Artist of the Week 19 Qs for Chihiro Yasufuku

When was your first singing lesson (and with whom)?
My very first singing lesson was in high school with the wonderful Elizabeth Polese. I still listen back to my lesson recordings from back then and hope I have the opportunity to share the stage with her in the future.

What/who inspired you to sing?
My late grandfather began singing classically after his retirement, and watching his family concerts during my childhood was a huge inspiration. I really miss getting to hear his voice and wish we had more time to perform together.

Drink of choice?
I love a matcha latte that has just the right balance of bitterness and sweetness!

If you weren’t a singer, you’d be..?
I think I would have been a psychologist or music therapist. I still enjoy exploring the intersections of science and art, and I’m grateful to have received an education that allowed me to explore how my passions can coincide with each other. I infuse a lot of my role preparation with the knowledge I gained through my psychology credits in university!

Which opera role do you want to be singing right now?
Liù from Puccini’s Turandot – this was actually the very first opera I ever saw! I continue to have a soft spot for roles that allow a singer to deep dive into one’s own experiences of passion and pain. While the process can be quite demanding and challenging a lot of the time, I find it crucial to incorporate very real and relatable human emotions into character work.

Who is a singer you admired from the past?
I’ve always admired Lorraine Hunt Lieberson’s artistry and care with which she approached every role she embodied. Her recording of “As with Rosy steps the Morn” from Handel’s Theodora is something I return to when I need a boost of inspiration, or simply some solace from the everyday stressors of life.

What’s your favourite orchestral instrument? Why?
I love the violin, but I think my past studies make me a bit biased! I can’t thank my longtime violin teacher, Sarah Fraser Raff, enough, for emphasizing the importance of building a strong musical foundation to thrive – we never ever stop learning or growing as artists.

What’s your ancestry?
I was born in Chiba, Japan, and moved to Canada during my adolescence. It’s amazing to see how much Japanese culture and art has made its way across the globe in recent years, and the connection to my own ancestry and intercultural upbringing is something that forms the foundations of my collective, Hibiki Project’s ongoing projects.

Where did you go to school?
I am a proud graduate of the University of Toronto – I completed both my B.Mus and M.Mus at the Faculty of Music! A shoutout to my U of T teachers, Nathalie Paulin and Lorna MacDonald, who continue to inspire me and the work that I do today.

Which album did you listen to last?
I most recently listened to Hikaru Utada’s Fantôme. It’s hard to believe it’s already been ten years since the album was released, but I think I will continue to discover something new with every listen.

Do you believe in ghosts?
Yes, absolutely! I come from a pretty spiritual family, and grew up reading and loving ghost stories. My father’s birthday is also coincidentally on Halloween, so October was always a month I looked forward to growing up. You’ll see that my collective’s latest project, Reimu, is also a ghost story in its own unique way. 🙂

Do you sing in the shower?
ALL the time, maybe a little too much... Now that I think back, I probably used to do this way before my first singing lessons, so a major foreshadowing for my neighbours (thank you for bearing with my annoying warmups).

What nickname do your friends call you and why?
I have sooo many nicknames, some of which go back to my elementary school days – chi, chichi, cheerio, and the list goes on. I think it was to make it easier for folks to pronounce my name when I initially moved to Canada, but I’m grateful for Spirited Away, since the movie has made my name a tad bit more familiar around the world 🙂 Fun fact, my name actually uses different kanji letters to the character from the Studio Ghibli film!

What is something most people don’t know about you?
I am absolutely terrible with maps, and I stumble even more often – I get really worried when I’m visiting a venue for the first time, so that’s probably why I’ll end up arriving way too early!

What is one thing that you cannot live without?
Rice! This is something that my friends and former roomies will be familiar with, but I need my rice on standby after a long day of work and rehearsals.

Do you approach singing and/or upcoming projects differently today than you did at the beginning of your career?
I think that my fundamental approach to the creative process hasn’t changed – whether it’s rehearsing or performing, I spend the same amount of time and effort on each project that I have the gift of taking part in. That said, I think that I now feel a much stronger responsibility to give back to the community and mentors that have contributed to my growth as an artist, than at the beginning of my career.

Who has been inspiring you lately?
I’ve been having so much fun getting to work with the lovely Mabel Wonnacott through Hibiki’s upcoming production of Reimu. Our paths initially crossed at U of T Opera, where I had the privilege of receiving her direction in the Student Composer Collective production, Lysistrata Reimagined (2024). Working together again after a few years and fusing the experiences that we’ve both gained has been a really inspiring and rewarding process so far. It’s really special getting to work alongside colleagues who have endless ideas and thought-provoking questions to ask during the creative process.

The music industry is tough, and filled with rejection. How do you cope? Does it get easier?
Being in the music industry is indeed tough – I recall this being one of the very first conversations I had with mentors before beginning my post-secondary studies, and I’m grateful for the transparency I had walking into the business. It is so easy to let yourself spiral into the “No”s that we're slammed with on a regular basis. I don’t think enough artists talk about this, and I truly believe that more conversation surrounding rejection can help lift the stigma around it. Of course, this is easier said than done, but that’s where I’m continuously grateful for my closest friends and family who greet me with open arms even during my most vulnerable and lowest moments.

When was the first time you cried at the opera?
The first time I cried at the opera was ironically on stage and in character during U of T Opera’s production of Three Islands (2024). It was a triple-bill show culminating with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Riders to the Sea, a story which deals with grief and loss in a very immediate way. I had the additional challenge of juggling three different roles for the production, but living through these characters during the four-day run was a really cathartic experience that I’ll never forget as I move forward in my career. A huge shoutout to Sandra Horst and Russell Braun for entrusting me with this opportunity. The off-stage conversations I had with director Tim Albery also hold a special place in my heart.