Yumi Hara Cawkwell studied medicine in Japan and practised as a psychiatrist for eight years before moving to the UK in 1993. In 1999, she graduated in music from City University in London with a first-class honours degree, and has completed her PhD in composition at City University under Rhian Samuel in 2005.
She has received a number of awards including a prize in the Continuum Ensemble Improvisation Competition, Sculpted Sound competition and the British Medical Council’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology Fanfare Competition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the molecular structure of DNA. She has been nominated as a finalist for the British Composer Awards 2006 in solo and duo category.
Her music has been performed by, among others, PianoCircus, Ensemble Bash, OKEANOS, Jane Chapman, Kate Ryder, Michael Bonaventure and Trio Japan in concerts and festivals in the UK and Japan. She has led voice improvisation workshops for the Yokohama Boys and Girls Chorus at the ISCM World Music Days in 2001.
She regularly gives improvised performances as a solo vocalist (with electronics), is active as a DJ, and since 1996, has been a member of the performance-art girlband Frank Chickens. She also performs with Lemon Squeezer and Vaseline Towers. She is Lecturer in Music at University of East London.
Please visit DJ ANAKONDA MySpace at www.myspace.com/djanakonda for Yumi's dance tracks.
Yumi also enjoys taking pictures and videos. Please see Yumi MySpace at www.myspace.com/yumimyspace for pictures.
Please click on Steve Howe Trio and Steve Howe in My Friends section: the main picture of Steve Howe Trio is taken by Yumi as well as all live pictures and videos. The first picture in the slide show in Steve Howe MySpace is also hers. They appear in www.stevehowe.com too.
Also there are three live shots by Yumi at Chris Braide's (The Producers) MySpace.
Current projects as performer:
HUMI (Hugh Hopper: bass, live electronics, loops, Yumi Hara Cawkwell: voice, keys)
Please visit HUMI MySpace at www.myspace.com/humimyspace
David Cross & Yumi Hara Cawkwell (David Cross: electric violin, Yumi Hara Cawkwell: voice, keys and found sound)
Please visit David Cross & Yumi Hara Cawkwell MySpace at www.myspace.com/crosscawkwell
Yumi Hara Cawkwell & Michael Bonaventure (Yumi Hara Cawkwell: voice and found sound, Michael Bonaventure: organ)
Current projects as composer:
New piece for clarinet and piano for Carol Minor, to be premiered at the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra’s Musicbridge series (Glens Falls, state of New York) in october 2008
New pieces and arrangements for organ (Michael Bonaventure), electric & acoustic guitar and choir
'Cosmos Massive No. 901' solo piano piece inspired by Bartok for David Appleton
