Profile

Japan-born Junko Ueno Garrett is a versatile musician, active as an internationally acclaimed performer, an avid chamber musician, a concert producer, a YouTuber, a music educator and mentor, and a competition adjudicator. She 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 with Prof. Hiroshi Miura, and received a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Rice University in the United States with Prof. John Perry. Junko received “The Japanese Consul General’s Award” for her contributions to international relations and understanding between countries. She was chosen to tour to celebrate the 150 years of the US-Japan relationship and the 125 years of the Brazil-Japan relationship.

Under the culture exchange program of the Japan Foundation, Japanese Embassies and Consul Generals of Japan, she has toured extensively in South and Central America in 2018, 2015, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2002, and 1999, including Brazil (Mozart Concerto No. 23 with Orquestra de EMBAP), Venezuela (Saint-Saens Concerto No. 2 with Orquesta Sinfonica Venezuela under Alfredo Rugeles), Ecuador (Chopin Concerto No. 2 with Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Ecuador under Medardo Caisabanda), Colombia’s Teatro Colón and Boyacá International Cultural Festival, Rio de Janeiro’s Museu da Musica at Mosteiro de Sao Bento, Brazil-Curitiba’s Capela Santa Maria, Argentina’s Teatro Gran Rex, Brasilia’s Teatro da Caixa, Peru’s Sociedad Filarmonica, Uruguay’s Auditorio Carlos Vaz Ferreira and Teatro Miguel Young, Costa Rica’s Teatro Eugene O’Neill, El Salvador’s Teatros Nacionals des San Salvador and Santa Ana, Cuba’s Basilica Menor del Convento, Chile’s Centro Cultural Las Condes, and Mexico City. In 2018 and 2016 she toured the East Coast and Midwest of the U. S. under the Japan Foundation’s culture program.

Her other engagements include performances at Fourviere International Summer Academy in Lyon: Radio France; Fêtes Corréziennes en Musique, Musique de Chambre and Le Chateau de Sedieres in France; Hong Kong Music Festival: Shigeru Kawai Center in Madrid; The Mitoshiro Creative Zone, Kawai “Pause” and Kawai “Briller” in Japan; Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA; Kennedy Center in Washington DC; UN in New York; Queens College in NY; Rutgers University in New Brunswick; Berklee College in Boston; Charles Wang Center in Stony Brook; Flushing Town Hall in New York; Carlsen Center in Kansas City; King Academic Performing Arts Center in Denver; Libby Gardner Concert Hall in Salt Lake City; Carrollwood Cultural Center in Tampa; Falany Performing Arts Center in Georgia; University of Iowa; Texas Music Festival in Houston; Geneva College in Philadelphia; University of Arizona in Tucson; University of Fairbanks in Alaska; Ball State University in Indiana; Japan Center in San Francisco; Centenary College in Louisiana and many more. In the summers of 2009 and 2007, at the invitation of the U.S. State Department Junko toured through Japan as part of the Belrose Duo, performing and lecturing on American music. Other activities include concert tours to India introducing Western Music to Indian audiences. She often gives masterclasses where she performs. 

She focuses on themes and composers for her solo concerts, and currently she has been performing on “Musica de España: Life and Music in Spain”, including the music of Albeniz, Granados, de Falla, Lecuona, Rodorigo, Mompou, and Turina. Her performances include UC Riverside/Center for Iberian and Latin American Music, “The Mitoshiro Creative Zone” in Tokyo, Music at Noon, Santa Monica College, Occidental College and Third@First Series in Los Angeles. Her recent thematic concerts include “The Poet Speaks: Frédéric Chopin” in the 2023-24 season, “My Obsession: Robert Schumann and His Stories” in the 2022-23 season, and ”Stories in Music” in the 2021-22 season. With the collaboration with her cellist husband, David Garrett, as the Belrose Duo, they perform thematic concerts occasionally such as “Leipzig Connection”, “The Belrose Duo Goes to the Opera House”, “Romantic Favorites for Cello and Piano”, “Souvenirs from Prague”, “Time Traveling with Cello and Piano” and “La vie en Musique”.

She launched a weekly piano lesson video in Japanese on Youtube in July of 2020, and has been receiving much acclaim and gaining numerous viewers. Her lessons and performances are on YouTube@junkouenogarrett3509. She enjoys sharing blogs and photos on her social media (www.junkopiano.com). She founded “Piano Adore” in Japan, including piano camps, lessons and recitals. 

In Los Angeles, she is an artistic coordinator of  “Third@First Concert Series” (www.thirdatfirst.org) where she produces diversity programs and performs occasionally. The series is in the twelfth season. In January, 2025, she organized “Wildfire Relief Concert” with the help of her musician friends. She appears as a guest artist at Los Angeles Philharmonic’s chamber music series. 

She is a president of Pasadena Chapter of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and a frequent adjudicator for MTNA, CAPMT, MTAC, Southern California Junior Bach Festival, and SouthWestern Youth Music Festival. Junko holds a faculty position at Occidental College.  Junko is a passionate Sumo advocate and a founder of the Los Angeles Sumo Fan Club. She is a Kawai Artist and lives in Los Angeles.