Aine E Nakamura
voice, composition, performance, mixed music
What formal details do I choose or not choose? What grammar do I create or not create? What cultural context do I evoke or not evoke? I pursue sensibility and spirituality as my aesthetics through a focus on the nuanced possibilities of my voice. My voice is of and with my body. I am a singer, and I am song itself.
Aine E Nakamura is a composer, singer, and performing/performance artist. She recently focuses on her orality, and additionally stories, imagery, and movement of body for her idiosyncratic performance grammar. Her transborder work in the theme of nature and animism is her way of showing resilience against violence. Her artistic quest has meant a search for her own language to express self, which cannot be told simply through one disciplinary or cultural frame, while moving closer to her woman artist identity, acknowledging her transnational complexity. She has been an insider and outsider, the minority and the disguised majority who had been trained to behave that nothing seems to bother while she has always questioned the grammar and had witnessed her self being torn apart in the grammar. She cares for and nurtures her self in a new grammar she investigates. I am free to create and find more. Through the interactive approach toward space, time, nature, and humanity, she aims to connect her and audience with inner self, with a hope to see ways of life in multiple delicate stories, beings and relations.
In addition to her artistic pursuit, she studied orality in ritualistic songs by women and villagers in Okinawa and Yaeyama.
In her composition, Life of A Flower-War and lullaby, she performed as a flower, which lived during a war time, from a sprout to the end of the blooming, through her improvised vocal sounds, melody, body movement, and imagery about the war, mother and her child, from the eyes of a flower.
Her solo performances and installations include Circle hasu (mixed music version) at A Concert of Electronic Music in honor of Mario Davidovsky, Circle hasu 8-channel sound art work at Dias de Música Electroacústica, The River at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and One-woman Live at JZ Brat Sound of Tokyo. Premieres of her compositions include 6 stories at the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival performed with cellist Madeleine Shapiro, The Story of Oica at the October New Music Festival in Finland performed with Mikro Ensemblen, and The Unseen World with ICE at the Abrons Arts Center. Her other recent appearances include The Two directed by Dmitry Krymov (New York Theater Workshop project). Nakamura has curated and produced collaborative art events Listening to Nature supported by Tishman Environment and Design Center, and Exploration in Sound and Body supported by First Performance in New York. Winner of the APNM 2019 Electronic Music Competition for Circle hasu (mixed music). Awardee of The Leo Bronstein Homage Award from New York University for her MA studies, and The Honorable Mention Award for the 2020 Pauline Oliveros New Genre Prize for Circle hasu (art of voice and body). Nakamura has given talks and lecture-recitals at several places including University of Pittsburgh and McGill Schulich School of Music.
Her mentors include Itaru Mitsuzuka from her early classical voice training; Isamu Goya, under whom she studied Okinawan traditional music (uta-sanshin) in Noborikawa-ryu; composers and musicians Richard Harper, Jane Ira Bloom, Kirk Nurock, Diane Moser, and Dave Douglous from her training at the Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School; and composers Elizabeth Hoffman, Joan La Barbara, and Jaime Oliver, actor Anna Deavere Smith, scholar-artists Nina Katchadourian, and Michael D. Dinwiddie from her studies at New York University (MA 2020, Thesis: My Art of Voice and Body).
Composer pioneer Annea Lockwood commented on Nakamura’s work: Circle hasu,
“Its intense vulnerability and the beautiful layering of voices—distant, close, together with [her] movements, flowing was very moving.”
Ongoing & Future Projects
○Circle hasu by Aine E Nakamura Mar 25-Apr 1 Performance on March 30 2020 Gallatin Galleries NY <tbu>
○new work for the Masked Music Commissions, The Association for the Promotion of New Music 2021
○Residency at the Watermill Center, OPERA Ensemble April 7-May 7 2021 NY (virtual attendance)
○Nomadic Soundsters 2021 Virtual Residency
○kaeru, Earth Day Art Model 2021
○私のからだ 私のこころ My body, my heart, my spirit (Woman Artist-in-Residence) June 2020 to Spring 2021 / This project is supported by the NYU Dean's Conference Fund.
