ARTIST
Artist / Yoriko Watanabe Profile
Born in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Studied at Elisabeth University of Music, Sacred Vocal Course, Royal Academy of Music, Queensland Conservatory of Music, etc. While studying in England, she married an oboist from Shanghai whom she met in Australia, and supported K.GE DOBLE REEDS Co.,Ltd, which he founded, from its establishment in Melbourne, and currently serves as the representative director of the Japanese branch. During her study abroad, she happened to sing at the wedding of Bill Wyman, guitarist of the Rolling Stones. After spending about 18 years in Australia and about 5 years in Shanghai, she now lives in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Fascinated by Tai Chi and Chinese martial arts, which she started in Australia, she began composing music for martial arts competitions, and in 2011, she held a collaborative stage performance called "New Space-Time Experience" at Grandship, Shizuoka City, which combined Tai Chi, Chinese martial arts, and her own music with oriental content such as Japanese drums and calligraphy.
Chinese Martial Arts and Roland Synthesizers
My vocal teacher recommended relaxation techniques to me, and I chose Tai Chi. The Tai Chi I experienced under the guidance of a teacher who happened to be a graduate of Beijing Sports University, a Chinese tournament champion, and the coach of the Australian national wushu team, gave me an unprecedented sensation, as if a clear stream had appeared inside my body. It was also the first time I felt the Asian culture within myself in Australia, which was an extension of the Western music studies I had been doing since childhood.
Meanwhile, I had the chance to meet Roland's founder, Ikutaro Kakehashi, personally, and through my encounter with electronic music equipment, which I had never been interested in before, I discovered a wonderful instrument called the Phantom, and from there I began to create the music I wanted to listen to. Both of these experiences were important in inviting me to break out of the shell I had created for myself and go out on a new path.
Music and Chinese Martial Arts
There was a comment on my YouTube account that martial arts is not dance, and some of the teachers I studied under in the past have also expressed the same opinion. I agree. Incidentally, I have no interest in dance or anything related to dance. Martial arts movements have clear meanings of defense and attack, and are fighting movements, so to speak. I am indescribably attracted to those movements and find them beautiful. Martial arts probably doesn't need music, but in situations where it's not for practical use, I add music to make the movements stand out more, or to add a sense of drama to the movements.
The meaning of the original images and music
When Mr. Hashi listened to the first song I made with Phantom, he said, "Making music from scratch based on your own image is the same as making a video." That's when I started making videos, and after some experience with video cameras, I ended up using a combination of iPhone and Mac, which are easy to import video into. It's best to shoot the video yourself, but when I want footage that can't be captured normally, I use video materials. As for music, Phantom is like its own orchestra and band, but acoustic instruments have an overwhelming appeal, so I would like to work with acoustic artists if I have the opportunity. The point is how to make what I feel visible/audible. Regardless of the video, there is definitely music that I want to listen to, and I think the most important thing is to talk about it in my own words.