An Analysis of Akira Yuyama'S Piano Works for Children
Abstract
This thesis analyzes Akira Yuyama’s piano collections and method for children published before 2000. Akira Yuyama was born in Hiratsuka, Japan on September 9th, 1932 and spent his childhood during World War II. At the age of 23, Yuyama graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and won first prize in the 9th Japan Music Competition for his Sonatine for Violin and Piano. He also won the Grand Prize at the Agency for Cultural Affairs Arts Festival. As a prolific composer, Yuyama composed pieces that became internationally known including works for various instruments, such as piano, vocal, strings and marimba. The analysis consists of two parts: Yuyama’s collections for children and his piano method. The goal of the analysis is to learn about Yuyama’s unique compositional style and to provide an educational resource for piano pedagogues about non-western teaching philosophy in the hopes that the study will also inspire further research on undervalued East Asian compositions and educational approaches.