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Usui, Shiori

Originally from Japan, Shiori Usui (*1981) is a BBC Proms commissioned composer and improviser based in Scotland. The Times newspaper described her as a composer with “entirely individual ears” after the successful premiere of the piece Liya-pyuwa for piano quintet at Wigmore Hall, London in 2006.

Shiori composes radical instrumental music and has worked with motion capturing sensors and biophysical technology. Many of her compositions are inspired by the sounds of the human body, the deep sea, and many other weird and wonderful organisms living on Earth.

Shiori has been a recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including Toru Takemitsu Composition Award 2012, Civitella Ranieri Music Fellowship in conjunction with the UNESCO-Aschberg Bursary (2010), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Cove Park composer’s residency (2012), Birmingham Contemporary Music Group/Sound and Music composer-in-residence (2013-2014), Scottish Chamber Orchestra Connect Fellow funded by BBC Performing Arts Fund (2013-2014) for working with children with additional support needs, and Scottish Awards for New Music for large ensemble (2018).

As an improvising musician, Shiori has performed with artists and groups such as Arve Henriksen, Ilan Volkov, Rie Nakajima, Lee Patterson, Cato, Grey Area, BCMG and Collegium Novum Zurich.

Shiori Usui was part of ricordilab 2016-2019.

Photo: Fabio Bracarda, Metalli