Background:

Since earning a MA in Music, I've continued composing and performing. I entered graduate school after a chance opportunity to perform with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Jazz Big Band at the Montreux Jazz Festival and North Sea Jazz Festival.  I've composed and arrange for jazz big band and small combo.  I've studied the folk music and instrumentation of different cultures. Since 2007, I've been focusing on composing modern piano pieces for two pianos.

News: In May 2010, I performed my original modern piano compositions for two pianos at two concerts in Japan. I performed at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan on May 23rd and at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan on May 26th. (series poster here!) Both concerts went well, thanks in-part to my gracious hosts. The facilities at Tohoku University's Hagi Hall were superb. At 7 pm on August 7th at the Davis Concert Hall at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, I will perform my original modern works for two pianos. The concert is free concert and open to the public. (more information.) While in Japan this spring, I received notice that I had been awarded a Rasmuson Foundation Individual Award -- Project Award to help bring my music to a wider audience. The grant will funding a yet to be scheduled free concert performance of my compositions in Anchorage, Alaska. The time and venue haven't been set yet, but look for the concert sometime this coming fall or winter (2010-2011). I also hope to complete a recording of my works for two pianos with this funding. Japan has a very active music scene, so while I was in Tokyo, I spent some time in creating improvisational free jazz pieces late into the night with my friends. My jazz combo Fairbanks Jazz will perform on the final day of the Tanana Valley Fair, August 14th, 2010 at 9:30 pm, in Fairbanks. My trio has been actively playing at a popular Fairbanks restaurant this summer. Look for our regular performances this fall and winter in downtown Fairbanks.

Musical Interests: modern piano composing and performance; jazz big band composing and arranging; the jazz movement: bebop, cool, swing, modern, and latin; world folk music and instrumentation.

My Planet

I host a weekly jazz show called Saturday Morning Jazz on KSUA, 91.5 FM  from 10 AM - NOON every Saturdays.

I have two jazz combo -- The Etsuko Kimura Trio, and a quartet/quintet called Fairbanks Jazz, both performs around Fairbanks. The Etsuko Kimura Trio is often featured at a couple of downtown Fairbanks throughout the year.

Hear how we sounded a couple of years ago at the Fairbanks Winter Folk Festival.  Click to listen!

Here are two of my piano solos with jazz ensemble groups:   hear one here   or   listen to the other one.

Have a listen to selected portions of my modern piano compositions for four hands. John Nichols played with me on the first two pieces and my friend Paul Krejci lent two hands for the other two recordings.

Piano 44 Hands Shadow of Mind Segment of Six Reality and Dreams (Chopin Opus 42) 5 Worlds
These four pieces are Copyright 2009/2010 Etsuko Kimura. All rights reserved.

Five Worlds was premiered at the 30th Anniversary Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in July 2009. It was also performed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, New Music Festival on February 4, 2010. Accompanying me on the piece was Mr. Paul Krejci.

A watercolor sketch of Paul and I performing.

I rewrote my piece entitle Arctic Winter Morning to include Japanese Taiko Drums. It was also performed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, New Music Festival on February 4, 2010. This score had also been submitted to a Taiko performance group in Oregon in the fall of 2009.

I'm a volunteer participant in a NASA sponsored rocket payload design and engineering program unique to the University of Alaska Fairbanks called the Student Rocket Project. In honor of the successful launch of our fourth rocket, i.e. SRP-4, I wrote a big band composition. Have a listen to SRP4 Rocket. It is performed by the UAF Jazz Big Band at a spring concert in 2007, with myself on piano. SRP5 rocket was successfully launched on January 10, 2009, from Poker Flat Research Range. I'm contemplating writing another composition in honor of this event.

Four of my compositions appear on the last four compilations of "We Are All One" an eclectic collection of works by Japanese songwriters. Arctic Winter Morning appears on the CD entitled Morning. Reality and Dreams appears on the compilation entitled "Love". "Graduate School" is a piece which appears on the CD "Graduation". Another piece "Wild Rose" appears on the CD "Flower". Sales of these CD's help to support UNICEF.

Contact Information

You can reach me at:    srp4318@hotmail.com.