Inspiration: Hiromi Uehara

Hiromi Uehara Trio - Love & Laughter performed on Japanese TV in 2005

I've watched this performance eight times now as much for her exuberance as her mastery of her art. We should all have fun like this everyday.

Hiromi Uehara is a composer and pianist born in Hamamatsu, Japan. She is known for her virtuosic technique, energetic live performances and blend of musical genres in her compositions.

Hiromi Chronicles Her World Travels On Her First Solo Piano Recording:

"I really wanted the record to be a kind of travel journal," she says. "I've traveled so much in the last few years that I've started to wonder exactly where is the place that I'm supposed to be. Traveling takes so much out of you. It can be exhausting. But as soon as I go on the stage and I see people who are very happy because of what I'm doing, it just erases all of the struggles and the craziness that can come with all the traveling, and it really fulfills me."

To Hiromi's way of thinking, music is something much more than just notes on a scale or a series of black and white keys. Rather, it is a naturally occurring phenomenon to be plucked out of the air, a vibration to be captured and re-transmitted to receptive ears and open hearts. "Some places have such a special vibe," she says. "Sometimes a melody emerges in and around a place without me having to think about it at all. I can just walk down the street and I hear it. I'm always thinking about composing, and always trying to find what parts of the world around me can be musical. Sometimes it just comes to me in a beautiful moment."

In an in-depth interview with Anil Prasad of Innerviews Hiromi gives some insight into her creative process:

What insight can you give me into your creative process?

I try to compose every single day. I've been keeping a musical diary and writing about what's happening in the day since I was six years old. When I was small, I was writing more childish stuff, and they weren't really compositions, but I've always had the habit. Now, when I decide the direction of a project, I focus on what ideas can fit the context. I start by going through my personal library of ideas that I've written down and try to sum up the ones that may fit and try to make sense of them.

What tend to be the biggest challenges you face in that process?
Sometimes a song can take a long time to compose because I am determined to have each piece make sense. It's not good if a song sounds like a collection of parts. I try to have each piece tell a story, even if it's done through many different parts. They all have to fit together. I sometimes rewrite things over and over again until they work as a whole. Also, I try very hard to consider every musician in the band and figure out how I can highlight a section on the album that speaks to their strengths. I know the musicians in my band so well now that I feel I've really improved in this area.

Selected discography:

Another Mind (2003)
Brain (2004)
Spiral (2006)
Time Control (2007)
Place to Be (2009)
Duet: Chick & Hiromi (2009)

Follow the related links in the video above to find more of performances on Youtube.

Hiromi Uehara

Inspiration: Hiromi Uehara

Hiromi Uehara Trio - Love & Laughter performed on Japanese TV in 2005 I've watched this performance eight times now as much for her exuberance as her mastery of her art. We should all have fun like this everyday. Hiromi Uehara is a composer and pianist born in Hamamatsu, Japan. She is known for her virtuosic technique, energetic live performances and blend of musical genres in her compositions. Hiromi Chronicles Her World Travels On Her First Solo Piano Recording:

"I really wanted the record to be a kind of travel journal," she says. "I've traveled so much in the last few years that I've started to wonder exactly where is the place that I'm supposed to be. Traveling takes so much out of you. It can be exhausting. But as soon as I go on the stage and I see people who are very happy because of what I'm doing, it just erases all of the struggles and the craziness that can come with all the traveling, and it really fulfills me." To Hiromi's way of thinking, music is something much more than just notes on a scale or a series of black and white keys. Rather, it is a naturally occurring phenomenon to be plucked out of the air, a vibration to be captured and re-transmitted to receptive ears and open hearts. "Some places have such a special vibe," she says. "Sometimes a melody emerges in and around a place without me having to think about it at all. I can just walk down the street and I hear it. I'm always thinking about composing, and always trying to find what parts of the world around me can be musical. Sometimes it just comes to me in a beautiful moment."

In an in-depth interview with Anil Prasad of Innerviews Hiromi gives some insight into her creative process:

What insight can you give me into your creative process? I try to compose every single day. I've been keeping a musical diary and writing about what's happening in the day since I was six years old. When I was small, I was writing more childish stuff, and they weren't really compositions, but I've always had the habit. Now, when I decide the direction of a project, I focus on what ideas can fit the context. I start by going through my personal library of ideas that I've written down and try to sum up the ones that may fit and try to make sense of them. What tend to be the biggest challenges you face in that process? Sometimes a song can take a long time to compose because I am determined to have each piece make sense. It's not good if a song sounds like a collection of parts. I try to have each piece tell a story, even if it's done through many different parts. They all have to fit together. I sometimes rewrite things over and over again until they work as a whole. Also, I try very hard to consider every musician in the band and figure out how I can highlight a section on the album that speaks to their strengths. I know the musicians in my band so well now that I feel I've really improved in this area.

Selected discography: Another Mind (2003) Brain (2004) Spiral (2006) Time Control (2007) Place to Be (2009) Duet: Chick & Hiromi (2009) Follow the related links in the video above to find more of performances on Youtube. Hiromi Uehara