Yuhki Kuramoto
Kuramoto
writes primarily for the piano, though orchestral arrangements for some of his
pieces exist. Kuramoto studied the piano from an early age and exhibited a great
degree of talent. During school, he studied Rachmaninoff extensively and
performed as a part-time soloist in orchestras. He demonstrated great potential
as a classical pianist. His experience is unique in that he later went on to
study at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and obtained a masters degree in
Applied Physics. Afterwards, between the path of a scholar and that of a
musician, Kuramoto chose the latter.
Kuramoto concentrated on the performance of the piano, the composition and
arrangement of classical music and popular music. As a professional musician,
his interests are quite expansive, crossing genres from classical to folk songs
and popular music. Kuramoto never attended a music conservatory and attained his
knowledge mostly through self-studies. Some argue that compared with other
musicians, Kuramoto is equally talented and additionally, because of this self
studies, his music was more intuitive and sensitive. At the age of 35, Kuramoto
had the first of his CD published, which became an instant hit in Japan. To this
day, he has published 18 CDs.
Kuramoto's style of music shows influence from a variety of composers from
different periods. Most notably, by Rachmaninoff, Chopin and Ravel. The
technical difficulties of his pieces tend to lie on the more forgiving side.
Some of his pieces are deceptively simple to play. However, Kuramoto's music
often can be demanding for its intricate expressiveness required of the pianist.
Kuramoto has a gift in writing lyrical melodies that enthral his audiences. The
melodies are sometimes reflective and tranquil in nature. At other times,
seemingly lamenting for a loss of the past. They can also be sunny, warm and
bright. The broken chord style is sometimes used to accompany the melodies. The
subject of his music ranges from natural events, nature to a state of mind and
human emotions. Kuramoto occasionally uses his pieces as a tool for
impressionist paintings.