Akiko Ushijima
Though trained as a composer, Akiko’s artistic interest is in expanding the boundaries of music: her recent works are experiments in integrating visual and performative elements with music.After obtaining her first master’s degree from Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, she has completed the master’s program in composition at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. She has studied composition under Peter Adriaansz, Yannis Kyriakides, Gilius van Bergeijk and Guus Janssen.
Her pieces have been performed in many music festival such as November Music festival (the Netherlands), ArsMusica festival (Belgium), Recorder festival (U.K.),Bang on a Can marathon concert (USA), Massachusetts Museum of Modern Art (USA), the Born creative Festival (Tokyo,Japan) and Germany, Austria, Russia by such artists as Gerard Bouwhuis , Susanna Borsch, Bang on a Can ensemble and Asko Schoenberg ensemble. Her work “Instan’s Stillation” for recorder and electronics has been featured on Dutch radio, and a CD containing the work (“Susie, tell me a Story!”) is available on the Dutch label Karnatic Lab Records. The work will also be featured on the UK radio programme Resonance Extra in 2020. “Distorted Melody” was broadcasted on Ryuichi Sakamoto’s radio show RADIO SAKAMOTO in July 2020. Her works have won distinctions at, among other places, the ICMC (International Computer Music Conference) 2013, The JFC (Japan Federation of Composers) Composers Awards 2011, and the Internal Music Prize for Excellence in Composition 2011.
She was lecturer in charge of the Aichi Triennale project “On Contemporary Music” (2016). After working as a part-time lecturer at Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, now she is currently a part-time lecturer at Nagoya University of Arts and Music.
Education
2003 Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music. B.A. in Composition
2005 Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music. M.A. in Composition
2011 Royal Conservatoire Den Haag B.A. in Composition
2013 Royal Conservatoire Den Haag M.A. in Composition
Award & Grant
2006 AAC sound performance contest (selected as a member of Time travellers ensemble)
2011 Japan Federation of Composers Competition (selected)
2011 Excellence Composition Competition (Expert Level Finalist)
2011 Nomura Foundation
2013 ICMC 2013 (selected)
2013 Fonds Podium Kunsten Performing Arts Fund NL
2014 ICMC 2014 (selected)
2014 MUSICA NOVA 2014 (finalist)
2015 CCMC 2016 (selected)
Mail
aushijima1108@gmail.com
Main Activity
– 2022 –
May 29 Forum of Music from Japan
talk session about piece which was performed in New York in March
May 22 Premiere of the piece for percussion and electronics in Nagoya
April 2 Materia will be premiered in London, Southbank center by Mark Knoop
March 5 Swish-Swash-Rustle will be premiered in New York
February 29 Premiere of the piece for shamisen, guitar, violin, violoncello in Tokyo
February 22 “Organ Soup 2” for Strings quartet（Osaka, Japan）
– 2021 –
November 19th New piece for Shakuhachi and Shamisen （Tokyo opera city Recital hall, Japan)
→ postponed
October 1,2th New electronics piece “Refracted ray” will be premiered (Born creative Festival, Tokyo,Japan)
June 19th New piece for Accordion and clarinet （Tokyo opera city, Japan)
May 12th ”Distorted Melody”, “High Time High Tide” were performed by Ensemble Nomad（Tokyo opera city Recital hall, Japan)
March 24th Premiere of new piece for trombone and electronics by Kosei Murata (Tokyo Japan)
3月20日 TAMA Music Festivalにてギターとエレクトロニクスのための《Chatoyanto》を発表（オンライン）
2月28日 自主企画 “Ogen/blik vol.4 ” 公演（アーツカウンシル東京、かけはし財団、野村財団助成企画）のオンライン配信を行う。チェロとピアノとエレクトロニクス、映像のための新作を発表
1月30日 自主企画 “Ogen/blik vol.4 ” 公演（アーツカウンシル東京、かけはし財団、野村財団助成企画）の関連企画として配信番組 tone にゲスト出演する。
– 2020 –
December Premiere of fixed media piece by Sho sound ”Undulation” (Nagoya, Japan)
November Ogen/blik vol.4
November 22th Premiere of Piano and V.cello pieceOgen/blik vol.4 (Tokyo, Japan)
November 14th Piano solo piece “texture and form”
October 24th Performance of “Nagashima music migration” Strings ensemble (Mie, Japan)
October 23th Premiere of Shamisen and Shakuhachi （Tokyo operacity recital hall）
September my old piece will be performed (Tokyo, Japan)
July 4,5th JWCM meeting (Tokyo, Japan)
June 19th Premiere of Clarinet and Accordion piece （Tokyo operacity Oumi gakudo）
March 15th Premiere of Piano solo piece “texture and form”（Tokyo operacity recital hall）
March 4th Performance of “Sea and Memory and Time” （pf,vl. per. video）New York Stony brook
