Sunday, 10 June 2012

Questions and Answers with a Violinist by Celebrity Access




LONDON (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) -- Songwriter and Violinist Diana Yukawa is on the brink of something extraordinary.

Having released 3 solo albums with Sony and BMG/RCA the half English half Japanese 26 year old feels that she has finally created the sound she has be striving for. Diana’s life story is film worthy, melodramatically so. In 1985, her father died in the crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123, the deadliest single-aircraft accident in history. Born a month later, Diana was moved back to London where she was raised.

Diana’s colourful career to date has seen her perform at many prestigious venues all over the world. More recently she has dazzled audiences at Tivoli Festival, Burj Dubai for the 2012 New Year Concert, to a sold-out Hollywood Bowl, 100’000 people at the Dubai World Cup, 60’000 people at a Khalifa Stadium in Qatar, with Katherine Jenkins in concert and headlining for Picnic Concerts at Kenwood House in London.

Q
So what is this “new sound” all about?
A Well, it's all about a long musical journey I have been on to create the music I've been so passionate to make. It's combining different sounds that I love with the violin and finding the right balance of electronic and acoustic. It's about love - love for music!

Q How would you describe it?
A It's really hard to describe, but I suppose you could say it's a blend of classical and electronic. It lends itself really well to visuals, because I think it's very atmospheric and emotive - lots of people say it sounds very filmy.

Q Which genre would you find it in a record shop
A Ha! I have no idea… Let's make a new genre. "Modern Classical".

Q What do you enjoy the most about what you do?
A I love all the creative aspects of what I do but I think performing is my favourite part, as it means what you've been working so hard at, what you have put so much blood and sweat into has its chance to connect with the audience. You hope that your music will mean something to another person, a stranger, anybody. So when you can see and feel that it is having a positive impact on someone listening, it's a pretty wonderful feeling.

Q What is your goal with your music?
A My goal is to create music that connects with listeners and to also reach people who perhaps wouldn't ordinarily listen to my kind of music, or more "classical" and instrumental music. I want my music to evoke emotions.. it's really as simple as that.

Q Where did it all begin?
A It all began when I was five years old and begging my mother for a violin. When she finally gave in, I fell in love with the violin and very soon declared that I was going to grow up and become a professional violinist. Nothing has changed 21 years later.

Q What do you want your listeners to get from your music?
A I simply want them to connect with it and hopefully enjoy listening to it and whatever journey the music will take them on…

Q Originally a violinist, did songwriting come naturally to you?
A Not exactly, coming away from doing things the classical way, it was hard to even think I could be worthy of creating music of my own. It was quite a long and hard process, but the longer I have been on that path, the more I love it and find new ways of being creative and writing music. It has been a necessary part of evolving as an artist and not just being a musician. It's important to always keep growing and learning new things.

Q What’s your greatest Achievement musically?
A I have no idea, I don't really have one! Once I've finished a piece of music, an album, a project or a concert, I move on from it quite quickly and want to start the next thing and make sure it's getting better than whatever happened previously. I guess my greatest achievement is when/if my music speaks to someone's soul. I'm pretty happy with that :)

Q Are you working on any other projects?
A Well I'm currently working on my new music, which I've just started putting online so people can get to hear the new sound if they want to. It's been a long journey to this point, but I'm really excited at how things are coming together and what the next album is hopefully shaping up to be.

Q Any Plans for collaborations?
A I'm currently working with John Foxx and Benge on an album we have been working on for a little while. I'm loving exploring a new direction and how our different influences are coming together and creating something quite unexpected. It's sounding really beautiful and I can't wait to find out how people will respond to it!

Q What/Who are your Musical inspirationsI have so many inspirations…
A I love people like Jascha Heifetz and Fritz Kreisler to artists at the other end of the spectrum, like Massive Attack, Radiohead and Antony & The Johnsons. What they all have in common is that their music comes from the heart. Music isn't about labels, categories or boundaries. Good music is good music - a language that we can all understand.

Q Final thought?
A Green tea ice-cream

Modern Violinist – Diana Yukawa Website
Become a Fan of Diana on Facebook

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