Sachiko Yoshida

Born in Saitama, Japan, on March 10, 1964. Belgian nationality, of Japanese origin. Living in Belgium since 1975.

Languages include French, spoken and written fluently, Japanese as native language, English with very good proficiency, and Dutch with good proficiency.

Education
In 1979, she obtained the Government Medal at the Académie de Berchem-St-Agathe with 98 percent in the class of Renée Baré. In 1980, she entered the Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Bruxelles in the class of Jacques Genty and won the first prize at the Pro-Civitatae competition of Crédit Communal de Belgique. In 1981, she obtained a first prize diploma in solfège with 92 percent. In 1982, she obtained a first prize diploma in piano with 83 percent as a regular student of Jacques Genty. In the same year, she achieved 80 percent in sight-reading and transposition in the class of André Schmitt and a final certificate in musical analysis with 86 percent in the class of Frédéric Van Rossum. In 1983, she obtained a first prize diploma in chamber music with 90 percent in the class of André Siwy. In 1986, she obtained a superior diploma with great distinction as a regular student in the class of Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden and lecturer Patricia Montero. She holds a superior diploma in practical and written harmony from Guy Dussart and a superior diploma in music history. She completed two years of advanced training with Maestro Eduardo Del Puyeo in preparation for the Concours International Reine Elisabeth. She also trained with Lélia Gousseau of École Normale de Paris, Geneviève Joy, Danièle Puig-Roger, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Hans Leygraf, and Daniel Blumenthal. She participated in numerous international competitions and master classes. In 1989, she obtained a final certificate in piano accompaniment with 85.5 percent and a diploma in psycho-pedagogy and piano methodology, completing her teaching aptitude examination.

Professional and pedagogical activities
From 1987 to 1992, she completed a diploma in psycho-pedagogy and piano methodology. She passed the teaching aptitude exam for piano courses at Académie de Berchem-St-Agathe and worked as an accompanist for singing classes at the same academy. From 1992 to 2013, she was director and teacher at the private piano school Atelier de Piano in Auderghem, teaching numerous private students of all nationalities, preparing them for national and international competitions, and presenting them biannually to the International Jury of Musical Studies. She occasionally substituted in piano classes at Académie de Musique de Berchem-St-Agathe and Académie de Musique de Waterloo and served as a jury member for piano examinations at Académie de Musique de Berchem-St-Agathe, Waterloo, and Watermael-Boitsfort. From 2006 to 2016, she taught specialized piano methodology at the Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Bruxelles. From 2010 to 2012, she worked as a piano assistant at Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Bruxelles in the class of Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, and from 2012 to 2016, she was assistant in the classes of Johan Schmidt and Mikael Faerman. From 2013 to 2016, she taught piano at Académie d’Evere, conducting improvisation-composition projects with students and accompanying singing and flute classes. From 2000 to 2016, she worked as a personal and artistic development coach focusing on self-development, confidence, self-esteem, stress and communication management, motivation, and artistic needs. She trained in body awareness and breath control at the School of Personal Development in Quebec. From 2011 to 2017, she wrote methodology materials for aggregation courses.

Performance activities
From 1987 to 2015, she performed numerous solo concerts, orchestral concerts, and chamber music with voice, violin, viola, cello, double bass, oboe, flute, piano four hands, and multiple pianos in venues such as Palais des Beaux-Arts, Conservatoire de Bruxelles, Singel Antwerp, Botanique, Les Brigittines, Les Minimes, Vooruit Ghent, Flagey, and Astoria. From 1992 to 2013, she performed contemporary music at Ars Musica and various contemporary music festivals in Europe, including Huddersfield, Paris, London, Palermo, Toulouse, and Toulon, with the groups Bureau des Pianistes and Albiréo recognized by the French Community and on Arts et Vie tours. She collaborated with Irvin Arditti, Jean-Luc Fafchamps, Laurence Cornez, Yuki Horii, Akiko Sunanai, and Grazia Previdi and premiered works by Belgian and European composers such as James Dillon and Walter Hus. She performed music by Luigi Nono, Gyorgy Ligeti, Brian Ferneyhough, Toshio Hosokawa, Morton Feldman, Pierre Boulez, Henri Dutilleux, Wolpe, Charles Ives, Maurice Ohana, and Olivier Messiaen. She collaborated with the Rosas company of Anne-Theresa de Keersmaeker and Anne Demey and attended masterclasses with Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Henri Dutilleux, and Genevieve Joy. In 1995, she won the first prize at the EPTA-CERA competition for two pianos with Laurence Cornez.

In 2002, she premiered the work Songe by Belgian composer Patricia Hontoir at Chapelle des Brigittines in duo with Irvine Arditti, combining music, text, and painting. In 2007, she premiered the work ECO during the inauguration of the new Cultural Center of Brussels at the two Chapelles des Brigittines, performing music for piano, violin, and tape by Patricia Hontoir with Elliot Lawson on violin. From 2011 to 2017, she performed Concert Bleu, a multidisciplinary concert including music, text, dance, painting, and image, in Montpellier and Brussels at Centre Culturel d’Evere Salle TOOTS, with world premieres of works by Belgian composers and text creations by the Attitude Europe company, and she performed at the Opera of Split in Croatia.

She recorded solo piano works, duos with violinist George Alexander, and string quintets with members of ICTUS Ensemble for the music of Patricia Hontoir in the feature film Le goût des myrtilles by Belgian director Thomas de Thier, which received the Magritte Award for Cinema and excellent press reviews. She submitted multidisciplinary artistic and educational projects for young performers to the European Commission in partnership with P@CE - Performing Arts Cultural Entrepreneur and Attitude Europe company, collaborating internationally in Belgium, Italy, Croatia, Spain, Romania, and Portugal.

From 2013 to 2017, she recorded solo piano CDs …à l’écoute I… and …à l’écoute II… and performed numerous concerts of works by Patricia Hontoir in Europe, the United States, and Japan. She is currently recording a solo piano CD HAIKU based on Japanese poems set to music by Patricia Hontoir. Ongoing projects include multidisciplinary concerts on René Magritte, including Concert Jaune and Concert Rouge, with the Attitude Europe company.

Discography
Solo piano CDs …à l’écoute I… and …à l’écoute II… composed by Patricia Hontoir.

In progress
Solo piano CD HAIKU based on Japanese poems by Patricia Hontoir.

Ongoing creations
Multidisciplinary concerts including music, text, dance, painting, and visual arts on René Magritte, Concert Jaune, and Concert Rouge with the Attitude Europe company.