February 23th Performance of “Chatoyanto” for multi channel speaker (Mid Japan Festival, Aichi, JP)
January 14th fixed media piece by Sho sound ”Undulation” will be introduced (IRCAM, Paris)
January 11th Performance of “Glare for viola and electronics” (TAMA Music festival, Tokyo)
– 2019 –
November 22th Premiere of “Chatoyanto” for guitar and electronics by Gaku Yamada（Nagoya, Japan）
October 26th Premiere of “Glare for viola and electronics” by Fumiko Kai (Maximum vol.4, Tokyo, Japan）
October 26th Performance of “Instan’stillation” by Susanna Borsch (Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
October 26th and 27th Premiere of “Nagashima music migration” for strings ensemble (Mie, Japan)
October 5th Presentation about JWCM for SGFA (Sound gender feminism Activism) Tokyo
September 2nd Woman composer’s meeting (Tokyo, Japan）
August 24th Performance of “floating Vapor (Hiroshima,Japan)
June 30th Premiere of “Glare for violin and electronics” by Yuka Sato (Ogen/blik vol.3,Tokyo)
January 7th Performance of “Saiun -iridescent clouds” (Nagoya,Japan)
– 2018-
December 9th Premiere of “Saiun -iridescent clouds” for Saxophone duo (Tokyo,Japan)
November 15th Premiere of “Pointillism” for piano and toy piano (Nagoya, Japan)
April 6th Performance of “flash” for violin, electronics, light. (Norway)
February 2nd “Distorting Melody” was performed KYMATIC ensemble in Moscow, Russia
http://theatreofnations.ru/performances/future-klassika
January 19th “Instan’stillation” was performed by Susanna Borsch in Linz, Austria
https://floeten.landesmusikschulen.at/index.php/blockfloetenfestival/zeitplan
– 2017-
9th December Concert “A Night of Minato machi”
“Sea and memory and Time” for violin, piano,percussion and video was premiered
30th November “random circle” New piece for soprano, piano, image was premiered at Nagoya University of the Arts
13th September Concert -Enrico meets composers in Nagoya- Night of Experimental Music
9th September Showing of “Dialogue” film and sound and performance in Nagoya, JP
25th February “Sorai-mimiduku” was premiered in Nagoya, JP
– 2016 –
30th November “Gravity Wave” for Alto Saxophone and soundtrack
19th November “Distorting Melody” was performed by Bang on a Can All-stars in ARS music contemporary music festival http://www.arsmusica.be/2016/?concert=bang-on-a-can
11,18th November Gave a lecturer about contemporary music “ALA project” in two days
5th November “strawberry icecream” （Piano, toy-piano, Guitar, reading）was premiered in Nagoya, JP
11th September “Gravity Wave” for Alto Saxophone and soundtrack was premiered in Aichi, JP
6th September ”Instan’stillation” Berlin, Germany
27th August “between the fog” for 4 performers（percussion, piano, reading）was premiered in Nagoya, Japan
16-21th August “floating vapor-浮遊球体- ” （Alto Saxophone）Festival of Saxophone, Chile
30th July “Distorting Melody” Bang on A Can Marathon concert, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, US Recording of the concert was broadcasted
2nd June ”Instan’stillation” Schouwburg,Rotterdam, NL
2th April “glare luminance” (Bass Clarinet) was premiered in Nagoya, Japan
6th March electronics piece “Souvenir” was performed in Tokyo, Iidabashi (ccmc 2016)
21th February “floating vapor -浮遊球体- ” （Alto Saxophone）was performed in Hiroshima, Japan
8th January “Instan’stillation” Abdijconcerten, Aduard, NL
– 2015-
29 November new electronics piece “Souvenir” performed in Osaka, Japan
10 October “Distorting Melody” was performed in Moscow, Russia
25 September new piece “Hyper Days” for Broodje (vocal, toy piano, electronics), Tokyo
28,29 August “wald” Video Sound Installation / Performance
Direction, Video Images：FUSHIKI Kei, Sound Composition：USHIJIMA Akiko,
Former Parts Center of Rinnai Corporation, Nagoya, JP
25 July “floating vapor” for alto saxophone was performed by Kazuya Kato, lecture meeting of architect,Tadao Ando, Hiroshima,JP
12 June “floating vapor” for alto saxophone was premiered by Kazuya Kato, gallery G, Hiroshima, JP
10 April “Sothern Point” for Branden Faegre Edge Ensemble, Korzo theater, Den Haag, NL
28 March “Sothern Point” for Branden Faegre Edge Ensemble, Gaudeamus Sessies concert, Utrecht NL
1 March “Tactual Sensation-flush-” for Bass Clarinet and Myme, Rencon Art Project, Aichi, Japan
28 January “Instan’stillation” was broadcast over the Dutch radio; concertzender, NL
26 January “Mare Serenitatis” Focus! 2015 | Nippon Gendai Ongaku: Japanese Music Since 1945″ New York, US
– 2014-
14 December “Sothern Point” for Branden Faegre Edge Ensemble, Gaudeamus Sessies concert, Utrecht NL
22 November “Sothern Point” for Branden Faegre Edge Ensemble, Ostadetheater, Amsterdam NL
