Role

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Composer  

Country

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Japan

Birth

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1962

Genre

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Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Mari Kimura is a Japanese-born classical music artist who has made a name for herself as a composer, violinist, and educator. She was born on October 10, 1962, in Tokyo, Japan, and began playing the violin at the age of three. Her parents were both musicians, and her father was a composer and conductor. Kimura's early musical education was in the Suzuki method, which emphasizes learning by ear and repetition. She later studied at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance. She then moved to the United States to continue her studies, earning a Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Juilliard School. Throughout her career, Kimura has been recognized for her innovative approach to classical music. She is known for her use of extended techniques on the violin, such as bowing behind the bridge and playing harmonics, which allow her to create a wider range of sounds than traditional violin playing. She has also developed her own system of notation, called "Subharmonics," which allows her to notate the sounds she creates on the violin. Kimura has performed as a soloist with many major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed at major music festivals around the world, including the Tanglewood Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Salzburg Festival. One of Kimura's most notable performances was her 1994 debut at Carnegie Hall, where she performed her own composition, "Polytopia," for violin and computer. The piece was groundbreaking in its use of computer technology to create a live interactive performance between the violin and the computer. The performance was well-received by critics and helped to establish Kimura as a leading figure in the field of contemporary classical music. Kimura has also received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. In 1992, she was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, which recognizes outstanding young musicians. She has also been awarded the Fromm Music Foundation Commission, the Japan Foundation Fellowship, and the Guggenheim Fellowship. In addition to her work as a performer, Kimura is also a composer and educator. She has written numerous compositions for violin and other instruments, as well as for dance and theater productions. She has also taught at several universities, including the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the Juilliard School. Kimura's contributions to the world of classical music have been significant, both in terms of her innovative approach to violin playing and her work as a composer and educator. Her performances and compositions have helped to expand the boundaries of classical music and have inspired a new generation of musicians to explore new techniques and technologies in their own work.

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