Home

Passionate and sensual, Seki's performances are as much a visual delight as they are aural.
"Bathed in tonal beauty" is how The Times describes her.

Haruko Seki has performed at many major UK venues including St John's Smith Square, The South Bank, Wigmore and Fairfield Halls. She has recorded for the BBC and for German television. Internationally she has performed in Europe, America and the Far East - Her appeal is truly global!

An Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, Seki studied under the auspices of Piers Lane, Kathron Sturrock and Christopher Elton, completing her Master's and graduating with the Academy's highest performance award, Recital Diploma. Her inspiration is derived from a cross fertilisation of poetry as well as music, having obtained her first BA Degree in English literature prior to coming to the UK to pursue her musical passion. She has competed internationally, winning First Prize in the USA's St Charles Illinois International Piano Competition in 1997 among others.

Seki's broad repertoire as a Concerto Pianist encompasses over 20 concertos while amongst her solo repertoire she has taken a special interest in neglected works by Saint-Saëns and Tournemire. More recently she has delighted audiences with her explorations of Gershwin and Scott Joplin.

Having now spent much of her life in the UK, Seki now sees opportunity to act as musical channel between the British Isles and Japan. She has recently completed a successful project in Japan promoting the works of two lesser known composers of Britain and Ireland, John Ireland and John Field. In the future she hopes to pursue projects drawing together influences from East and West in both music and poetry.

Her new group, The Phantasia Ensemble ( www.phantasiaensemble.co.uk ) is a musical collaboration that brings together the music, poetry and stories of the British Isles and Japan. They are passionate about music's ability to cross cultural divides and draw people together from the most different backgrounds, celebrating the uniqueness and similarity between these two cultures so many miles away

"Musical Pointers comments on Seki's contribution to the at London's National Gallery "...pianist Haruko Seki (greatgrand pupil through Piers Lane of Myra Hess),for me the star of the afternoon" "Read more

"The Times referred to her playing as being "bathed in tonal beauty" and whose "vivid colouristic strokes... took one off into a world of serene enchantment""

"Ongaku No Tomo (Japan's leading classical music magazine) also wrote of the "tonal beauty" of her playing and to her creating "her own musical atmosphere through her vivid and varied coloured tones"."

"Cambridge Network: Classical review " 'Dazzling virtuosity' is overused in the lexicon of classical music reviews, but Haruko Seki deserves it with knobs on. She was soloist in a breathtaking account of Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F given at West Road by the Cambridge Orchestra. So fluid, passionate and supercharged with energy was her outstanding performance that it put the other two works into the shade." "

"Musical Opinion described her as "a pianist with an innate ability to communicate with her audience, and an eagerness to share her own evident enjoyment in the music she offered... Her Chopin exuded both poetry and controlled panache... with a power and dexterity that revealed an impressively secure technique"."

"Music & Vision wrote about her CD of Saint-Saens Piano solo works; "The admirable Japanese pianist, Haruko Seki, applies her refreshing lightness of touch to some of the solo piano pieces. Her immaculate attention to detail is as ravishing as her care over the larger picture…. I would be surprised if Saint-Saens could remain indifferent to performances of this caliber.""

"Enthusiastic, smiling and happy patrons walked out of the Central Methodist Church in Hucknall last Saturday, singing the praises of the experiences of the very latest Eric Coates Society Concert. Their praises were for the highly impressive performances of international concert pianist Haruko Seki and Laura Roberts, a principal soprano with the Cantamus Choir who, along with pianist Michael Neaum, rendered the three recently discovered ballads of Coastes from 1906 to a waiting and appreciative audience. Consequently, may I thank Central Methodist, the patrons, performers, Coates Society committee members - Ian Stevenson and Harry Smith, the Goddan family, and Joel, Gill and Alan Sanders - and the Press for their outstanding support. Haruko provided an amazing musical spectacular, performing pieces written for orchestra, with great dexterity, fingers often a blur. Laura's maturing ability is outstanding, singing the Coates ballads with sympathetic sensitivity and emotion. As the fourth consecutive sell-out concert, Hucknall can be justifiably proud of the efforts by the society to inform, entertain and maintain the memory of Hucknall's - and one of the nation's - favourite composers. Geoff Sheldon, Chairman, Eric Coates Society."Read more

"Organists' Review says "Haruko Seki demonstarated how beautiful piano playing can be, using herself almost as a human resonator to give a scintillatingly musical performance of the Douze Préludes-Poèms (Charles Tournemire)"."

"The Birmingham Post described her performance (of the Chopin B flat minor scherzo) as "a stunning account from a pianist who obviously loves playing, communicating her delight vividly to the audience". "

"Sevenoaks Chronicle, of her Rhapsody in Blue, remarked "The prize winning young pianist Haruko Seki gave us a wonderfully musical and vigorous account, enthralling the audience and dovetailing with the solos in the orchestra...""

"Musical Pointers comments on Seki's contribution to the at London's National Gallery "...pianist Haruko Seki (greatgrand pupil through Piers Lane of Myra Hess),for me the star of the afternoon" "

"The Times referred to her playing as being "bathed in tonal beauty" and whose "vivid colouristic strokes... took one off into a world of serene enchantment""Read more

HARUKO SEKI - CONCERT PIANIST

HARUKO SEKI - CONCERT PIANIST