September 1, 2015Faculty PositionRay Furuta was recently named flute faculty for Mission College in Santa Clara, California.
June 11, 2014Cultural DiplomacyWith renowned pianist and colleague Jon Nakamatsu, Ray Furuta was officiated as a Cultural Ambassador to the United States by Sister Cities International.
July 16, 2013Faculty PositionsRay Furuta joins the Artistic Faculty of the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Institute in Leavenworth, WA (July 7 - 21) and the San Diego Coastal Flutes Summer Masterclass in San Diego, CA (August 5 - 10).
July 15, 2013Another review from the 2013 Silicon Valley Music Festival!
Dubbed “The Rockstar of the Flute” by the Informador de Guadalajara (Mexico), Mexican-Japanese American flutist Ray Furuta has performed worldwide as a commanding and versatile performing artist within the classical, contemporary, world, jazz, and pop sectors.
Officiated as a cultural ambassador to the United States of America in 2014, Furuta has toured as a performer and teacher across Mexico, Japan, Austria, Czech-Republic, Poland, Hungary, and throughout the Middle East and North America. He has performed for internationally recognized names including Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, The United Nations, and the Mainly Mozart, Okayama, Sarasota, and Yellowbarn Music Festivals. As a dynamic performer, he has also frequented the stage as a concerto soloist, championing the contemporary concerti of Yuko Uebayashi, Brett Dean, and Paul Schoenfield and a touring solo recitalist mastering the cornerstones of the flute repertoire.
Dedicated to Chamber Music, Furuta maintained an active role as the flutist with several ensembles including Furuta/Cann Duo with pianist Michelle Cann, Furuta/Kibbey duo with harpsit Bridget Kibbey, Furujii with percussionist Haruka Fujii, and the Burkart Duo with flutist Carol Wincenc. He has also shared the stage with classical luminaries including Jon Nakamatsu, Peter Frankl, and members of the Avalon, Brooklyn Rider, Kronos, Mendelssohn, and Emerson String Quartets. Additionally, his passion for world music has led to performances with superstars Van Anh Vo (Danh Tranh), Sandeep Das (Indian Tabla), Vijay Gopal (Bansuri), Merima Kljuco (Accordion), Ghassan Sahhab (Qanun), and Christina Pato (Galacian Bagpipe) to name only a few. He is also a member of the Mexico-city based Contemporary Mexican Jazz Band, Toktli, and is a leading-artist-member of the Common Sounds ensemble.
As a passionate teaching artist, Furuta is a Lecturer of Performance Practice and Music & Social Justice at Santa Clara University. In addition, he leads courses in global music performance and ethnomusicology. Prior to this, he served as a instructor in flute and chamber music for the undergraduate music department at Stony Brook University as the hand-selected teaching assistant to the Emerson String Quartet.
He has held residencies and given master classes at institutions including San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Stanford University, Lebanese American University of Beirut, UC San Diego, San Jose State University, University of Victoria (BC), and New York University, among others. In addition, he is a regularly rotating faculty member of the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Institute, Imagine Music Seminar in Beirut, and the Orqesta Sinfonica Juvenil de Guadalajara.
As an artistic philanthropist, Ray Furuta’s passion for social justice has led much of his musical career to bringing music to marginalized communities around the world. His ongoing projects include presence in local juvenile detention centers and for homeless youth and title 1 schools. In addition he has established an annual project in the disenfranchised districts of Tijuana, Mexico to bring music education to youth in an effort to keep them out of the streets. He has also performed for Syrian Refugees in the Middle East. Subsequently, he has developed Music & Social Justice curriculum for the Music Department at Santa Clara University.
As a celebrated curator, he is the Producing Artistic Director for Chamber Music Silicon Valley, a leading Californian arts organization. As well as Santa Clara University’s weekly Music@Noon concert series. He was named the winner of the 2018 X-Factor Arts Prize, which recognizes entrepreneurial and innovative ideas to advance the arts and creativity. And most recently, was announced as the 2019 “On the Stage” Artist Laureate of SVCreates, design to identity and recognize Silicon Valley’s finest artists based on the quality of their work and their commitment to enriching the community. In addition, he is an alumnus of the Multicultural Artist Leadership Institute (MALI).
