Electronic Press Kit

SEIYA UENO, flutist
“The Debussy arrangement [‘Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun’] showed off Ueno’s rich, polished
bottom octave in its famous opening theme. The piece’s final note, fading gradually to nothing, was a
stunning moment. With the Boulez [Sonatine], Ueno sliced into the narcotic stupor of the Debussy, with
razor-sharp flutter-tongued notes and tightly coiled rhythms that crackled with energy.”
—WASHINGTON POST
“Ueno’s dynamic performances exceed your expectations of what a flute can sound like.”
—RECORD GEIJUTSU (Japan)
“[In the Bach Sonata in B minor, BWV 1030] Mr. Ueno's playing is stylish and deft, and his assured
technique makes him capable of anything, including some captivating soft attacks. In François Borne's
Carmen Fantasie, the demands for bravura embellishments increase as the fantasy progresses: cascading
scales at break-neck speed and whirlwind flourishes of notes were delivered with remarkable clarity and
vivacity by Mr. Ueno.”
—OBERON’S GROVE (New York)
First Prize, 2014 Young Concert Artists International Auditions • First Prize, 2014 YCA European Auditions in Paris
The Alexander Kasza-Kasser Prize • The Peter Marino Concert Prize
The Usedom Music Festival Prize
Grand Prix, 2008 Jean-Pierre Rampal Flute Competition
First Prize, 5th Japan Wind and Percussion Competition
First Prize, 5th Osaka International Competition in Japan
Special Prize, Matsukata Hall Music Awards
Special Prize, Suginami Prefecture of Tokyo for Cultural Achievement
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected] www.yca.org
Photo: Matt Dine
SEIYA UENO, flute
Japanese flutist Seiya Ueno’s “dynamic performances exceed your expectations of what a flute can
sound like” (Record Geijutsu). At 19, Mr. Ueno won the coveted Grand Prix of the Jean-Pierre
Rampal Flute Competition in Paris and later graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur
de Musique de Paris, where he studied with Philippe Bernold, Vincent Lucas, and Sophie Cherrier.
He has appeared as soloist with major orchestras including the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the
New Japan Philharmonic, the Czech Philharmonic Octet, and the Orchestre National d’Ile de
France. Mr. Ueno has given recitals at London’s Wigmore Hall, the Royal Concertgebouw in
Amsterdam, Salle Pleyel and Salle Gaveau in Paris, and at Suntory Hall in Tokyo; and since 2004,
Mr. Ueno has given recitals annually in Tokyo and Osaka. He has appeared at the Beethovenfest
Bonn in Germany, Estivales de Musiques au Coeur du Médoc, and Festival Boucard in France, and
was presented by Les Nouveaux Talents Japonais at Maison de la Culture Japonais in Paris.
He won both the 2014 European Young Concert Artists Auditions in Paris and YCA’s International
Auditions in New York, where he was also awarded the Usedom Music Festival Prize (Germany).
Last season, Mr. Ueno made his recital debuts in the Young Concert Artists Series at Carnegie’s
Zankel Hall in New York in the Peter Marino Concert and at the Kennedy Center in the Alexander
Kasza-Kasser Concert. Mr. Ueno’s inaugural U.S. season was under the patronage of Tsuneko and
Shoji Sadao, and included appearances in recital in New York at the Buffalo Chamber Music
Society, Patrons for Young Artists, and the Port Washington Library, and in Massachusetts at the
Center for Arts in Natick and Fox Hill Village.
This season, he performs in Japan as soloist with the Tokyo Osaka Shion Wind Orchestra, the
Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, and in recitals in
Roppongi, Kyoto, Hokkaido, Tokyo, and at the Mie Flute Festival.
Born in Tokyo, Mr. Ueno started playing the flute at nine. At a young age, Mr. Ueno won First
Prizes in the 5th Japan Wind and Percussion Competition and the 5th Osaka International
Competition, as well as special prizes from the Matsukata Hall Music Awards and the Suginami
Prefecture of Tokyo for Cultural Achievement. He graduated from the Tokyo Metropolitan High
School of Music and Fine Arts and Tokyo National University of Music and Fine Arts. Mr. Ueno
currently continues his graduate studies with Andrea Lieberknecht at the Hochschule fur Musik in
Munich, where he has earned a Master’s degree.
