Yukiko Tanaka

In a nutshell, what do you do?: I perform mostly in New York City, but I also travel to Japan and Spain for concert tours. I play as a soloist, a chamber musician, and an accompanist for singers. Right now, I'm playing fewer concerts because I have a baby. I also teach piano at school and privately, and play piano for church services on Sundays and special occasions.
Why do you love what you do?: Piano is my life. Since I was a child I always wanted to be a pianist. When I was a high school student, my parents convinced me to quit piano and study something more practical. So I chose to study sociology because I was also interested in that field. I got a B.A. in sociology, but I couldn't forget about piano, so I decided to go back to piano and did a second B.A., in music at Albion.
How did Albion help you get there?: The teachers and environment at Albion really made me focus on what I'm doing and helped me to believe in myself. Thanks to scholarships and the GLCA New York Arts Program, I was given great opportunities to study with real masters of piano. Once, I was away from piano; but piano never gave up on me.
For me, Albion ...: ... was an important place in my life where I could freely pursue my dream. Thanks to the scholarships and facilities Albion provided, I could focus on my studies—and I really, really worked hard.

Take It Further: Listen to Yukiko play, Music Department, New York Arts Program