As a recipient of the prestigious Staller Scholar and distinguished alumni “40 under 40” awards, Ray Furuta holds his doctor of musical arts degree from Stony Brook University where he was a pupil of Carol Wincenc and the Emerson String Quartet. Other important influences include flutists Isabelle Chapuis, Jill Felber, and Elena Yarritu, harpsichordist Arthur Haas, and pianist and artistic visionary Wu Han.
Saturday, August 31, 2019 Silicon Valley Music Festival: Night 2
Friday, August 30, 2019 Silicon Valley Music Festival: Night 1
Saturday, August 03, 2019 Annapolis Chamber Music Festival Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis more info...
Sunday, July 14, 2019 Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival Canyon Wren Recital Hall Leavenworth, WA more info...
Saturday, July 13, 2019 Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival Canyon Wren Recital Hall Leavenworth, WA more info...
Thursday, June 27, 2019 2019 SVArts Awards + Content Pick-Up Party Forager San Jose, CA more info...
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 CMSV in Mexico Residency Tijuana, Mexico
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 CMSV in Mexico Residency Tijuana, Mexico
Monday, June 24, 2019 CMSV in Mexico Residency Tijuana, Mexico
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 SCU Flute Studio Recital Santa Clara University Music and Dance Facility - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA
Saturday, April 27, 2019 Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival Quinlan Center Cupertino, CA
Saturday, April 13, 2019 CMSV: Common Sounds San Jose Museum of Art San Jose, CA more info...
Sunday, April 07, 2019 North Shore Pro Musica Long Island Museum Stony Brook, NY more info...
Saturday, April 06, 2019 All "American" Recital Tour 4 Private Residence Setauket, NY
Saturday, April 06, 2019 All "American" Recital Tour 3 Stony Brook University - Staller Center Stony Brook, NY
Monday, April 01, 2019 All "American" Recital Tour 2 Santa Clara University Music and Dance Facility - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA
Saturday, March 30, 2019 All "American" Recital Tour 1 Saratoga Foothill Club Saratoga, CA
Friday, March 29, 2019 Common Sounds @ Mosaic Los Gatos Los Gatos High School Los Gatos, CA more info...
Saturday, March 09, 2019 Special Guest with Renowned Dizi player: Xiaoqing Yu Le Petit Trianon Theater San Jose, CA
Friday, February 01, 2019 New Music Festival: 90 Years of George Crumb Santa Clara University Music and Dance Facility - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA more info...
Thursday, January 31, 2019 New Music Festival: 90 Years of George Crumb Santa Clara University Music and Dance Facility - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA more info...
Sunday, January 27, 2019 Master Class at Orange Music Studio Orange Music Studio Saratoga, CA more info...
Saturday, January 26, 2019 CMSV: The Brandenburgs San Jose Museum of Art San Jose, CA more info...
Sunday, January 20, 2019 Master Class at Orange Music Studio Orange Music Studio San Jose, CA more info...
Saturday, November 10, 2018 CMSV: Celestial Mechanics San Jose, CA more info...
Wednesday, November 07, 2018 Ray Furuta & Haruka Fujii Duo Recital Santa Clara University Music and Dance Facility - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA more info...
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 Frankenstein Hammer Theater San Jose, CA more info...
Friday, October 05, 2018 Common Sounds with Mosaic Silicon Valley MacAfee Performing Arts Center Saratoga, CA more info...
Thursday, October 4, 2018 Faculty Recital Santa Clara University Santa Clara, California more info...
Monday, August 20, 2018 Recording Session: Michiru Oshima Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, August 18, 2018 Recording Session: Michiru Oshima Brooklyn, NY
Friday, August 17, 2018 Vico Diaz: Toktli Los Angeles Plaza de Cultura y Artes Los Angeles, CA more info...
Saturday, August, 04, 2018 Annapolis Chamber Music Festival: Exploring Inner Landscapes Annapolis, MD more info...
Friday, August, 03, 2018 Annapolis Chamber Music Festival: The Color of Sound Annapolis, MD more info...
Thursday, August, 02, 2018 Annapolis Chamber Music Festival: Music at the Hammond-Hardwood Annapolis, MD more info...
Saturday, July, 28, 2018 Annapolis Chamber Music Festival: The Color of Sound Annapolis, MD more info...
