Aya Shimura

Last update: before 2019
Aya Shimura, born in Tokyo, began to study music when she was 9 years old. She graduated from the Toho Gakuen School of Music in 1997, mentored by Sumiko Kurata and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. She has taken part in several music festivals in Japan whilst continuing to study cello and chamber music. She has attended graduate courses with W. Boetcher, K. Harada, S. Iwasaki and H. Oguni. In Italy, she studied with Mario Brunello at Chigiana Music Academy, where she was awarded a scholarship and merit degree. Then for three years she perfected the chamber music repertoire with Franco Rossi, cellist of the renowned Quartetto Italiano. From 1998 to 2008 she played for the Italian String Orchestra d'Archi conducted by Mario Brunello. She plays concert music in a number of contexts and situations, from chamber music groups (with Gianluca Sfriso, Luca Lucchetta, Andrea Rebaudengo, Piercarlo Sacco) to ensembles comprising musicians from a variety of backgrounds. For instance, her practice also includes musical improvisation. Moreover, she collaborates with jazz musicians such as Roberto Dani, Achille Succi, Salvatore Maiore, Kyle Gregory and Stefano Battaglia (with the latter she recorded Re: Pasolini for the label ECM in 2006). In this context, amongst her most significant participations are: Parma Frontiere Jazz Festival; Atelier Musicale '900 in Milano; Clusone Jazz Festival; Spoleto Festival in Charleston, US; Siena Jazz; Roccella Jonica Jazz Festival; ECM Festival in Frankfurt and Athens, to name but a few. She is currently a member of the ensemble Sentieri selvaggi, conducted by Carlo Boccadoro and collaborates with Icarus Ensemble in Reggio Emilia.