Meet the Musicians #6
Meet Akiko Miyazawa, Founding Director of Cygnus Arioso, and Violinist of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
Photo by Nik Babic.
Akiko Miyazawa believes that everything starts with an idea and with the right chance to grow, any idea can have tremendous potential. 3 years ago, she began her own music group. Since then, her idea has expanded from a performance group, to a music school for young children, and a network that supports emerging musicians in their early stages of their professional career including performance and teaching opportunities, and professional development with the chance to perform with some of Western Australia’s most prestigious musicians.
Cygnus Arioso sits down with our founding director Akiko Miyazawa, to discover her inspiration behind the upcoming Chamber Music Weekend, and to reflect on her career in the Australian music scene thus far…
CA: What has inspired this program choice?
Akiko: String Duos - playing duos is one of my favorite things in terms of chamber music. The whole music making happens between two players, and it is really like a conversation between two human beings. Its closeness and depth of getting together is something very special, and I find that it’s the best way to get to know your friends, as well as workshopping with young aspiring players.
String Orchestra - it is something Cygnus Arioso has done a lot of projects as a string orchestra and it is our signature formation. I am happy to see the sense of playing together as a group is developing within the ensemble and I would love to continue nurturing our culture and pass onto the future generation in Perth.
CA: What was it like to study under Polish Violinist Magdalena Rezler during your Masters degree?
Akiko: When I first arrived in Germany, I couldn’t speak German or English, so communicating with my teacher wasn’t so easy to start with! There were so many technical issues that I had to fix, and she was very strict and determined to do that with me. I am forever grateful for her effort and patience.
CA: You’ve studied overseas, been a full time member of WASO for 11 years and have played under some of the worlds most prolific conductors. Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Akiko: Meet a lot of people, including people in different professions, find your mentors, appreciate what you have but never be fully satisfied with yourself, don’t underestimate the importance of long hour practice, record your playing, listen to them and be your hardest judge.
CA: You started Cygnus Arioso in 2020 and it has since grown and evolved into much more than a performance ensemble. What has been the most rewarding part of growing CA so far?
Akiko: To see my little idea as CA blossoming into a circle of community - including established professional musicians, young and emerging players, little students and their families, and our audience members. I feel that we are connected with the love for music, and we value the way classic music speaks to your soul and its tradition that has lived with human history for such a long time.
CA: You impressively led a performance of Strauss’s Metamorphosen in 2020, proving not all ensembles need a conductor in order to play together. Can you tell us how you lead the ensembles without a conductor keeping you together?
Akiko: The key to performing as a large sized string ensemble without a conductor I think is to study the score really well and to have plenty of sectional rehearsals. For the Metamorphosen, every violin player had one on one rehearsal with me, then a sectional rehearsal as a violin group. I also rehearsed with other sections - Viola, cello, and double bass separately, so by the time everyone got together, we pretty much knew who was doing what, and we had enough reassurances who to follow and who to play with in each corner of such a monumental piece of music.
CA: Not only are you a successful working musician, you’re also a mum, a wife and business woman. Do you find it tough juggling all these wonderful roles?
Akiko: It is so so hard!! But these are all important parts of my life, and I can only try to juggle them as much as possible.
CA: Who is your favourite composer and why?
Akiko: My favourite composer of all time is Mozart. the delicate and sublime melodies to his humor and cheekiness in his harmony, I cannot have enough Mozart in my life! That is why, I am particularly looking forward to playing Mozart's duet with Aaron! We've been having such fun and rewarding rehearsals, and I cannot wait to perform it soon!
Akiko Miyazawa will be performing in Cygnus Arioso’s Chamber Music Weekend on the 24th June 2023. Tickets are on sale now.