______________________________________
NOTE: When editing, please do not delete references to Young Concert Artists, nor special prizes.
Please do not use previously dated biographies.
07/2016
SEIYA UENO, flute
REPERTOIRE WITH ORCHESTRA
BOCCHERINI
BOEHM
BORNE/BIZET
BUSONI
C. REINECKE
CIMAROSA
CORIGLIANO
CPE BACH
DALBAVIE
DANZI
DEVIENNE
HAYDN
HONEGGER
J. IBERT
JOLIVET
JS BACH
KHATCHATURIAN
LECLAIR
LIGETI
MERCADANTE
MOZART
NEILSEN
OTAKA
Concerto in D Major, Op. 27
Concerto in G Major, Op. 1
Carmen Fantasy
Divertimento, Op. 52, BV 285
Concerto in D Major, Op. 283
Concerto in G Major for two flutes
Pied Piper Fantasy
Concerto in D minor H.426
Concerto in G Major H.445
Concerto in A Major H.438
Concerto in B flat Major H.435
Concerto
Sinfonia Concertante for Flute and Clarinet
Concerto No. 2 in D Major
Concerto No. 7 in E minor
Concerto in D Major
Double Concerto for Flute and Oboe
Concerto
Concerto
Concerto for Flute and Percussion
Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor BWV 1067
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major
Triple Concerto for flute, violin, and harpsichord in
A minor BWV 1044
Concerto
Concerto in D Major, No. 3 Op. 7
Double Concerto for flute and oboe
Concerto in E minor
Andante in D Major, K315
Concert in D Major, K314
Concerto for flute and harp, K299
Concerto in G Major, K 313
Rondo in D Major, K184
Concerto, FS 119
Concerto, Op. 30b
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
PENDERECKI
PERGOLESI
PLEYEL
QUANTZ
RIVIER
SCHULHOFF
SPOHR
STAMITZ
TELEMANN
VIVALDI
Concerto
Concerto in D Major
Concerto in G Major
Concerto in C Major, B.106
Concerto in G Major
Concerto in D Major
Concerto in C minor
Concerto in E minor
Concerto
Double Concert for flute and piano
Violin Concerto No. 8 in A minor, Op. 47
Concerto in G Major
Concerto in D Major
Concerto in F Major
Concerto in G Major
The Four Seasons
Piccolo Concerto in C Major, RV 443
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
NEWS
from Young Concert Artists, Inc.
Seiya Ueno,
flutist
Young Concert Artists Series: Seiya Ueno/Wendy Chen
Philip Gardner | Oberon’s Grove | October 20, 2015
Flutist Seiya Ueno
Photo: Matt Dine
The Japanese flutist Seiya Ueno appeared with guest artist Wendy Chen at the keyboard for the opening
event of the Young Concert Artists season. Tonight at Zankel Hall, these two exceptional artists
presented a programme that spanned the centuries from Bach to Boulez.
Susan Wadsworth, the founder and director of Young Concert Artists, greeted us at this inaugural
concert of her 55th season concert series; what this woman has done for music and for young musicians
deserves our deepest gratitude.
The artists then appeared, Mr. Ueno elegant in tail-coat tuxedo, and Ms. Chen simply luminous in a soft
sea-green frock. They commenced at once on the Bach Sonata in B minor, BWV 1030, and immediately
established a lyrical rapport both with one another and with the audience. Mr. Ueno's playing is stylish
and deft, and his assured technique makes him capable of anything, including some captivating soft
attacks. Watching Ms. Chen's extraordinarily graceful hands move up and down the keyboard became a
prime visual aspect of the evening.
Sinking into the dreamy world of Debussy's Prélude à l’aprés-midi d’un faune, the two artists painted in
sensuous Monet hues. Mr. Ueno's soft attacks and hushed taperings of line were ideally seconded from
Ms. Chen's piano, evoking images from the ballet which caused such a scandal at its premiere.
The duo scored a huge success with Pierre Boulez's Sonatine, a work filled with challenges for both
players. Mr. Ueno is called upon to create rasping, burbling effects; the music whirrs and shrills and
pauses on long trills; Ms. Chen meanwhile is weaving her own spell from the Steinway, maintaining an
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YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
NEWS
from Young Concert Artists, Inc.