8 November “Instan’stillation” November Music Festival, Den Borsch, NL
31 October “Instan’stillation” Birmingham, UK
15 September “Instan’stillation” ICMC 2014, Athene, Greece
26 August Lecture about my composition at Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, Aichi Japan
22 July Lecture about my composition, Center of Meito-ku, Aichi Japan
18 April “Distorting Melody” by Bang on a Can, New York, The United States
29 March The premiere of “The Day of Parallel” for viola, piano, electronics and video, and “Instan’stillation” in Ogen/blik concert, The Hague, Netherland
5 March “Instan’stillation” for contrabass recorder and electronics by Susanna Borsch, Amsterdam, Netherlands
– 2013-
15 August “Cosmonica” ICMC, Acousmatic concert, Perth, Australia
23 July “Distorting Melody” New York, The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, MASS MoCA
Bang on a can Summer Festival
15 June “flash” for violin solo version The Hague, Villa Kabilla, InnerEyes concert
3 June “Cosmonica” and “flash” for violin solo version The Hague, Nutshuis in InnerEyes concert
24 April “flash” for violin viola electronics and lighting The Hague, Royal Conservatoire
15 January Electronics piece “Cosmonica” The Hague, CASS concert, Royal Conservatoire
– 2012-
15 December Electronics piece “Cosmonica” The Hague, HAGUESTOCK “THE MUSEUM”
3 December Electronics piece “Cosmonica” The Hague, Nutshuis
23 June “TEBASAKI” for marimba and piano Tokyo, Japan
17 June “Distorting Melody” by Bang on A Can ensemble New York, World financial center
04 June “Where The Giraffe Is -Drawing Music- ” for percussion solo The Hague, Nutshuis
08 June “Where The Giraffe Is -Drawing Music- ” The Hague, ZB
21 May “Swelling Darkness” theater piece for two performer and electronics
by Nora Fisher, Karin van der Veen and Yota Morimoto The Hague, Korzo theater
20 April “High Time High Tide” for Asko Schonberg Ensemble Rotterdam,
World Music and Dance Centre
21 April “High Time High Tide” Amsterdam, Conservatorium van Amsterdam
22 April “High Time High Tide” The Hague, Korzo theater
6 Febrary “TEBASAKI” by Dotten Hakubutsukan Tokyo, Japan
-2011-
11 November “S.S.S. -Phantom Music” for 2 violin, 2 Viola and 4 percussionist
Tokyo, Japan Toppan Hall
October “Modelo” by Ensemble Modelo The Hague, Royal Conservatoire
12 April “Mare Serenitatis” by Gerard Bouwhuis The Hague, Royal Conservatoire
12 April “Color Cycling” by Ensemble Klang The Hague, Loos Studio
-2010-
Moved to the Netherlands
26 June “Adagio” Leiden, Rhijnhof Cemetry for ceremony of 100th aniversary
20 June “Uninterrupted Rests Again” for 3 melodica by Makoto Nomura, Yusuke Kataoka, Toshihiro Watanabe Tokyo, Japan
13 April “Distorting Melody” for Bang on A Can All Stars The Hague, Korzo theater
12 April “Distorting Melody” for Bang on A Can All Stars The Hague, Korzo theater
11 Febrary “Sanctuary” for strings quartet Tokyo
4 Febrary “R E I ” for hammond organ, e.guitar, d.bass, 2 percussionist
The Hague, Royal Conservatoire
-Old- 2009 –
3. 2009 Melodica Summit in Japan 2 days Nagoya and Hamamatsu, Japan
“Uninterrupted Rests Again” for 3 melodica
11. 2008 “Urara-Art-Bleeding Edge” vol.3 Nagoya, Japan
“White Music” for string quartet and piano
8. 2008 Time Traveller Ensemble Workshop Japan
4. 2008 “Urara-Art-Bleeding Edge” vol.3 Nagoya, Japan
“Sanctuary” for string quartet, “Madono sotono Yoru ” for 5 melodica
3. 2008 “Repetition Side Step” and “Sorani Music” for 3 percussionist (Dotten Hakubutsukan) Tokyo, Japan
12. 2007 Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig , Germany
“Holiday of Dr.Signe” for 4 hands piano
10. 2007 “Urara-Art-Bleeding Edge” vol.1 Nagoya, Japan
“Holiday of Dr.Signe” for 4 hands piano, “TEBASAKI” for Marimba and Piano
7. 2007 Time Traveller Ensemble , Tokyo Summer Festival, Arion foundation
3. 2007 “TEBASAKI” for 2 marimba and “Niji no Moto” for 3 percussionist (Dotten Hakubutsukan) Tokyo, Japan
9. 2006 Time Traveller Ensemble , AAC sound performance contest
6. 2006 Gihu University “Madono sotono Yoru ” for 3 melodica
3. 2006 Artcircus-Zoorasia “Organ Soup 2” for strings quartet with Makoto Nomura
Yokohama Japan Minatomirai hall
-2005-
Graduated Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music
“Sketch of Tornado” for orchestra
Soundtrack for Video work of Yuji Shiota
Soundtrack for Video work of Ayu Yoshikawa
Soundtrack for Video work of Kotomi Watanabe
Soundtrack for Video work of Miho Emori
Formed Time Traveller Ensemble
She took up the piano,
when she was 5 years old,
has started composing
when she was 7 years old.