Yuki Miyata — Harpist
Yuki Miyata is an internationally acclaimed Japanese concert harpist, recognized for her artistry and her dedication to cultural diplomacy.
She studied at the Music High School attached to the Tokyo University of the Arts and went on to complete her undergraduate studies at the same university’s Faculty of Music. She was then admitted at the top of her class to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon, where she specialized in harp. In 2015, she was awarded the French National Diploma for Professional Musicians (DNSPM) and graduated with distinction. Following her studies, she trained under Count Xavier de Maistre, former principal harpist of the Vienna Philharmonic and one of today’s foremost concert harpists.
Yuki has performed with the Orchestre National de Lyon, the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, and numerous other orchestras and chamber ensembles both in Japan and abroad. She is now pursuing an active career as a soloist and chamber musician.
In 2019, she became the first Japanese harpist to win the top prize in the professional division of the 27th World Music Competition (Spain). She has been a laureate at 12 international competitions in nine countries, including Austria, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, the UK, and Japan, winning first prize or top prizes in eight of them. She has been invited to perform at prestigious venues including Bozar (Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels), where she received high acclaim.
Her international engagements include an appearance at Mozarthaus Vienna in 2021, performances across Istanbul and Ankara supported by the Türkiye–Japan Foundation and the Embassy of Japan, and a solo recital at the Presidential Symphony Concert Hall in Ankara, broadcast nationwide by Anadolu Ajansı to great public reception. She has also been featured on TRT Radio 3’s GENÇLER (For the Youth) and profiled in leading publications including Anadolu Life, Gazete Sanat, and Andante.
In 2023, her recording Bahar Gelsin, produced in Istanbul, was released by Turkish label Ahenk. That same year, she co-organized and performed in the “Charity Concerts for Earthquake Relief in Southeastern Türkiye,” a Japan–Türkiye joint project with her own cultural association, presenting koto and harp duo recitals at Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall, Osaka City Central Public Hall, and Sumida Triphony Hall, all to sold-out audiences.
In 2024, she gave her own harp recital co-hosted by Art Tower Mito, featuring the principal flutist of the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, followed by a Japan tour.
Looking ahead, Yuki is scheduled to give the official Japanese premiere of a grand harp by Russian harp maker Resonance Harps in 2025, marking the instrument’s first presentation in Japan. In 2026, she is scheduled to appear in performance at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, as well as in a concerto performance at Art Tower Mito.
She has also been frequently invited to perform at official state ceremonies. Notably, she appeared at the opening and main ceremonies of the 46th National Tree-Care Festival in 2022 and 2023, performing harp solos before Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince and Princess Akishino, and at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum’s 40th Anniversary celebrations.
Artistic Collaborations and Repertoire
Yuki actively collaborates with contemporary composers. French composer Alexandre Dai Castaing, known for commissions from Radio France and Microsoft, has dedicated harp solo works to her and invited her to record for his album A Tear is Dancing. Italian composer Maurizio Bignone entrusted her with the Japanese premiere of his chamber work Dancing in Cloud for harp and strings. She has also premiered works by Çağatay Akyol, principal harpist of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Türkiye, and collaborated on cross-genre projects with Sony BMG’s Indian major band Underground Authority.
Cultural and Social Contributions
Dedicated to cultural exchange and humanitarian work, she regularly donates proceeds from her concerts to organizations including the Red Cross, UNHCR, Médecins Sans Frontières, and the Kamonohashi Project. She is the representative director of the Japan International Arts and Strings Friendship Association, and serves as the Japanese agent for Turkish international arts and science journals Anadolu Life and ISCABO.
Sponsorship and Support
She has received sponsorship and costume support from HAREGI no MARUSHO, Yokohama, including the provision of furisode kimono for her concert appearances.