Seiya Ueno,
flutist
Young Concert Artists Series: Seiya Ueno/Wendy Chen
Philip Gardner | Oberon’s Grove | October 20, 2015
attentive connection to the sounds of the flute. Their superb playing of this
complex and demanding work drew enthusiastic bravos from the crowd.
I love the operas of Richard Strauss, but hearing his Violin Sonata in E-flat
major, Op. 18 performed by flute and piano [in Mr. Ueno’s transcription]
was new to me. Ms. Chen's somber opening phrases soon give way to a
burst of energy and the duo are off in an infectious allegro. The score is
chock full of lovely themes, many of them whispering of Rosenkavalier and
Ariadne auf Naxos. Mr. Ueno seized on these melodies and lavished them
with plush, full-toned 'singing', and in the final movement he warbled
deliciously as Ms. Chen maintained the varying rhythmic patterns
with élan.
There have been many fantasies created on themes from Bizet's opera
Pianist Wendy Chen
Carmen; tonight Mr. Ueno brought forth François Borne's Carmen Fantasie
which - de rigueur - includes such chestnuts as the 'fate' motif, the Habanera, the Toreador Song and
the Chanson Boheme but also seeks out less obvious passages from the opera, such as Micaela's tune from
her Act I duet with Don Jose, and the latter's pleading "Ne me quittez pas" which was deliciously
embroidered upon by the flutist. As the fantasy progresses, the demands for bravura embellishments
increase: cascading scales at break-neck speed and whirlwind flourishes of notes were delivered with
remarkable clarity and vivacity by Mr. Ueno, with Ms. Chen yet again a flawless partner.
Responding to the audience's warm applause, Mr. Ueno appeared alone and in a charming, rather
halting speech thanked us for sharing the evening with him and ended with the heartfelt declaration: "I
love music..and I love you!" He then offered a ravishing Debussy encore, Syrinx.
Page 2 of 2
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
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from Young Concert Artists, Inc.
Seiya Ueno, flutist
Flutist Seiya Ueno’s local debut performance sells itself
Charles Downey | Washington Post | October 14, 2015
Photo: Matt Dine
Young classical musicians sometimes feel they have to turn to superficial or entrepreneurial ways to
distinguish themselves. The local debut of flutist Seiya Ueno, presented by Young Concert Artists on
Tuesday evening at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, was a reminder that the best way for a
musician to sell himself is by playing in a way people want to hear.
The success of this recital came down to one pairing, Claude Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a
Faun” and Pierre Boulez’s “Sonatine.” The Debussy arrangement showed off Ueno’s rich, polished
bottom octave in its famous opening theme. The piece’s final note, fading gradually to nothing, was a
stunning moment, despite a perfectly timed sneeze in the audience. With the Boulez, the composer’s
first published work, Ueno sliced into the narcotic stupor of the Debussy, with razor-sharp
flutter-tongued notes and tightly coiled rhythms that crackled with energy.
A Bach opener, the B Minor Sonata for Flute and Continuo, BWV 1030, revealed a lightness in Ueno’s
tone, perhaps in imitation of the softer instruments that Bach knew, particularly evanescent in the brief
slow movement. Richard Strauss’s violin sonata, adapted for flute, tested the other end of Ueno’s range,
with plenty of bravura forte sound and beautifully placed high notes. In all of this, pianist Wendy Chen
was a true collaborative artist, with a broad range of delicate touch at the keyboard to enrich Ueno’s
tone.
François Borne’s “Carmen Fantasy,” on themes from Bizet’s opera, seemed almost an afterthought, a
chance for Ueno to strut the technical prowess that won him the Grand Prix at the 2008 Rampal
competition. For an encore, Ueno returned to Debussy, with the mysterious unaccompanied flute solo
“Syrinx.”
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
NEWS
from Young Concert Artists, Inc.
Seiya Ueno, flutist
The Record Geijutsu Disc Review: Seiya Ueno/ Kaleidoscope
Record Geijutsu | February 1, 2013
Jiro Hamada’s Review
The cover photo of Ueno dancing or taking a position for a martial art with a flute in his hands
gives an impression of a pop artist. This young artist, Seiya Ueno, born in 1989, however, is an outstanding flutist who went to study in Paris after entering the Tokyo National University of Music and
Fine Arts, and graduated from the Conservatoire National Superieur in Paris with the highest award.
