Audio adventures in radical optimism. For Japanese pianist and chocolatier Yumiko Morioka, nature is her greatest teacher, muse and collaborator. Hear how Yumiko, a true pioneer in environmental and ambient music, searches for wonder, as she connects to the world and to herself.
Welcome to the first episode of our new show, The Pineapple Eyes Podcast, brought to you by your friends here at Wonderfruit.
We are excited to share this episode and hope you'll follow the show and enjoy the weekly episodes - releasing every Tuesday!
Japanese pianist and composer Yumiko keeps a picture on her phone of the view from her living room of the mountains. If you ask, she’ll describe how she often watches the fog sweep down over the mountains over the water.
Away from the chaos of Tokyo, Yumiko has found inspiration in the world around her—in the birdsong, the rivers, the time that opens itself up away from pressing schedules. It’s where she’s found the foundations of her material.
To Yumiko, the most wonderful music is the sounds made by nature. Many of her compositions and music are inspired by the natural world, based in the kankyō ongaku style of environmental ambient music. Through her compositions and performances, Yumiko attempts to enter a meditative state, becoming a medium where something else plays the music through her. It is a continuous creative process for Yumiko to step away from the ego and make space for the natural sounds that she loves.
Original music in this episode is by Yumiko Morioka, James Greer and Nick Luscombe.