WFIMC 2026 Artistic Project Award: Meet the winner

Why did you choose the koto in particular as your partner instrument? 

There are two main reasons. First, the koto is one of the oldest traditional Japanese instruments and, like the viola, it is a string instrument. It has developed a musical language where resonance, space and the placing of tones within silence are more important than harmonic progression. That makes it a very natural counterpart to the viola in a project focused on timbre and time. 

Second, my connection is also personal. When I was in university in Japan, I met a fellow student who specialized in traditional instruments and contemporary music. Whenever I thought about Japanese instruments, this person—and the koto—came to mind. So for my very first project that directly addresses Japanese tradition, it felt right to begin with this instrument. Of course, I would love to expand later toward other instruments like shamisen or shakuhachi, but starting with koto already opens an incredibly rich field of possibilities. 

Let’s turn to your own path. Could you outline your musical background and current situation? 

I started on the violin when I was three. Around the age of twelve, I was playing in a junior orchestra that had too few violists. They asked whether I could try the viola, and I agreed quite casually. But when I started playing it, I was immediately drawn to the sound. It felt very close to my own voice—warm, speaking, a bit inward. I gradually realized how much expressive potential the instrument has, and I decided to switch. So I’ve now been playing the viola for about ten years. 

I studied first at Tokyo University of the Arts in Japan, where I spent two years, and then transferred to Germany to complete my bachelor’s degree. I finished that in Frankfurt after another two years and am now in my first year of my master’s studies, living and studying in Frankfurt.

You’ve studied in both Japan and Germany. How do you perceive the differences in the “viola culture” between these two contexts? 

The difference is quite striking. In Japan, the viola is still very strongly perceived as an orchestral instrument—one of the inner voices in a larger texture. At music universities, a lot of focus is placed on the standard orchestral audition repertoire, because many students aim for orchestral careers or chamber music. There are, of course, soloists and contemporary specialists, but the overall image of the viola remains rather functional. 

In Europe, I feel that the viola’s potential as a solo and experimental instrument is much more visible. The repertoire is expanding, and there is growing interest in new works that explore the instrument’s full range of colors. For a violist who is interested in contemporary creation, it is an incredibly stimulating environment. 

You gained significant recognition at the Concours de Genève. What did that experience mean for you, especially in relation to artistic projects like this one? 

Geneva was a turning point. The competition was structured over quite a long period: there were online rounds at the beginning and then the semifinals and finals in the autumn. Preparing for such a long-span competition was demanding, because I had to think carefully about how to develop over time—how to show my individuality in each round, and, very concretely, what kind of musician I wanted to become. 

The semifinal was particularly meaningful because it consisted of three categories. In the solo recital, I could design my own program, and I chose to include a work by a little-known female Russian composer for viola and piano. That was important to me, both musically and in terms of representation. In another category, I performed briefly with Corina Belcea from the Belcea Quartet, and there was also a performance of Berio’s work with percussion and tape—the first time I played such a combination on that kind of stage. 

Where does Resonant Dialogues stand now in terms of development? 

Resonant Dialogues is currently in an active development phase. We now have a provisional programme featuring works by Murail, Scelsi, Sawai, Fujikura, Mochizuki, Hosokawa and Nishimura, alongside two new commissions by Yu Kuwabara and Helena Tulve. We are currently working on these commissions, exploring different formats, and preparing the first performances, with concerts planned from 2027 onward in Europe and Japan.

You spoke about female composers in Geneva, and in Resonant Dialogues you commission new works from Yu Kuwabara and Helena Tulve. How consciously do you think about gender when you design your programs? 

It has become an important consideration for me. In Geneva, for the semifinal recital where I had full freedom, I deliberately chose to include a piece by a female composer. That was a conscious decision. For Resonant Dialogues, I wanted the commissioning process to reflect the diversity of voices in contemporary composition today, and inviting both Yu Kuwabara and Helena Tulve felt very natural. I don’t think in terms of quotas, but I do think about balance and visibility. 

How do you imagine the concert experience of Resonant Dialogues from the audience’s perspective? 

I hope it will feel like entering a different kind of time. The project is conceived as an invitation to listen differently: to focus less on narrative and more on the quality of sound, the way resonance fills space, the relationship between sound and silence. 

The format is flexible, but ideally it is performed without intermission so that the listening state can deepen gradually. Depending on the venue, we may include subtle visual elements—lighting, projections, simple materials like washipaper or calligraphic lines—that extend the idea of resonance into the visual space. In Yu Kuwabara’s new piece, for example, small lights around the koto create shifting patterns of light and shadow that mirror the music’s explorations of timbre and decay. I would also like to frame the concert with short texts or introductions. 

You took part in the WFIMC Forum in Vilnius, where you presented your project. What did you take away from those three days? 

The Forum was extremely helpful. Having people from competitions all over the world in one place allowed us to hear many different perspectives on what is happening now—what kinds of projects and ideas are gaining attention, and how institutions are thinking about the future. For me, sharing the space with other young artists who are all at a high level, but coming from very different backgrounds, was very inspiring. 

What I appreciated most was that the Forum deliberately created time to listen to young artists, not only to established figures. The feedback and conversations that followed my presentation led directly to concrete ideas for collaborations—recitals and concerts in Japan and Europe, commissions, joint projects around contemporary music and vocal ensembles. Some of those discussions are still continuing now. 

Finally, a brief word about Vilnius itself. What impression did the city leave on you? 

Even though I didn’t have much time to explore, I found Vilnius very beautiful and somehow calm. I remember eating potato pancakes and thinking how delicious they were. The atmosphere of the city, and the people I met, gave me a feeling of elegance and tranquility. 

I am deeply honored that the WFIMC chose to recognize Resonant Dialogues with the Artistic Project Prize. For a young musician, receiving this kind of support is not only an encouragement but also a strong motivation to continue developing the project with responsibility and imagination. I hope that in the coming years we can share this work with audiences in many different places and, through it, open new spaces for listening and dialogue. 

About Ayaka Taniguchi
Ayaka Taniguchi is a Japanese violist and prizewinner at the Concours de Genève and the Hindemith International Viola Competition. Currently pursuing her master’s studies with Tabea Zimmermann in Frankfurt, she performs repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary music, with a particular focus on collaboration with living composers. Her artistic interests center on timbre, resonance and the relationship between Western contemporary music and Japanese aesthetics. Through projects such as Resonant Dialogues for viola and koto, she seeks to foster intercultural exchange, develop new repertoire and create concert experiences that invite audiences to listen with heightened attention and curiosity.

©WFIMC 2026/FR