Before he went to study in Paris, he had already won the Grand Prix at the Jean-Pierre Rampal Flute
Competition in France in 2008. Since then he has won multiple prizes in major international competitions, which you can tell he well deserves when you listens to this debut album. After showing his technical excellence in “Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rimsky-Korsakov and “Veloce” by Bolling, it moves on
to the flute enthusiasts’ favorite, “Hungarian Pastoral Fantasy,” which begins with very fresh and sophisticated performance strengthening listeners’ senses of trust. Famous melodies popular among audience such as Faure, Bizet, Gluck, Borne, and Rachmaninoff follow, with bonus tracks including Ryuichi
Sakamoto and Yumi Matsutoya. The album consisting of numbers that appeal to the general public
does not let this young flutist display any mundane impression, but highlights his characteristics as a
very unique musician with bold initiative, making the album very interesting to listen to. This seems to
be a debut album made to introduce himself to as many music enthusiasts as possible, which makes me
look forward to a wide variety of performances he will be offering in the future.
Tsutomu Nasuda’s Review
The album cover makes me feel that musicians have become entertainers. Seiya Ueno has studied at the Tokyo National University of Music and Fine Arts and the Conservatoire National Superieur
in Paris, and won the Grand Prix at the Jean-Pierre Rampal Flute Competition in France in 2008. The
pieces selected are mostly famous songs often used for albums with “Regrets and Resolutions” by
Schocker being a somewhat unusual choice. In any case, Ueno’s dynamic performance exceeds your
expectation of what a flute sounds like. As well as the strong phrasing for “Hungarian Pastoral Fantasy,” the sound of his performance is forceful yet mellow and sweet, which is quite unique. Low notes
have depth and the low and high notes are well-balanced. With the Lassan accentuating rests and
phrase breaks, the intermediate part with a calm melody, and the dynamic Friska, I have not enjoyed
listening to this piece so much for a long time. His high notes are exceptionally beautiful. His excellent
performance is not limited to “Hungarian Pastoral Fantasy.” Familiar melodies such as “Sicilienne” and
“Dance of the Blessed Spirits” by Faure, and “Intermezzo from Carmen” by Bizet are also attractive.
Counterpoint with the piano in the latter brings a feeling of tension, which brings out beauty of the melodies. There are more notable points such as pianissimos in the beginning of the bonus track “Tong
Poo.” Having been a judge at Kanagawa Competition every year, I have been noticing the rising level of
performance by young flutists these days. However, it is difficult to find a flutist who can offer very
unique and dynamic performances. Ueno is an exceptional musician who is able to do that.
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
NEWS
from Young Concert Artists, Inc.
Seiya Ueno, flutist
Flutist Seiya Ueno released his first album
As Colorful as Kaleidoscope, Classic music is not dull
Masato Nishijo | Akahata | December, 16 2012
Prominent flutist Seiya Ueno (Age 23), who has won several international competitions, released his first album Kaleidoscope. Ueno talks
about his thoughts put into the unique title of the debut album.
“When you turn a kaleidoscope, you can see colors changing. I wanted
to express different colors in sound.”
The album includes 11 pieces including classics such as “Ave Maria” by
Caccini and contemporary ones such as “Regrets and Resolutions” by
Schocker.
The album captures your heart with powerful yet graceful sound.
“I wanted to introduce myself through this first album representing my
personality.”
One of the memorable pieces is the first number “Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rimsky-Korsakov. The continuous note that makes you feel breathless sounds as if the bumblebee is flying around as in the title itself.
“I perceive sound as colors, so this number with many semitones fits me very well.”
Ueno has Synesthesia, which is very special ability to perceive letters, numbers or sound as colors.
“I’ve been thinking it could be my delusion, but I was relieved to know there are other people like me.”
It has been said that Rimsky-Korsakov had Synesthesia as well. The composer and the artist coincidentally had this common ability.
Ueno was born in Tokyo. With his mother being a vocalist, he grew up with music.
He started playing the flute at the age of 10. His favorite artist was the famous French flutist Rampal
(1922-2000).
“I was fascinated by how gorgeous his sound was. He has always been my star, and of course still is.”
In his freshman year at Tokyo National University of Music and Fine Arts, he won the Grand Prix at the
Jean-Pierre Rampal Flute Competition, which is the most prestigious step to become a success flutist.
