Status: Professional flute player.
First Music Memory: “First time when I remember I heard music was around five in kindergarten. I told my mom, I want to play that [laughs]. The language of music was so clear to me. I was like, I want to be in that world.”
Inspiration: “Good people, good art, good food and drink.”
Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “Hiking, biking, yoga, oh, I love swimming but I can’t find a swimming pool in Brooklyn. But if I find it I’m gonna go a couple times a week.”
Favorite Movies: “I just watched ‘City Of Lost Children’ last night. The film takes place in France.”
Favorite TV Show: “I don’t watch TV.”
Musical Tastes: “Well, so many heroes. Like…Beatles. Still listen to Beatles…still cry sometimes [laughs]. I love classical music, jazz, and some electronic music.”
Last Book Read: “That was by John E. Sarno, ‘Healing Back Pain.’ It’s about mind/body, how you can heal by yourself with controling your mind. Like with mind/body connected healing. It’s amazing.”
First Job: “Working for bakery.”
Favorite Meal: “Sushi.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Vanilla.”
Pre-Performance Feeling: “Try to be nothing. Blank page. Like a white canvas, ready to be painted on.”
Childhood Dream: “Musician. flutist. And I wanted to work at ice cream store.”
Greatest Music Moment: “When I made great music with other great musicians. There are lots actually but not necessarily like special performances at top-notch venue. When the audience and musician connect through music sometimes that magic happens!”
Most Painful Moment: “When I have suffering, from tendinitis. It was painful actually. I can’t practice, I can’t play. I’ve been taking a break from performances the last couple of months. I really need to. I learned a lot from this too. About my body, about my capability.”
Funny Memory: “I came up to the stage without the flute. That happened before. Backstage after finishing my book. (Then) I was looking for my instrument. Where’s my flute? I knew to go backstage. Audience was like, Are you gonna sing? Oh yeah, sing!”
Embarrassing Memory: “There was a performance where I was the leader of the band and for some reason I can’t remember the name of the drummer. And I kept asking. And it’s, okay, bass – dadadada, piano – dadada, and drums – and he’s like one of those generic names like John. I’m looking…that was embarrassing. I did it like three times for him. I’m really bad with names. I remember vividly what he looks like, who they are. But names – so bad.”
What Performance Stands Out As Your Finest: “Think I’m still waiting for that moment. I’m sure I have a few moments that were great but also it wasn’t just me, other musicians that were playing with me, they were also lifting me up. So it was my performance but at same time it’s great band performance. And I can’t exist without them.”
Favorite Live Performer: “Madonna. I love her stage look. I can’t mimic or do something close to it. But I love her stage, very entertaining.”
Last Vacation: “That was when I was touring Japan this summer. My family decided to take a day trip to Hakone – one hour train ride from Tokyo and we hiked all day and went to hot springs afterwards. I highly recommend Hakone for hot springs and hiking.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Honesty. Loyalty. Hard-working.”
www.yukariflute.com
Topics: Blank Page, Childhood Dream, City Of Lost Children, Couple Times, Electronic Music, Favorite Tv, Favorite Tv Show, First Job, First Music, Good Art, Great Music, Greatest Music, Healing Back Pain, Leisure Activities, Music Jazz, Music Memory, Musical Tastes, Painful Moment, Place In France, Professional Flute, Watanabe, White Canvas, Yukari
Biofile with Yukari | 