Oshima, Ayako
Ayako Oshima, winner of numerous international competition including the 55th Japan Music Competition in Tokyo, the Winds and Percussion Competition in Japan, and the 17th International Jeunesses Musicales Competition in Belgrade, where she also received the “Golden Harp” award given to the favorite of the audience and critics, is one of the most popular clarinet soloists in Japan.
She performs on a regular basis both in recital and in concerto appearances with orchestra, highlights of which have included performances in Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Tanuma, at the Casals Hall, Keoi Hall, and Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo, and with the Hiroshima and Osaka Symphonies. She is quite active in chamber music festivals. Festivals at which Ms. Oshima has appeared include Kuhmo Festival in Finland, the Festival Consonances in France, the Sarasota Summer Music Festival, and in Japan the Mt. Fuji, Lilia International Chamber Music Festivals, and the Kirishima International Music Festival where in addition to performing and teaching she has produced innovative multimedia concerts for children on themes such as the composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and George Gershwin, two centuries of music in Vienna, and music in Paris and the international Exposition of 1899, combining live performance, spoken text and computer generated slides and images.
Ayako Oshima has recorded for Toshiba EMI, Victor Japan, Naxos, and with “Mozzafiato” for Sony Vivarte. She has recently recorded “Songs of Japan” for the Aurora label and her most recent recording “Bel Canto” music for two clarinets will be released in September.
In addition to her performing career, she maintains a high profile as a teacher and is on the faculties of the State University of New York at Purchase, the Juilliard School, and Hartt College. She has kept her connection with the Toho School and gives regular master classes there. She has also served on the juries of both the Japan Music Competition and the Japan Winds and Percussion International Competition. She has founded and is the Director of the Kita Karuizawa Music Seminar which attracts clarinet students from all over Asia. With her husband, Charles Neidich, she has written a book on the fundamentals of clarinet technique for the publisher, Toa Ongaku Inc. and writes a monthly column on music and the clarinet for Pipers Magazine.