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
NEWS
from Young Concert Artists, Inc.
Seiya Ueno, flutist
Flutist Seiya Ueno released his first album
As Colorful as Kaleidoscope, Classic music is not dull
Masato Nishijo | Akahata | December, 16 2012
“I was really happy to win. I wanted to but it was my first international
competition.”
Ueno then went to study at the Conservatoire National Superieur in Paris,
which is a French music university that appears in the famous comic
“Nodame Cantabile.” He graduated from the school this June.
“Just like in the comic, many music students shared apartments with
others, cooking together and talking with each other.”
Ueno enjoys playing soccer, which he has been continuing since he was
small.”
“Paris is a very interesting city even just to walk around, so I used to take pictures of small shops and
alleys. By doing so, I sometimes got inspiration for my performance.”
Ueno will leave Paris after three years of living there and move to Munich in Germany this winter.
“I hope to return to Paris eventually but want to see more different places.”
During his time as a student, Ueno used to listen to Japanese pop music such as Tokyo Jihen and Kaela
Kimura.
“I love classic music and mainly play classics, but I do not think genres are important in music.”
His debut album includes “Tong Poo” by YMO and “Haru-yo, Koi” by Yumi Matsutoya as bonus
tracks. “Haru-yo, Koi” is a song he plays as an encore in his recitals.
Ueno chose to include those songs hoping to make a CD that is enjoyable for people who are not
interested in classic music.
The design for the CD cover is Ueno’s own idea as well. The photo of him holding a flute and jumping
shows his desire to cross over boundaries of different genres.
“One of the reasons that classic music is not very popular among young generation may be because they
think classic music is dull. But there is no way that the songs composers put their souls into are not
exciting. Those songs should not be treated as antiques, but should be enjoyed by different generations
in their own ways.”
Ueno keeps on traveling the world with his favorite gold flute in his hands.
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
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Seiya Ueno, flutist
Rising young flutist Seiya Ueno makes his CD debut
Shigeki Saeki | Band Journal | December 1, 2012
The album makes it possible to enjoy music beyond the limit of the flute.
Seiya Ueno, who just released his long-awaited solo album, was 18
years old when he won the Grand Prix at the Jean-Pierre Rampal
Flute Competition in Paris, France 4 years ago in 2008 and attracted
attention.
Although Ueno entered the Tokyo National University of Music and
Fine Arts upon his graduation from the Tokyo Metropolitan High
School of Music and Fine Arts, he moved to Paris to enter the
Conservatoire National Superieur in Paris in the following year. He
currently studies and performs in Paris.
“It was a difficult decision whether to continue my study in Paris as
the maximum leave I could take from the Tokyo National University
of Music and Fine Arts was two years. While graduating from the
university in Japan was still appealing to me, I wanted to experience
more by staying abroad, which lead to a positive outcome not only in terms of music but also in life. In
Paris, you are always expected to have your own opinion and need to express what you think.”
Having won the Grand Prix at an international competition, Ueno still had to start from the basics at the
Conservatoire National Superieur in Paris.
“I started with relearning how to hold the instrument. In Europe compared to Japan, they seem to have
stronger desire to find basic practice methods that are more effective and fast-acting. Teachers would
introduce new methods every week saying “I found this new practice,” which makes me want to find
something else and ask “I found this. What do you think about this method?” It is a very creative
process. This applies to the case of sport players too. Swimming or track, for example, should have
different forms between now and 30 years ago. Same thing should happen in playing the flute and
music.
Upon his graduation from the Conservatoire National Superieur in Paris, Ueno will start his study at the
Hochschule fur Musik in Munich this fall.
“The reason why I decided to go to Germany is because I wanted to experience the sound of orchestras
in Germany a lot in addition to studying German. I hope to play in an orchestra in the future in France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, or wherever it may be.”
Ueno’s album Kaleidoscope, which has been released, showcases his wide variety of techniques and
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
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Seiya Ueno, flutist
Rising young flutist Seiya Ueno makes his CD debut
Shigeki Saeki | Band Journal | December 1, 2012
expressions. While it includes some difficult pieces like “Flight of
the Bumblebee” by Rimsky-Korsakov and “Carmen Fantasy” by
Borne, which require exceptional techniques, most classic pieces
such as “Sicilienne” by Faure and “Vocalise” by Rachmaninoff are
familiar to listeners who never learned the flute.