July 15, 2018 - July 21, 2018 Imagine Arts Summer Camp Beirut, Lebanon more info...
July 3, 2018 - July 5, 2018 Opera en la Calle Festival Tijuana, Mexico more info...
Saturday, June 30, 2018 Silicon Valley Music Festival: Air to Air Rotary Summit Center San Jose, CA more info...
Friday, June 29, 2018 Silicon Valley Music Festival: Night at Caravanserai Rotary Summit Center San Jose, CA more info...
Thursday, June 28, 2018 Silicon Valley Music Festival: Common Sounds Rotary Summit Center San Jose, CA more info...
Saturday, May 12, 2018 Wind and Reed with Mosaic Silicon Valley Cupertino Library Cupertino, CA more info...
Wednesday, May 2, 2018 Music@Noon with Furuta/Kibbey Duo Santa Clara University - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA more info...
Saturday, April 28, 2018 CMSV: Rouge Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA more info...
Friday, March 16, 2018 Soloist with SCU Wind Symphony Santa Clara University Santa Clara, California more info...
Friday, February 2, 2018 Santa Clara University: New Music Festival Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA
Monday, January 29, 2018 Sangam Arts Presents: Woodwind & Reed Saratoga Public Library Saratoga, CA more info...
Sunday, January 28, 2018 North Shore Pro Musica Long Island Museum Stony Brook, NY more info...
Saturday, January 20, 2018 CMSV: The Complete Brandenburg Concerti Triton Museum of Art more info...
Monday, November 13, 2017 Lunes de Musica: Solo Recital PALCCO Zappopan, Mexico
Friday, November 3, 2017 Faculty Recital @ SCU Santa Clara University Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA more info...
Sunday, October 29, 2017 Furuta/Kibbey Duo with San Jose Chamber Orchestra Le Petit Trianon Theatre San Jose, CA more info...
Saturday, October 21, 2017 CMSV: AMOUR Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA more info...
Saturday, September 30, 2017 Recital: Okayama Flute Association Okayama Symphony Hall Okayama, Japan
September 24 -30, 2017 Okayama International Music Festival Okayama, Japan
Saturday, September 9, 2017 Guest Artist - Palo Alto Philharmonic Chamber Series First Lutheran Church Palo Alto, CA more info...
Monday, September 4, 2017 Lunes de Musica PALCCO Zapopan, Mexico more info...
July 26-29, 2017 Opera en la Calle Festival - Master Class and Concert Tijuana Mexico more info...
Tuesday, July 25, 2017 Master Class for San Jose Youth Symphony Santa Clara University - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA more info...
July 9 - 16 , 2017 Imagine Music - Beirut Lebanese American University of Beirut Beirut, Lebanon more info...
Sunday, June 18, 2017 Mainly Mozart Festival Biltmore Hotel, Granada Ballroom Coral Gables, FL more info...
Saturday, June 10, 2017 SVMF 2017: A Hug for Gonzalo Fess Parker Studio Santa Clara, CA more info...
Friday, June 9, 2017 SVMF 2017: Techno Parade Fess Parker Studio Santa Clara, CA more info...
Thursday, June 8, 2017 SVMF 2017: Vertigo Fess Parker Studio Santa Clara, CA more info...
Friday, May 5, 2017 Performance with Silkroad Ensemble Santa Clara University Santa Clara, California more info...
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 Performance with Silkroad Ensemble Santa Clara University Santa Clara, California more info...
Thursday, April 6, 2017 CMSV Opus Now Soiree Private CMSV Event San Jose, CA more info...
Saturday, March 25, 2017 Wind Remix Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA more info...
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 Music and Conflict - Solo Flute Recital Lebanese American University of Beirut Beirut, Lebanon
Monday, February 13, 2017 Music and Conflict - Solo Flute Recital Lebanese American University of Beirut Byblos, Lebanon
Wednesday, February 8, 2017 Arts and Conflict - Pannel Discussion Lebanese American University of Beirut Byblos, Lebanon
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 Arts and Conflict - Pannel Discussion Lebanese American University of Beirut Beirut, Lebanon
Friday, February 3, 2017 Composer Portrait: Eldad Tarmu Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA more info...
