Akiko Seki



Akiko Seki (関鑑子) (September 8, 1899 in Tokyo – May 2, 1973 in Tokyo) was a Japanese soprano. She is commonly recognized as the founder of the movement of The Singing Voice of Japan (日本のうたごえ, Nihon no Utagoe / うたごえ運動, Utagoe-undō). In 1955 she was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize.

Life

 * March 1921: She graduated in artistic singing at the Music School of Tokyo (東京音楽学校,Tōkyō Ongaku Gakkō).
 * May 1, 1946: On the occasion of the first May Day post-war in Tokyo, she conducted L'internationale and a Japanese version of The Red Flag; this experience led her to the creation of a national musical movement of the working class.
 * February 10, 1948: She created the Choir of the Communist Youth League of Japan (日本青年共産同盟 中央合唱団, Nihon-seinen-kyōsan-dōmei Chuō-gassyōdan) in Tokyo, as the core of national musical movement of the working class.
 * December 20, 1955: She was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize.

Writings

 * Collection of Songs for Youth (「青年歌集」, Seinen-kasyū) (Tokyo, Typography of the cultural section of the Communist Youth League of Japan, 1948).
 * Bewiched by the singing voice (「歌ごえに魅せられて」, Utagoe ni miserarete) (Tokyo, 1971).