“I wanted this album to be something that can be enjoyable for
people who are not very familiar with classic music, something
that is simply beautiful and attractive. Music is music after all and
the genre is not very important.”
The album is somewhat different from a particular classic collection. One of the standard pieces of classic flute music, “Hungarian
Pastoral Fantasy” by Doppler, is performed with originality that
breaks through its typical oriental impression.
“I tried not to be bound by stereotypes and performed by understanding what each piece calls for. In
doing that, typical image of flute sound was obstruction. I did not want listeners to instantly think it is
the sound of flute. Taking vibrato for example, it is merely one of the decorative techniques and should
not be constantly used. I play without any vibrato first when I practice, like with a clarinet. Although it
may be wrong to assume a clarinet should be played without vibrato.”
The album cover has a photo of Ueno jumping with a flute in his hands.
“This is not a composite photograph. I actually jumped. At the end of the photo session, the cameraman
said “Let’s try to take you jumping.” and we just tried it for fun, but it ended up being our favorite after
all.”
The story shows Ueno’s youthfulness and flexibility.
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]
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from Young Concert Artists, Inc.
Seiya Ueno, flutist
Long-awaited debut album Kaleidoscope by young rising
flutist Seiya Ueno
Yu Nishimura | The Record Geijutsu| November 1, 2012
Exquisite performance with power and speed
Harmonious melodies performed with elegance
Natural flow of melodies and delicate shifts of tones appeal to listeners
This is a long-awaited debut album of Seiya Ueno, whose universal appeal of music and sophisticated sense
lead to exceptional presence among Japanese young flutists increasing in the music industry. Although he
was brought into the limelight by winning the Grand Prix at the Jean-Pierre Rampal Flute Competition in
2008, he had been known among connoisseurs as a prominent flutist. The performance Ueno tries to achieve
differs in a good way from the trend of Japanese flute industry of the 21 st century. He values each “song” and
his performance appeals to listeners’ senses with natural flow of melodies and delicate shifts of tones without
emphasizing showy techniques or powerful expression and volume.
The writer listened to Ueno’s performance for the first time in the recital held during the Japan Flute Convention (hosted by Japan Flutists Association) in 2009 at the Showa University of Music. His win at the major
international competition in the previous year, as well as his good looks, made the large concert hall literally
full. The music he performed that time was exceptionally comforting and elegant, and always kept simple
and soft phrasing. While recent winners of flute competitions often use instruments that can achieve high
volume, Ueno at that time was using a silver instrument characterized by delicate nuances. However, his
performance did not lack power and there was gorgeous and bold expression at right moments, so that many
people were talking about rediscovering attractiveness of a silver instrument in the lobby after the recital.
Ueno entered the Conservatoire National Superieur in Paris around the time the recital was held, and he
started to look for an ideal instrument to achieve his desire to add a little more power and volume to his
performance. He has found the instrument he has been looking for after a few years, which is the gold instrument he used for recording this album.
Movement of beautiful notes and harmonious melodies performed immaculately and elegantly
Ueno’s long-awaited album has been released after finding his ideal instrument at last. As described by its
title, the album Kaleidoscope attracts listeners with delicate movement of beautiful notes and harmonious melodies performed immaculately and elegantly. It also has power and speed he tried to achieve. Those features
can be observed in the first piece “Flight of the Bumblebee.” For example, chromatic scales of 16th notes are
not performed completely precise but slightly off the beat. That shows his interpretation of chromatic scales
as a melody expressing the curved line of bumblebee’s flight. It is as if Ueno uses this first number to present
himself as an artist whose performance is not limited to technical aspects.
Many of the recorded works are very famous pieces, which made me wonder why he chose those specific
pieces. However, as I listened to them, I realized that his performance is very modest in that he tries to be
faithful to what each piece calls for. On the other hand, Bolling, Schocker, and “Tong Poo,” which is an overdubbed bonus track, are stylish and refreshing.
Ueno performs with different pianists between classical pieces and other pieces, which seem to be very effective for him who says “My performance completely changes depending on the pianist I perform with.” The
album is filled with his attractive personality and performance.
YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS, INC. 250 West 57 Street, Suite 1222 New York, NY 10107, www.yca.org
Telephone: (212) 307-6655 Fax: (212) 581-8894 [email protected]