air of Paris

Kazuko Yasukawa (at that time: Kusama) moved to Paris in the 1920s, which is said to be the "era of frenzy" when World War I ended and a sense of liberation erupted.

Ravel and Stravinsky were active, and early jazz was popular in the streets. Monet, whom Kazuko Yasukawa liked all her life, also lived in her final years, and Tsuguharu Foujita, whom Kazuko Yasukawa later received a lithograph of a girl, was also in Montparnasse, where the painters of the École de Paris hang out.On the other hand, modern art such as surrealism and art deco is also born.

Kazuko Yasukawa, who grew up in Paris, where the chaos of new and old creative energies was created, spent an exciting childhood listening to live performances by Paderewski, Horowitz, Rachmaninoff, Edvin Fischer, and others.

Kazuko Yasukawa later commented on this era, ``Since I was young, I understood it later, but it was a very interesting era with many changes, such as the sextants, Jean Cocteau, Picasso, and the Russian ballet. I did," he said on a radio show.

On the other hand, the Kusama (Yaskawa) family, a diplomat family, was visited by many guests from all the way from Japan. Kazuko Yasukawa, who was an only child, was taken on sightseeing tours of the Louvre Museum and the Palace of Versailles from an early age. I remembered everything from beginning to end.”

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Kazuko Yasukawa

Born in Japan in 1922 (maiden name: Kusama). In 1923, he moved with his mother to Paris, where his father was a diplomat. Already on board the ship to France, he showed interest in the piano. From the age of 1, she lived in Paris and grew up as a native French speaker. In addition, while absorbing the overripe air of the 1920s "era of madness", he was taken by many distinguished guests from his childhood to the Louvre Museum and the Palace of Versailles, and the foundation of his aesthetic sensibility was highly developed.

He started taking piano lessons at the age of 3, and at the age of 10 he entered the preparatory course of the National Conservatory of Music in Paris under the guidance of the great master Lazare Lévy. Graduated with first prize at the age of In the same year, while continuing to receive instruction from Lévy, she won an honorary prize (winner) at the 1st Paris International Women's Competition, which was one of the few competitions at that time. , performed chamber music, etc.

After graduating from the Conservatoire in 1937, he enrolled in Jean Gallon's harmony class. Composers from his class such as Messiaen and Dutilleux also appeared, and he learned advanced music education surrounded by classmates such as Pierre Cinquin and Geneviève Joie, but was advised to return to Japan due to the outbreak of World War II.

In late 1939, she returned to Japan, and from 1940, she began performing in Japan on NHK radio (at that time as ``Kazuko Kusama''). She was often introduced as a genius girl.

Since then, as one of Japan's leading pianists, he has spread Chopin and modern French music in earnest in Japan (premiering many modern French works in Japan), as well as German music, contemporary music, and the creation of many Japanese composers. Active in the repertoire. He performed in recitals, orchestras, and with many famous conductors all over the country, and also consistently worked on chamber music, continuing to perform with foreign and Japanese players.

In 1944, he married Japanese literature scholar Sadao Yasukawa and changed his surname to Yasukawa. After experiencing an unfortunate war experience, he became a lecturer at the age of 24 and a professor at the age of 30. From the late 1950s, he was extremely busy with daily education such as Tokyo University of the Arts, private instruction at home, and raising three children. The number of nationwide performances reached its peak, and he continued to devote himself to the growth of postwar Japan.

In 1978, he developed rheumatoid arthritis, and in 1983, he ruptured his finger tendon during a recital, and was finally forced to stop performing.

After that, until his sudden death in 1996, he continued to lead the classical music world through educational activities, judging international competitions such as the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition and the Chopin International Piano Competition, and various promotional organization activities.

Arts Festival Minister of Education Award, Mainichi Music Award, French Order of Educational Merit, French Order of Arts and Letters, Legion d'Honneur, NHK Broadcast Culture Award, Mainichi Art Award, Japan Art Academy Award, Polish National Merit Medal, Tokyo Culture Award , NHK Symphony Orchestra Arima Award, Order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd Class, Person of Cultural Merit Award, French Order of Educational Merit (Commander).

Member of the Japan Art Academy, President of the Association of Artists, President of the Japan Federation of Musicians, President and President of the Japan Federation of Piano Education, President of the Japan-France Music Association, President of the Association for the Promotion of French Language Education, President of the Japan Chopin Association, President of the Japan Faure Association, Japan International He has served as Chairman and Judge of the Music Competition Management Committee, Chairman and Judge of the Music Competition of Japan, Councilor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Chairman of the Jury of the ABC Music Foundation, and many others.
Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University of the Arts, Visiting Professor at Toho Gakuen University, Visiting Professor at Osaka College of Music.

Awards/recipients

International Competition Jury

Kazuko Yasukawa Memorial Reference Room
Collection materials

○Video materials
A few pieces from the 1978 and 1981 concerts (albeit small, materials that give a sense of Kazuko Yasukawa's art, the historical nature of her performance, and her education), as well as interview videos and documents from her later years.

○ Photographs and image materials
Paper-printed photographs, bromide materials, and data images of Paris from his childhood to his later years, both public and private: Approximately 100 items

○ Audio material
SP records: about 20 types, LP records: dozens of types, CDs: about 20 types, cassette tapes: hundreds

○Concert program, leaflets, autographs, manuscripts, pamphlets, etc.
Solos, chamber music, orchestral soloists, programs such as TV recordings, leaflets, etc.: several hundred pieces, autographed colored paper: several pieces, bromides: several pieces, various pamphlets: about 20 types, autograph manuscripts from before the war to 1983 , notebook, etc.

○ Various magazines, etc.
Various music magazines, monthly magazines, weekly magazines, organization magazines, etc. with articles and criticisms from before and after the end of the war to the present: Hundreds

○Newspaper article
Mainly national newspaper articles from the 1970s to the present: dozens of articles

○Books/Scores
In addition to representative works and critical biographies, books including related descriptions: Dozens of books, fingerings, commentaries, translations, etc. All educational sheet music series (including those that are not currently available), sheet music with supervised name, etc.