Yolanda Kusakabe
Japanese-Italian pianist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yolanda Kusakabe (born about 1907) was a Japanese-Italian pianist who toured internationally in the 1920s.
Yolanda Kusakabe | |
|---|---|
Yolanda Kusakabe, from a 1928 newspaper | |
| Born | about 1907 Italy |
| Other names | Yolande Kusakabe, Yolanda Hikabe |
| Occupation | Pianist |
Early life and education
Kusakabe was born in Italy, the daughter of Sankuro Kusakabe.[1] Her father was a Japanese diplomat in Hawaii[2] and Rome,[3][4] and her mother, Beatrice,[5] was an Italian woman who traveled with her on tours.[6][7] Kusakabe attended the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome,[8] and was described as "the first Japanese pianist to graduate from that institution."[9]
Career
Kusakabe was decorated for her wartime performances for the Italian Red Cross.[9] She toured as "Yolanda Hikabe" with tenor Yoshie Fujiwara,[10][11] and performed in Japan and Hawaii in 1928,[6][12] playing both European and Japanese compositions.[13][14] In San Francisco in January 1929, she gave a recital at the Kinmon Gakuen Hall,[15][16] and another at the Fairmont Hotel.[17][18] In February 1929, she made her New York debut, with a concert at Steinway Hall.[19] She gave another concert at the same venue in March 1929, when The New York Times reported that "she showed digital dexterity and a fluent style".[20] Her American manager was Alice Seckels.[18] Italian composer Ottorino Respighi described her as "a fine talent, a real artist."[21]
Personal life
In 1936, Kusakabe and Taiso Watanabe, who worked at the Japanese embassy in Rome, were engaged to marry.[22]