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Kataoka Sensei carried on the research of the moving thumb all this time, until the point where she was finally able to teach ten students to perform the Polonaise with the natural ease and true ability that she felt she never had at their age. She had finally researched enough and taught that piece enough to program it on the 10-Piano Concert. It took 15 years, but she never gave up researching the natural use of the thumb, and re-realizing that this was the key element in being able to play something she previously could not play.

How intelligent and how persistent she was! Can we continue after her and pursue this same research? Are there teachers among us who can execute the passage in question with natural technique? Can we teach students to do it? Do we really understand how to use our thumbs?

Kataoka Sensei was a truly great person. She leaves such a challenge both to those of us who knew her and to people who will come in contact with her teaching even after her death. This challenge is the gift she gave to all of us. May we treasure it, become worthy of it, and remain eternally grateful.