crucial skill both professional musicians AND speakers (not to mention strippers!) need to learn. By this, she means the first five seconds when the person steps onto the stage and the audience judges exactly what you look like, your expressions, how tall or short you are, and most importantly, what kind of personality you have, just by watching how you walk. To hear Emiko explain more about the connection between stripping, speaking and musical performance, click on the podcast icon below.