Diana Janney, author of A Man of Understanding, on the inspiration behind and the themes explored in her compelling new novel, The Zen Violinist.
My intention in all my novels is to make big themes accessible, through strong, interesting characters and a compelling plot. Being chosen as the Runner-up in The People’s Book Prize for my previous novel A Man of Understanding was so special to me because it showed that I am achieving that goal, which was a humbling experience.
The Zen Violinist
In The Zen Violinist, my new novel, one of the main themes is the important role that music can play in our spiritual and personal development, both as musicians and as listeners. It is told through the words of a twenty-five-year-old English classical violinist, Suki Koyama, who was brought up in Japan and now lives in London, her birthplace. Other key musicians in the story who form the orchestra of Suki’s life include a conductor and pianist, Klaus Krieger, and a highly competitive, accomplished violinist, Natasha Peel. Suki’s Japanese stepfather Naoki Koyama is a luthier and created Suki’s cherished violin.
My fascination with works of art in different artforms inspired me to use my musical and poetic style of writing to create a story that reads like a piece of music in story form, with all the reflections, emotions, romantic themes, variations and fragments of a concerto. By writing the story in three movements, like a concerto, the book explores the overlap between the two artforms of music and writing. As Suki puts it, “We can speak words with our music. We can make music with our words.”
Music and Writing
There is a moderately fast 1st Movement Prelude, a romantic, reflective 2nd Movement, a faster-paced 3rd Movement that picks up on what has been learnt and discovered through the first two movements to bring the composition to a significant conclusion, and a final, intriguing Encore.
The 1st Movement Prelude (allegretto: moderately fast, brisk, spirited) sets the scene for Suki’s background, her early life in Japan with her mother and stepfather, her return to her birthplace London to pursue a musical career, and the influences she takes with her: her beloved violin, her Zen nature, her love of writing.
Suki was taught Zen practice in Japan by her stepfather, who is a constant inspiration in her life, and she has practised Zen ever since. When a tragic accident occurs, with potentially life-changing consequences, Suki’s Zen nature is tested like never before, especially when Suki discovers in the 2nd Movement that it may not have been an accident at all. And a growing relationship with enigmatic Rex Curtis, her new pupil, a man of around forty years, which evolves initially through a shared love of music, tests her Zen nature still further. But will Zen practice save their relationship ultimately, or force them apart …
A Touch of Melancholy
The 2nd Movement, (andante: romantic tone with a touch of melancholy) is more reflective like in a musical concerto. It follows the evolving relationship between Suki and Rex, and the questions that relationship raises. Gradually Suki understands what it is that is troubling Rex as he confides in her more and more deeply. Her life in London becomes less insular but she fears even more strongly that she may be losing her Zen nature, her true identity. Her pet dog Zenny, a key character in the novel, helps Suki to come to terms with her new situation and uncertainties.
The 3rd Movement Finale (allegro energico: fast, forceful, with strong articulation and intensity) revisits themes that began in the 1st Movement as Suki struggles to rediscover the true self of that Movement but with the added insights she has gained from her experiences in the 2nd Movement. Events move swiftly as uncertainty prevails. Suki’s conductor Klaus becomes a confidante to Suki as she confronts her problems and emotions more directly. Another tragedy occurs, which leads ultimately to Suki’s enlightenment.
Encore
Written as a conclusion, the Encore (a composition by Suki Koyama) reads as part of the final 3rd Movement but is stand-alone at the same time. It is an enlightening expression of the strength of music and words, but, most importantly, of love.
Suki tells her story like she plays her violin – with Zen wisdom, compassion, strength and vulnerability, with major and minor keys, with times of drama and serenity, with moments of quiet contemplation, and moments that resound with the paradoxes of love.
The Poetry in The Zen Violinist
My poetry in fiction, which has proved very popular in my novels, is another instance of an overlap between different artforms blending harmoniously together. The poetry in The Zen Violinist, mostly haiku poetry, is an expression of what Suki is feeling and experiencing when she writes it, so that the reader understands the motivation behind the poems. They become accessible. Like a classical music concerto divided into three movements, haiku poetry consists of three lines in its English form. It is an expression of a moment, sometimes with a strong final third line that links back to the first line. When I was planning The Zen Violinist, I became more and more aware of the similarities in structure between these different artforms, and the importance of the number three.
There were many inspirations for writing The Zen Violinist: my admiration for classical music, which encouraged me to start playing the violin as an adult; a fascination with Zen Buddhism since my teens, which led me later to read Philosophy at University College, London, both as an undergraduate and a postgraduate; my affection for London as a home for the arts, and how much the arts can teach us about our own creativity; my love of animals and the significant role that some, like Suki’s dog Zenny, can play in teaching us about life; my belief in the importance of sharing our thoughts with those we love and communicating our love to them; the value of loving and being loved, and what that love can teach us about ourselves and others.
(c) Diana Janney
About The Zen Violinist by Diana Janney:
The Zen Violinist is the compelling new novel by Diana Janney, author of A Man of Understanding, the Runner-up in The People’s Book Prize.
Suki Koyama, a talented English violinist, grew up in Japan from the age of four. When she returns as an adult to London, her birthplace, to pursue a musical career, she takes with her many influences from her years in Japan – the violin, classical music, poetry, writing, Zen. The two she values most are her violin playing and Zen nature, but on the brink of achieving her dream of success as a twenty-five-year-old soloist tragedy strikes and Suki fears she is losing both. A deepening relationship with enigmatic Rex Curtis intensifies her fear that her true nature is disappearing.
How will she respond?
Suki tells her moving story in lyrical prose, like a concerto in three movements, to compose a stunningly original and thought-provoking meditation on a life guided by the principles of music and Zen practice.
The Zen Violinist resounds with the beauty of a work of art, the wisdom of Zen, and the complexities of love.
The Zen Violinist by Diana Janney is published by Cogito, paperback £9.99. Order your copy online here and here.
And read more from Diana on Writing.ie here.
