Akiko Seki
# Akiko Seki

Akiko Seki (Japanese: 関鑑子) (September 8, 1899 in Tokyo – May 2, 1973 in Tokyo) was a Japanese soprano. She is commonly recognized as the founder of the movement of The Singing Voice of Japan (Japanese: 日本のうたごえ, Nihon no Utagoe / うたごえ運動, Utagoe-undō). In 1955 she was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize.

## Life

* March 1921: She graduated in artistic singing at the Music School of Tokyo (Japanese: 東京音楽学校,Tōkyō Ongaku Gakkō).
* May 1, 1946: In the occasion of the first May Day post-war in Tokyo, she conducted L'internationale and a Japanese version of The red flag; this experience led her to the creation of a national musical movement of the working class.
* February 10, 1948: She created the Choir of the Communist Youth League of Japan (Japanese: 日本青年共産同盟 中央合唱団, Nihon-seinen-kyōsan-dōmei Chuō-gassyōdan) in Tokyo, as the core of national musical movement of the working class.
* December 20, 1955: She was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize.

## Writings

* Collection of Songs for Youth (Japanese: 「青年歌集」, Seinen-kasyū) (Tokyo, Typography of the cultural section of the Communist Youth League of Japan, 1948).
* Bewiched by the singing voice (Japanese: 「歌ごえに魅せられて」, Utagoe ni miserarete) (Tokyo, 1971).