○パリテカフェ京都 パリテとアート April 2021
Selective Performances & Presentations
○Lecture-recital: Circle hasu: My Art of Voice and Body
The 2021 McGill Music Graduate Students' Symposium / 2021.3
○Lecture-recital: Voice as Body, Voice and Body
The Music and Movement Virtual Conference, University of Pittsburgh, & Penn State 2021 New-Music Festival and Symposium / 2021.1 2021.3
○Circle hasu, video documentation, Earth Day Art Model / 2020.4
○Circle hasu, mixed music, A Concert of Electronic Music in honor of Mario Davidovsky, winner / NY 2019.12
○Sound installation (8-channel work), Dias de Música Electroacústica, Culture and Sustainable Cities / Lisbon 2019.11
○pieces on prayer, The VU Symposium for experimental, electronic and improvised music: Pushing the envelope, My appearance was supported by C.V. Starr Fund of the Asian Pacific/American Institute and, NYU Dean's Conference Fund Award / Park City, UT July 2019
○The Two directed by Dmitry Krymov / NY 2019.2
○The Unseen World premiered at the Abrons Arts Center, for and performed with ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble) / NY 2019.4
○Exploration in Sound and Body, collaborators: dancer Miki Orihara, pianist-improviser Yuko Fujiyama, supported by First Performance, New York University / NY 2019.3
○The Story of Oica, fully notated music, October New Music Festival for and performed with the Mikro Ensemblen / Oulu, Finland 2018.9
○6 stories, mixed music, New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival performed with Madeleine Shapiro, Abrons Arts Center/ NY 2019.7
○The River, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts / NY 2018.5
○Public viewing of Dmitry Krymov Lab / NY 2017.9
○Listening to Nature supported by Tishman Environment and Design Center / NY 2017.6
○MoMA Bang on a Can: Music Among Friends, John Cage for MOMA, Mannes School of Music Ensemble / NY 2017.5
○One Woman Live Show at Kitasando Strobe Cafe / Tokyo 2015.11
○One Woman Live at JZ Brat SOUND OF TOKYO, collaborator: painter Shinichiro Sugiyama / 2014.11
○Asagaya Jazz / 2012.10, 2014.10
○Sophia University, Education in Ghana x Share / Tokyo 2014.3
○Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku / Tokyo 2013.12
○One Woman Live show at Strobe Cafe sponsored by TV Kanagawa, collaborators: tap dancer Shoko Taniguchi, Kahiko Hula dancer Miilani Cooper, etc. / 2013.6
○Okirai Summer2012xLIGHT UP NIPPON / Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture 2012.8
○Furano, Hokkaido 2012.7
○Tokyo Midtown / LIGHT UP NIPPON 2012.7
○One Woman Live Show at Shibuya PLUG / Tokyo 2011.9
○2011 Canadian Music Fest / Toronto 2011.3
Awards & Grants:
○Honorable Mention Award for the 2020 Pauline Oliveros New Genre Prize, The 39th IAWM Search for New Music Competition 2020
○The Leo Bronstein Homage Award, New York University 2020
○APNM 2019 Electronic Music Competition, winner 2019.12
○Dean's Award for Summer Research, and Dean's Conference Fund Award, summer 2019
○C.V. Starr Fund Award, Asian/Pacific/American Institute 2019
○The Aiko Susanna Tashiro Hiratsuka Memorial Performing Arts Scholarship, Japanese American Citizen League 2018
○tvk live sponsorship 2013.6
○The 13th Great American Song Contest/Adult Contemporary/finalist 2012.3
○J-WAVE Music Hyper Market (radio)/Toko no Dendo Artist 2012.11
Selective Publications
○Space Sculpting, fixed media, The SEAMUS Electroacoustic Miniatures Series - Monophonic 2020
○Composition, poem, On the Rabbit Hole, Gallatin Galleries 2020
○On the Night of the New Moon, poem, Eleven and a Half Journal 2018
○Vocal recordings for catchat for babies (DVD) released by TBS and Columbia Entertainment
Selective Media Appearances:
radios & online shows
○Radio Campus Brussels 2020.9
○Nippon Broadcasting System (live performance) Suono Dolce 2011.6, 2012.10, 2014.12
○FM Nack5 (live performance) 2014.10
○FM Setagaya 2013.8-
○Co-hosted a music program of Radio NIKKEI 2012.12-2013.3
○J-WAVE Music Hyper Market / Toko no Dendo Featured Artist 2012.11
○Tamagawa Takashimaya x FM Setagaya (live performance) / La Dolce Vita Cindy Suzuki 2012.9
○JFN / Once (live performance) 2011.7 & 2012.9
○J-Wave Hello World 2010.11
Other Engagements:
○Songs from Ryukyu Islands for Listening Journal, Lumbardhi, Kosovo 2020
○Singer, voice over, translator. Clients included NHK (TV), NHK World (TV), TPS, Inc.(TV programs), Four Seasons Hotel, and Swissotel Osaka, Japan 2011-2016
○Curatorial work, Institute of Global Concern, Sophia University, Tokyo 2013-2015
Education:
○MA, Composition and Performance concentration, New York University 2018-2020
○Jazz & Contemporary Music, The New School, BFA program 2016-2018
○BA in foreign studies and curatorial studies, Sophia (Jochi) University 2004
○Qualified as a curator (official curator certificate, Japan) 2004
Other backgrounds:
○Trained in Okinawan traditional music (uta-sanshin) under Isamu Goya, Noborikawa-ryu
○Studied Classical voice under Itaru Mitsuzuka
○special thanks to Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio and Yoshito Ohno
For my full C.V., please contact.
