A musical performance of Junko Ueda extends Japanese ancient sound into modern times. Both the satsuma-biwa story-telling tradition as well as shomyo Buddhist chanting are unique musical treasures which have been passed on from generation to generation.
Junko Ueda (born in Tokyo, Japan) is Japanese singer and satsuma-biwa player, presenting Japanese traditional biwa music (story-telling) and shomyo Buddhist chanting. Also, she is specialized to perform the pieces of Japanese composer Tôru Takemitsu. Ueda studied satsuma-biwa with the famous Kinshi Tsuruta (Satsuma-Biwa Tsuruta-style) and Buddhist shomyo-chanting with Kôshin Ebihara (Tendai school). She studied piano and composition (under a.o. Reiko Arima, Jôji Yuasa, Sei Ikeno) at the Tokyo College of Music.
Since 1988, Ueda has based in Europe (Amsterdam/Holland and Granada/Spain) and has been presenting biwa story-telling solo concert and shomyo vocal workshop in numerous situations and at music festivals. Her traditional biwa CDs "Heike Monogatari" (CD650 VDE/AIMP Geneva) and "Satsuma Biwa" (ARN64577 Arion, Paris / Ethnomad, Geneva) received several prizes e.g. the Grand Prix du Disque, Academie Charles Cros, Paris and Choc Le Monde de la Musique, Paris.
Contributing for new compositions, Junko Ueda has been working with composers, e.g. Jean-Claude Eloy, Qu Xiaosong, Akemi Naito, Keiko Harada and performing with e.g. cellist Yo Yo Ma and Dutch Nieuw Ensemble. Since 1988 she has been presenting a duo performance with Dutch flutist Wil Offermans. This duo has recorded the CD "How to Survive in Paradise" (CD732 VDE-Gallo Swiss) and has been touring world-wide (Europe, Asia, North and South America), performing own compositions and improvisations. She has been active as a producer for several inter-cultural projects including 12xHolland and Body & Soul Xperience Caravan.
Press Review
Junko Ueda, a master in musical
silence... a musical beauty, which is not known in
Europe... (West Deutsche Zeitung,
Germany)
A voice full of mystery and
solemnity, yet sensuality... performing her instrument
with an amazing precision and variety... (Le
Monde, France)
Breath taking beauty... her
audience are caught within two seconds... (de
Volkskrant, Holland)
Click here for more reviews....
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| duo with Yoyo Ma in
Shizuoka, Japan
performing Passacaglia by Keiko Harada |
performing November
Steps by Toru Takemitsu
with the Kassel Youth Orchestra, Germany |
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| traditional solo
concert
Opera Lille, France |
performing November
Steps by Toru Takemitsu
with the Odense Symphony Orchestra, Denmark |
Her performances at some music festivals in the past
- 17e Rencontres Internationales de Musique Médiévale du Thoronet, France
- Festival Trob'Art, Troubadours du Monde, St. Michel de Grandmond, France
- 8ème Festival International du Luth, Tétouan, Morocco
- Festival Ethnomad, Geneva, Swiss
- Voice Expeditions, Amsterdam, Holland
- Festival Suoni dal Mondo, Bologna, Italy
- Traditional and Sacred Music Heritage of Humanity, Yerevan, Armenia
- Lute Festival, Rasa Utrecht, Holland
- Singapore Festival of Arts, Singapore
- New Music Festival, Middelburg, Holland
- Musica Contemporanea, Bogota, Colombia
- Musique Action, Nancy, France
- Festival d'été de Quebéc, Canada
- Why Note, Dijon, France
- Sigma de Bordeaux, France
- Musica Strasbourg, France
- Warsaw Autumn, Poland
- Festival d'Autumn, Paris, France
- Oude Muziek Festival, Utrecht, Holland
- Wratislavia Cantans, Wroclaw, Poland
- Inventionen, Berliner Festival Neuer Musik, Germany
- ISCM, World Music Days, Zurich, Swiss
- Rheinisches Musikfest, Köln, Germany
- Gaudeamus International Composers' Workshop, Amsterdam, Holland
- Midem, Cannes, France