Saturday, December 10, 2016 Vivaldi: The Four Season Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA more info...
Monday, November 21, 2016 Recital in Gudalajara, Mexico Zapopan, Jal., Mexico
Sunday, November 13, 2016 Duo Recital with Bridget Kibbey Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook East Setauket, NY more info...
Saturday, November 12, 2016 Recital and Master Class for Stony Brook Pre-College Program Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY more info...
Saturday, November 12, 2016 Friendly Persuasions: Homage to Poulenc 1st Presbyterian Church of Port Jefferson Port Jefferson, NY
Sunday, November 6, 2016 North Shore Pro Musica The Long Island Museum Stony Brook, NY more info...
Friday, October 28, 2016 Faculty Recital @ Santa Clara University Recital Hall - Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA more info...
Saturday, October 22, 2016 Audacious Amadeus Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA more info...
Wednesday, December 12, 2016 Music@Noon Santa Clara University - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA
Thursday, September 22, 2016 Crumb: Vox Balanae @ Santa Clara University Recital Hall - Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA more info...
Friday, August 19, 2016 Soloist with Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de Guadalajara Capilla Tolsa - Instituto Cultural Cabañas Guadalajara, Mexico more info...
Wednesday, August 17, 2016 Chamber Master Class - Guadalajara, MX Telmex Auditorium Zapopan, Jal., Mexico more info...
Tuesday, August 16, 2016 Flute Master Class - Guadalajara, MX Telmex Auditorium Zapopan, Jal., Mexico more info...
Sunday, August 14, 2016 Heggie: The Deepest Desire at NFA National Flute Association Convention San Diego more info...
Sunday, August 14, 2016 Recital - Tijuana, MX Opera de Tijuana Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Saturday, June 25, 2016 SVMF 2016: Father Beethoven Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA 95050 more info...
Thursday, June 23, 2016 SVMF 2016: Impressionist Impression Triton Museum of Art Santa Clara, CA 95050 more info...
Friday, May 20, 2016 Music in May First Congregational Church Santa Cruz, CA more info...
Saturday, May 7, 2016 Benefit Recital for Festival of French Classical Music Mission College, Gilmor Center - Rm. 103 Santa Clara, CA more info...
Sunday, April 24, 2016 Music in May Salon Series Private Residence Santa Cruz, CA more info...
Saturday, April 23, 2016 Ensemble San Francisco, Opus 415 House Concert Atherton, CA more info...
Saturday, April 23, 2016 MIMOZART Roosevelt Community Center San Jose, CA more info...
Friday, April 22, 2016 Santa Clara University Faculty Recital Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA more info...
Sunday, April 17, 2016 Live at NPR's "Says You" Oshman Jewish Community Center Palo Alto, CA
Saturday, April 9, 2016 Son à Trois Recital Mission College - Gilmor Center Santa Clara, CA more info...
Friday, April 8, 2016 Lecture @ Stanford University Braun Music Center Sanford, CA
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 Chamber Music Class @ San Jose State University San Jose State University San Jose, CA more info...
Sunday, April 3, 2016 North Shore Pro Musica Long Island Museum Stony Brook, NY more info...
Saturday, March 26, 2016 Duo Recital with Rachel Kudo Private Residence Setauket, NY
Tuesday, March 22, 2016 The Mozart Flute Quartets Washington University: E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall St. Louis, MO 63130
Wednesday, March 16, 2016 CMSV Outreach at Juvenile Center Santa Cruz, CA more info...
Saturday, March 12, 2016 Guest Artist with Frequency 49 Arlington Community Church Concert Series Kensington, CA 94707 more info...
Sunday, March 6, 2016 North Shore Pro Musica Long Island Museum Stony Brook, NY more info...
Sunday, January 3, 2016 San Jose Chamber Orchestra Le Petit Trianon Theatre San Jose, CA more info...
Friday, December 11, 2015 Hidden Valley Opera Hidden Valley Music Center Carmel Valley, CA more info...
Sunday, December 6, 2015 Hidden Valley Opera Hidden Valley Music Center Carmel Valley, CA more info...
Friday, December 4, 2015 CMSV Launch Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA more info...
Sunday, November 15, 2015 North Shore Pro Musica Long Island Museum Stony Brook, NY more info...
