Profile
Japan-born Junko Ueno Garrett has captivated audiences around the world with her colorful tone, poetry, expressiveness, dynamic technique, and wide range of repertoire. She began playing piano at the age of three, trained at the prestigious Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, and received a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in the United States.
Junko’s recent engagements in the U.S. include recitals in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Kansas City, Denver, Salt Lake City, Tucson, Houston, Fairbanks, and many other cities under the auspices of the Japan Foundation, Japanese Embassy, and Japanese Consulates General. She performed on several occasions for the 150-year celebration of the US-Japan treaty. Under the Japan Foundation’s Grant program she toured South and Central America in 2010, 2008, 2006, 2002, and 1999, including Venezuela-Caracas, Ecuador-Quito, Colombia-Bogota and Tunja, Brazil-Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, and Porto Alegre, Argentina-Busnos Aires, Uruguay-Montevideo, Peru-Lima, Mexico-Mexico City and Puebla, Cuba-Havana, El Salvador-San Salvador and Santa Ana, and Costa Rica-San Jose. During these visits, she performed and lectured on “Piano Journey in Japan: 100 years of Japanese Piano Music”, ”Music of Toru Takemitsu”, “A World Journey on the Keyboard”, and “East meets West,” receiving high critical acclaim. In the summers of 2009 and 2007, at the invitation of the U.S. State Department, Junko toured in Japan as part of the Belrose Duo (with husband and Los Angeles Philharmonic cellist, David Garrett) performing and lecturing on American music in many cities. In 2000, Junko received “The Japanese Counsel General’s Award” for her contributions to international relations and understanding between countries. She performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D. C. in 2007.
In Los Angeles she keeps a busy performance schedule, performing on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s chamber music series, chamber music collaborations with leading Los Angeles musicians, faculty performances, and guest artist appearances. In 2010 She performed bicentennial celebration concerts on Chopin and Schumann, and in 2011 she is performing on the theme of “Celebrating Liszt: Hungarian Connection”. Junko holds a faculty position at the Occidental College.
Junko debuted in the U.S. in 1991, South American in 1992, and France in 1994, and her return trip to France in 1996 included a live performance on Radio France. Her return debut to her Japanese homeland was in 1995 as a member of the Belrose Duo, and she has since performed frequently in Japan. She solo-toured in Japan in fall of 2006, and captivated a wide range of audiences. Other recent activities include concert tours to India in 2004 and 2005 introducing Western Music to Indian audiences. She often gives masterclasses where she performs.
Junko has released three solo CDs, “Canción para piano”, ”100 Years of Japanese Piano Music”, and “American Music for Piano.” She has also partnered in two piano trio CDs of Japanese folk songs commissioned by the Japanese philanthropist, Mr. Seigo Arai. Her teachers have included John Perry, Robert Roux, and Hiroshi Miura. Junko Ueno Garrett is a Kawai artist. She resides in Los Angeles.
