Akiko Seki

Akiko Seki (Japanese: 関鑑子) (September 8, 1899 in Tokyo – May 2, 1973 in Tokyo) was a Japanese soprano. She is commonly recognized as the founder of the movement of The Singing Voice of Japan (Japanese: 日本のうたごえ, Nihon no Utagoe / うたごえ運動, Utagoe-undō). In 1955 she was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize.

Akiko Seki
関鑑子
Akiko Seki, c. 1955
Akiko Seki, c. 1955
Born(1899-09-08)September 8, 1899
Tokyo, Japan
DiedMay 2, 1973(1973-05-02) (aged 73)
Tokyo, Japan
NationalityJapanese
OccupationSinger
Years active1921–1973
Cover of the first collection of Songs for Youth edited by Akiko Seki (Tokyo, Typography of the cultural section of the Communist Youth League of Japan, 1948)

Life
  • March 1921: She graduated in artistic singing at the Music School of Tokyo (Japanese: 東京音楽学校,Tōkyō Ongaku Gakkō).[1]
  • May 1, 1946: In the occasion of the first May Day post-war in Tokyo, she conducted L'internationale and a Japanese version of The red flag; this experience led her to the creation of a national musical movement of the working class.[2]
  • February 10, 1948: She created the Choir of the Communist Youth League of Japan (Japanese: 日本青年共産同盟 中央合唱団, Nihon-seinen-kyōsan-dōmei Chuō-gassyōdan) in Tokyo, as the core of national musical movement of the working class.[1]
  • December 20, 1955: She was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize.

Writings
  • Collection of Songs for Youth (Japanese: 「青年歌集」, Seinen-kasyū) (Tokyo, Typography of the cultural section of the Communist Youth League of Japan, 1948).
  • Bewiched by the singing voice (Japanese: 「歌ごえに魅せられて」, Utagoe ni miserarete) (Tokyo, 1971).[3]

See also

References
  1. NDL Search Various Authors: Ōkina benibara. (Tokyo, 1981) [関鑑子追想集編集委員会 編「大きな紅ばら: 関鑑子追想集」 (音楽センター 1981年) 関鑑子略年譜]
  2. Akiko Seki: Theory of The Singing Voice of Japan: What is the music (Tokyo, 1956), p.58. [関鑑子「うたごえ運動の理論－音楽とは何か－」（「知性」1956年増刊号［東京、河出書房］）58ページ]
  3. NDL Search [「歌ごえに魅せられて」（音楽センター 1971年）]


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