Yuki Hidaka

Vocalist, researcher.

 

Yuki was born in Nara Prefecture, Japan. Her father loved singing. When his old friends gathered, he sometimes sang very well. But he could not sing without drinking some booze, because he was very shy. Her mother really loved the arts  and took Yuki and her little sister to the museum many times. Yuki especially loved impressionist painters' works especially. In the museum, she stopped for a long time in front of the works of  Monet, Degas, Renoir, and so on. These experiences might be the roots of her deep interest in art.

 

She began to learn the piano at age 3, but she didn't like piano lessons so much.. It was very strict for her. She still loved listening to music, but she was a bookworm, interested in reading books much more than playing music for a long time.

 

Her family had moved many times to various areas in Japan, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Okinawa. 

She wondered,  " Why do people speak various dialect in Japan? Why do Okinawan people  have different sad histories and experiences especially about World War Ⅱ?”

 

Those questions led her to study history and cultural conflicts in graduate school later. 

 

She was introduced to  the clarinet at age 13. She loved that instrument, and wanted to study music in a music school. But she wanted to know the purpose of studying music. Is it just for herself ? No one taught her. So she chose to study Pedagogy in university.

 

She began to study jazz in the Kyoto University, joining to the big band, "Dark Blue New Sounds Orchestra", and played the clarinet part of Duke Ellington's music.

At the same time, she began to study jazz vocals.

The first vocal teacher was Yoshie Ichikawa, and she learned the spirit of jazz and blues from her.

 

While studying jazz, she majored in Pedagogy in graduate school of faculty of education in Kyoto University, and the history of cultural conflicts in  graduate school of letters in Osaka University.

 

In 2007, she joined summer workshop produced by Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. That workshop also included wonderful faculty members such Barry Harris, Richard Davis and Lewis Nash.

That was the event which convinced her that her lifework was music. Specifically  Dr. Richard Davis was the person who gave her the confidence for the life. After she graduated the doctoral course, she started the career as a professional vocalist since the end of 2010. At that time, she met the legendary vocalist Sheila Jordan in Kyoto, when Sheila came to Japan tour. Sheila had been worked as a secretary for a long time, until age 58. She had to earn a living while she continued study jazz,  though she had been rated high by Charlie Parker, and other great musicians since she was young.

" Dedicate yourself to music. Keep singing, wherever you are, whatever you do." 

The words Sheila gave her, always encouraged her when she was down.

 

In 2011, 2012, she joined Summer Program at Vermont Jazz Center by a suggestion of Sheila.

(Vocal teachers were Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton. She won scholarship in 2012.).

 

In 2013, she stayed for 3 month in Madison, WI, U.S.A. She studied with bassist, Dr. Richard Davis.  Richard was the professor of Wisconsin University, and really respected by his students and friends. He did not only teach music, but his philosophy about music, human being, and confidence for living life. 

 

In 2016, 29th, Oct, her 1st album " The Rainbow-Colored Boat" was released. Members were Yosuke Kurita, Keijin Shu, Akira Hasegawa, Ohmichi Yuda, Hiroshi" Gori" Matsuda from Vermilion Field.

 

In 2020, she began to teach  piano and music in Osaka Jonan Woman’s Junior Collage. 

Since 2021, she has been teaching Pedagogy, too.

 

In 2021, recorded 3 songs with Josh Nelson. The idea of remote recording session project was by Dai Murata. 

She has been taking Josh's online lessons several times since January 2021. Josh created the music which can fit her voice and feeling, through the lessons.

 

These recordings were the warm conversations between L.A. and Japan.

It shows one of the new styles of creating live music under the Pandemic.

 

Now she is doing performances of music, poetry reading, producing works fabric art, calligraphy, watercolors, writing columns, thesis and so on.

 

 

 

 

 

English translated by Yuki Hidaka.

English Proofreading by  Shota Ishikawa.