Composer, Music Critic

Biography

Born in Nagoya, she graduated from Kunitachi College of Music High School and subsequently the Composition Department of Kunitachi College of Music. She then moved to France, where she completed various composition theory programs (Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue, and Orchestration) at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. She returned to Japan in 1990. After serving as a part-time lecturer at Kunitachi College of Music and Tokyo Gakugei University, she is currently a part-time lecturer at Ochanomizu University. Since 2005, she has served as a member of the Affinis Cultural Foundation's Research Grant Committee, and since June 2018, as a director of the same foundation. She is a member of the Fauré Society of Japan, the Beethoven Kreis Japan, and the Maison franco-japonaise.

As a Composer

As a composer, she has created numerous works, including "Water drops" for guitar (recorded on CD, NAXOS "Shin-ichi Fukuda: Japanese Guitar Music No. 4" / 2017), the picture book and music "Gurumpa no Yōchien" (composition, musical arrangement / 2016), "Gion Shōja Fantasy" for Biwa and Viola (2020), and "In Praise of Fauré" for solo piano (2021), among many other compositions and arrangements.

As a Music Critic

As a music critic, she contributes extensively to "Ongaku no Tomo" magazine and other publications. She has also served as a planning advisor for Toppan Hall (1999-2001) and has been involved in the planning of concerts and music festivals, such as those in Karuizawa and Tokyo, receiving critical acclaim. In 2018, she garnered significant attention for writing the libretto for Ichiro Nodaira's chamber opera "Exile." Additionally, she frequently delivers lectures on the musical styles and harmonic characteristics of Debussy, Fauré, and Rameau at venues such as Asahi Culture Center and Maison franco-japonaise.

Major Publications

Her major publications include:

• "Mahō no Baguette ~ Maestro Jean Fournet no Sugao" (The Magic Baguette ~ The True Face of Maestro Jean Fournet) (Zen-On Music Company Ltd.)
• "Fauré Vocal Works Collection" (co-authored / ibid.)
• The French textbook "Tout ensemble" (co-authored / Hakusuisha 2022)
• The translated work "Practical Guide to Musical Analysis" (by Naji Hakim, Marie-Bernadette Dufourcet, translated by Tami Nodaira et al. / Ongaku no Tomo Sha Corp. 2022)

Recent Publications (Commentaries/Analyses)

In recent years, she has written numerous musical commentaries and analyses for the Zen-On Pocket Library Series (Zen-On Music Company Ltd.):

• Massenet: "Scènes pittoresques" (published January 2022)
• Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (published February 2023)
• Ravel: Complete Ballet Music "Ma Mère l'Oye" (published April 2023)
• Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor (published June 2023)
• Ravel: "Menuet antique" (Orchestral Version) (published November 2023)
• Ravel: "Valses nobles et sentimentales" (Orchestral Version) (published February 2024)

Further publications are planned.