Yasuko Watanabe, cello

Yasuko Watanabe was born in Niigata and began playing the cello at the age of fourteen. She won first prize in the Niigata Prefectural Music Competition and was awarded a “Good Performance” Prize in the 7th Japan Classical Music Competition in 1997. She studied at Niigata University with Eiji Tateno, subsequently earning a Masters Degree from there in 2001. She then went on to study in England where she studied under Emma Ferrand and Alasdair Tait at the RNCM. During her time at the RNCM she formed the Ellis Trio, which was awarded the college’s Hirsch Prize and Granada Prize. The Ellis Trio performed extensively in the U.K. including the Menuhin Concert at the Lake District Summer Music and the Kendal Music Society Recital. She was also a member of the Pylukkonen Trio, which won the Emmanuel Award. She was also the leader of the cello section of the RNCM Symphony Orchestra for the recording of the CD The British Symphony Collection, Vol. 10, conducted by Douglas Bostock. As a cellist of the RNCM New Ensemble, she worked on modern British music and performed at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. She gained her PGDip. in solo performance and the Professional Performance Diploma in Chamber music, both in 2003. She toured with the Hibiki Strings of Japan, conducted by Kazuki Sawa, performing in Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester and London in 2003 and 2004.

She has participated in Master classes given by Christopher Henkel, Colin Carr and Ralph Kirshbaum, and in chamber music sessions with Roger Vignoles, Christopher Rowland, Malcolm Layfield and David Waterman among others. After returning to Japan in 2004, she gave her debut recital in Daishi Hall and performed Boccherini’s Concerto with the Niigata Chamber Orchestra. She is currently a member of the Yokohama OMP Orchestra and is a part-time tutor of the cello at Niigata Chuo High School. She gives recitals with the pianist Naoko Matamaru, and as duo partners they are now embarking on an exciting project to promote Modern British pieces which are still not often heard in Japan. www.yasukowatanabe.com