As a Japanese cellist, Michiaki Ueno wishes to introduce the world to the remarkable body of music composed in his homeland. At first glance, this might seem like a conventional statement – something anyone might say. Yet, when we consider his background, the words take on a different weight.

Born in Paraguay (1995) and raised in Spain during his early years, Michiaki Ueno was captivated at the age of four by a video of Yo-Yo Ma. He received his first cello as a Christmas gift when he was five – marking the beginning of his musical journey. For someone like Ueno, Japan was both his homeland and a distant, unfamiliar place. “I never really thought deeply about Japanese culture,” he reflects. “When Europeans spoke kindly about Japan, I was embarrassed to realize how little I actually knew.”

As he matured, Ueno found himself increasingly compelled to confront and contemplate his cultural identity. Unlike those who grow up immersed in Japan and take its environment for granted, Ueno approached it as something external – something to be consciously examined, understood, and deliberately chosen. It is perhaps through the very act of performing works by Japanese composers that he engages in this thoughtful process of selection.

Michiaki Ueno’s eloquent performance and charisma spellbind the audience. He has been praised for his unique yet natural musicality and superlative technique. As the winner of the Geneva International Music Competition, Ueno has proven to be one of the most promising artists on the classical music scene.

Born in Paraguay in 1995, he spent his childhood in Spain. After moving to Japan, Ueno made his debut as a soloist at the prestigious Suntory Hall at just eleven years old, performing the Lalo Cello Concerto. This led to him winning the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, catapulting him onto the international scene. His accolades include first prizes at the Romanian International Music Competition, where he also received the Romanian Embassy Prize and the Romanian Radio Culture Prize, and at the International Johannes Brahms Competition, among others. He attracted the world’s attention at the Geneva International Music Competition with his sensational performance of the Lutosławski Cello Concerto, winning the first prize with three special awards, including the Young Audience Prize.

Educated under the tutelage of Hakuro Mohri and Pieter Wispelwey, Ueno further honed his musicality as an artist-in-residence at the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth, under the guidance of Gary Hoffman and Jeroen Reuling.

As a soloist, Ueno has performed with leading orchestras such as the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Warsaw Philharmonic, KBS Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, and the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, under renowned conductors including Charles Dutoit and Jonathan Nott. He has shared the stage in chamber music performances with acclaimed artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Augustin Dumay, and José Gallardo.

Ueno is invited to music festivals around the world such as La Folle Journée de Nantes, Montpellier Music Festival, Pacific Music Festival, Argerich Music Festival Beppu, and the Beethovenfest Bonn, where he was awarded the Beethoven-Ring 2024. His recording career began ambitiously with the release of his world debut album, featuring the complete Bach suites at the age of 26. He has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Idemitsu Music Award, the Nippon Steel Music Award, and the Hideo Saito Memorial Foundation Award.

Ueno performs on two fine instruments: a 1730 “Feuermann” Stradivarius, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation, and a 1758 P.A. Testore cello, on loan from the Munetsugu Collection.