Photography by Takaaki Asai
中村愛音
[短いプロフィール]
歌い手、作曲家、パフォーマー。声と体の可能性をみつめながら、うたい、芸術をつくる。
ソロの出演出展は、ニューヨーク「A Concert of Electronic Music in honor of Mario Davidovsky」、リスボン「Dias de Música Electroacústica」等。 ニューヨーク・インターナショナル・コンテンポラリー・アンサンブル、フィンランド・ミクロアンサンブルらにも作曲を提供、共演する。「The Leo Bronstein Homage Award 2020」、「Honorable Mention Award for the 2020 Pauline Oliveros Prize」受賞。APNM2019エレクトロニック・ミュージック・コンペティションのウィナー（声とパフォーマンスの作品にて）。ニューヨーク大学修士卒業。
作曲家アネーア・ロックウッドは、中村のソロ作品『Circle 蓮』について、以下のように話す。
「濃密な繊細さと、美しい何層もの声は、彼女の動きとともに、近くに聴こえたり、遠くから聴こえたり…その流れは、とても感動的なものだった」
[長いプロフィール]
米ワシントン州出身、横浜市に育つ。現在はニューヨークと東京を拠点とする。レーナ・マリアのコンサートに感銘を受け、クラシック声楽を学び始める。上智大学在学時(外国研究、村井吉敬ゼミ、学芸員課程)にゴスペルクワイアのSAfro FAmilyに所属。パートリーダー等を務める。また、登川流呉屋功氏に沖縄島唄・三線を学ぶ。バークリー音楽大学オンラインソングライティングコースを通してソングライティングを学ぶ。ソロやグループで活動し、旧椿山荘フォーシーズンのブライダルシンガー等を務め始める。
2010年秋よりシンガーソングライターとしての活動を開始する。カナダCanadian Music Fest、米Millenium Music Conference出演。米Empire State Mixtape、ACM Records等のコンピレーションに楽曲が収録される。米国作曲コンテストのGreat American Song Contestのファイナリストに選ばれ、2013年よりJ-WAVE「Music Hyper Market投稿の殿堂」アーティスト。2014年11月JZ Brat SOUND OF TOKYOにてワンウーマン・アルバムリリースライブ。タップダンサー谷口翔有子、yoshiko、カヒコ・フラダンサーMiilani Cooper、画家杉山振一朗等、様々なフィールドのアーティストとのコラボレーションに取り組む。初期の音楽スタイルは、ジャズ、ソウル、クラシック、島唄、サウンドアート、朗読等のアートを含んだ。
この頃より、音楽が大きく変化し始め、より精神性に重きを置くようになる。2016年、音楽の研鑽、および自身のトランスナショナルなアイデンテティと芸術の追求のため、渡米。これにより、新しいスタイルの制作を行うようになる。
2017年6月ニューヨークにて、「Listening to Nature」を主宰し、自然との関係の追求という個人的かつ芸術的テーマと向き合うようになる。監督/デザイナーDmitry Krymovの前衛プロジェクトの音楽メンバーになったことを機に、音楽フォームが無い状態での即興、劇からのアプローチによるヴォイスに取り組むようになる(2019年にThe Two 出演)。2017年5月John Cage music for MoMA音楽メンバー。2018年春ニューヨーク・パブリック・ライブラリー・フォー・パフォーミング・アーツにて、ハドソン川と人の移動に関するソロの作曲作品を発表した。2018年7月、ニューヨーク・シティ・エレクトロアクースティック・ミュージック・フェスティバルにおいて、作曲作品『six stories』を、フェスティバルのフィーチャーアーティスト・チェリストのマデレイン・シャピロと演奏する。2018年9月、フィンランド・オウルにてmicrotonal music（微分音音楽）の作曲をMiKro Ensemblenと演奏する。2019年、「Exploration in Sound and Body」を開催し、ダンサーMiki Orihara、ピアニストYuko Fujiyamaと共演。また伊藤若冲の動物の屏風画をインスピレーションに『The Unseen World』を作曲し、ICEと共演した。音楽、サウンドアート、即興、体の動き、劇などを取り入れた作曲であった。2018年から2021年現在まで、声と体の独自のワンウーマン作品を発表し始め、ソロ作品『Circle hasu』により各賞受賞。
ニュースクール大学ジャズスクール Jazz & Contemporary Music にて、Richard Harper、Dave Douglas、Jane Ira Bloom、Diane Moser、Kirk Nurock、Chris Stoverらにヴォイス、作曲および音楽学を学ぶ。ニューヨーク大学修士課程にて、Elizabeth Hoffman、Anna Deavere Smith、Nina Katchadourian、Joan La Barbaraらに作曲、芸術およびパフォーマンスを学ぶ、また、沖縄・八重山地方の女性と村人による祭祀と歌を研究する。この研究は、うた三線の原型が女性の祈りの声であったであろうことに関心を持ったことで始めたが、譜面や楽器伴奏のない状態での体からの声の研究に集中していった。また「沖縄女性学」とジェンダーにも触れる研究となった。作曲、パフォーマンス、口承・口述学、音楽療法、ジェンダー学を学際的かつ独自にデザインし、2020年に主席卒業。この独自の研究は、中村自身のうたうた、体からの声、また体としての声をみつめ、深め、みつけていくものでった。ワンウーマン作曲・パフォーマンス手法を創り、APNM 2019 Electronic Music Competitionウィナー、The Leo Bronstein Homage Award（ニューヨーク大学）、Honorable Mention Award for the 2020 Pauline Oliveros New Genre Prize受賞。