Yoshie Nakayama
Bio//
Yoshie Nakayama is a composer, arranger, trombone player, singer as well as educator, based in Boston. People recognize her warm and jazzy Acappella productions. Yoshie’s creation varies from traditional Japanese songs, educational piano pieces, to jazz big band, orchestra, and so on. Some of Yoshie's works are stocked in the Japanese Library of Congress in Tokyo.
In 2002, Yoshie received a music teacher’s license in Japan when she graduated from one of the best music institutions in the country, Kunitachi College of Music with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education.
She also graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston where she was awarded a scholarship and graduated with Summa Cum Laude in Contemporary Writing and Production along with the Achievement Award from the College.
The same year 2020, Yoshie also launched a global initiative, Songs for World Peace as a Co-Founder to promote peace through the power of music. They have released 80+ songs about world peace by 100+ artists from 80+ countries so far all in their native languages.
The initiative has been supported by UN Women San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, Musicians Without Borders, Together Productions, art 27, Music To Life, and World singing Day.
Yoshie is also the Official Arranger of the UNIVOZ Vocal Ensemble. In 2019, UNIVOZ won the popular Acappella competition TV program, “Sing That Thing!” on WBGH2 with her original composition, "Sing For You". In 2020, Yoshie's acappella video production, "Blame It On the COVID-19 feat. UNIVOZ" received
the Grand Prize, Judge Sato Award, and the Musicality Award from the Japanese remote choir competition, "Tele - Chorus Contest". The video also took part in the m-pact Vocal Festival 2020. In 2021, A music video of Yoshie's original composition "Sing For You" performed with UNIVOZ was premiered at the Global Voices Film Festival San Francisco hosted by UN Women USA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter along with "We Declare Peace - Songs for World Peace Finale Song" that she wrote the strings arrangement for.
Currently, Yoshie teaches Arranging as well as Vocal Writing at Contemporary Production and Writing department of Berklee College of Music.
[Awards]
"Blame It On the COVID-19 feat. Univoz"
The Grand Prize, Judge Sato’s Award, Musicality Award at the 1st Tele-Con hosted by Tele-Chorus Project
[Past Works]
2022
Arranger - Released EP Single "Sing For You" performed by UNIVOZ Vocal Ensemble
2021
Co-Founder - Songs for World Peace 2021 song release
Composer - "Sing For You" premiered at the Global Voices Festival hosted by UN Women USA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
The role of "Trombone Girl" - Amazon Prime, "Goliath" season 4, directed by Billy Bob Thornton
Trombone - Nêgah Santos, Album "O Pandeiro"
Trombone - BEE Uyen Phuong's " Omely", “Mong Duoi Hoa”, “Saigon Dep Lam” and "Dreamy Blossom"
Author - "The POWER OF WHY Musicians Climb to Super Star" by The Ultimate Music Theory
2020
Arranger & Singer - Participation with "Blame It On the COVID-19 feat. Univoz" at M-PACT Vocal Festival
Strings & Horn Arranger - Album "Mad Love" by Infinity Song (Roc Nation)
Arranger - Sheet Music "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" published by Jazz Vocalist Society of Japan
Co-Founder - Songs for World Peace launch & 2020 song release
Choir Singer - Music Video "Library of Inspiration" produced by Ester Wiesnerová
BG Vocalist - Aref Arefkia Album Recording
Composer - School Introduction video of High School of the Kunitachi College of Music
Trombone - New music video "Dil Chahta Hai" by Berklee Indian Ensemble
Choir Singer - UCLA Game Music Ensemble Concert at UCLA Shoenberg Hall
Strings Arranger - Live Streaming show "Live From the Secret Place" by Infinity Song (Roc Nation)
Guest Appearance - TV show "Creative World" on KXLA
2019
Choir Singer - Shahkar Bineshpajooh Concert at Microsoft Theater
Music Copyist - Film "Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal (Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris)" Composed by Andrew Bong
Strings Arranger - Russel Stover Chocolates Nationwide TV Ads, "I Wanna Make You Happy" by Victory Boyd
Composer - "Sing For You" performed by UNIVOZ at "Sing That Thing" on WGBH2
Arranger, Producer, Singer - EP Single "Furusato - Homeland-"
2018
Trombone - EP "Runner In The Rain" by Mariel Austin
Trombone - Infinity Song & Victory Boyd at The Theatre at Ace Hotel
Trombone - Music Video "Dil Chahta Hai" music video by Berklee Indian Ensemble
Composer, Arranger & Vocalist - UNIVOZ Mexico Tour
BG Vocalist - Music Video "One More Time" by Salil Bhayani
Co-Arranger - Music Video "Tangos A Mompou" by Olivia Pérez Collellmir
2017
Arranger - Women of the World Japan Tour
Trombone - Album "Coffee Gold Sugar Cane" by Flavio Lira
Trombone - Album "Illegal Grooves" by Nacho Gonzalez
Trombone - Music Video "Beating Oranges ft. Fattoruso, Patitucci, Garzone" by Nacho Gonzalez
Vocal Coordinator - "Starship Troopers - Traitor of Mars -" Japanese edition by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Trombone - "Middleschoolandia" at Hollywood Fringe Festival
2016
Music Producer & Trombone - Live show "RiseUp As One" with Alejandro Sanz - hosted by Univision
BG Choir - Emmy Award-winning documentary "Imagination Off the Charts - Jacob Collier Comes to MIT"
Arranger & Conductor - Berklee College of Music Commencement Concert in presence of Milton Nascimento, Isley Brothers & Rita Moreno at Boston University Agganis Arena
Trombone - Music Video "Speeding Turtle ft. Ruben Rada, G. Garzone, N. Michelin", by Nacho González
2015
Arranger & BG Vocalist - Berklee Meets Joyce Moreno at Berklee Performance Center
Arranger & Vocalist - Berklee International Folk Music Festival at Berklee Performance Center
2014
Trombone - Performing the Japanese national anthem with Tiger Okoshi at Massachusetts State House
2013
Trombone - "Distant Worlds: Final Fantasy World Tour" at Boston Symphony Hall with the composer, Nobuo Uematsu's presence
BG Vocal & Trombone - "Zlee" at Cotton Club Tokyo
Voices - HITACHI China Ads