Thursday, April 9, 2015 Providence Premieres more info...
Saturday, March 28, 2015 C.P.E. Bach D minor Flute Concerto with Stony Brook Symphony Staller Center for the Arts Stony Brook, New York more info...
Friday, March 27, 2015 Solo Recital Staller Center for the Arts Stony Brook, New York more info...
Thursday, March 26, 2015 Masterclass and Recital at Bellport High School Bellport High School
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Recital with Carol Wincenc The Japanese Embassy New York, NY
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Residency at California State University, Long Beach Bob Cole Conservatory @ CSULB Long Beach, CA
Saturday, February 21, 2015 Uebayashi Flute Concerto with UOP Symphony Orchestra Faye Spanos Concert Hall Stockton, California more info...
Friday, February 20, 2015 Masterclass - University of the Pacific more info...
Friday, January 30, 2015 Residency @ SUNY Albany New Music and Culture Symposium Albany, NY more info...
Sunday, January 18, 2015 The Complete Bach Flute Sonatas @ Concerts at 3 Bethany Lutheran Church Naperville, IL more info...
Tuesday, December 16, 2014 Lecture on The Phenomenological Approach to Musical Analysis
Friday, November 14, 2014 Premieres! Roulette New York, NY 10013 more info...
Sunday, November 9, 2014 Guest Artist - New York University (NYU) NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Music and Performing Arts New York, NY
Sunday, November 2, 2014 Guest Artist - San Francisco Flute Festival Valley Christian School - Conservatory of Music San Jose, CA 95111 more info...
Tuesday, October 28, 2014 Chamber Music Coaching @ San Jose State University San Jose State University San Jose, CA
Sunday, October 26, 2014 Residency - Gettysburg College Sunderman Conservatory of Music Gettysburg, PA 17325 more info...
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 Recital - San Diego Coastal Flutes St. Peter's Episcopal Church Del Mar, California
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 Master Class - San Diego Coastal Flutes St. Peter's Episcopal Church Del Mar, California
Friday, August 1, 2014 Side-by-Side with Dionne Warwick San Jose Center for Performing Arts San Jose, California more info...
Saturday, July 12, 2014 Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival: Primary Colors Canyon Wren Recital Hall Leavenworth, WA more info...
Sunday, June 22, 2014 Masterclass @ Silicon Valley Music Festival San Jose Fairmont Hotel - Glenn Ellen Room San Jose, California more info...
Saturday, June 21, 2014 Soyokaze Trio in San Jose JTS Northside Community Center San Jose, California
Saturday, April 26, 2014 Soloist with San Jose Mission Chamber Orchestra Le Petit Trianon Theater San Jose, CA more info...
Friday, April 11, 2014 Sonic Spring Electronic Music Concert Staller Center for the Arts Stony Brook, New York more info...
Saturday, March 29, 2014 Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra Staller Center for the Arts Stony Brook, New York more info...
Saturday, February 8, 2014 The Bach Flute Sonatas First Lutheran Church of Palo Alto Palo Alto, CA more info...
Saturday, January 25, 2014 IHS Benefit Concert Independence High School Concert Hall San Jose, CA more info...
Wednesday, January 30 - February 2, 2019 Santa Clara University New Music Festival Santa Clara University Music and Dance Facility - Recital Hall Santa Clara, CA more info...
Chamber Music Silicon ValleyHome to the annual Silicon Valley Music Festival, CMSV attracts internationally renowned artists and provides invaluable experience for the up and coming young performers of tomorrow.http://www.cmsv.org/
Santa Clara UniversityThe Department of Music at Santa Clara University provides an intellectual and stimulating artistic environment fostering individual expression and creativity through the study of music and musical performance.https://www.scu.edu/cas/music/
with William Sharp, Violaine Melancon, Grace Park, Roger Tapping, Sunny Yang, Sam Suggs, Mark Hill, Elinor Rufeizen, Steven Dibner, Steven Stirling, Seth Knopp, & Qing Jiang
J. Scott: Passion for Bach and Coltrane, Variation 13
Live June 2017 @ Silicon Valley Music Festival Produced by Chamber Music Silicon Valley Commissioned by "The Festival of Arts and Ideas" and " Johnson City C...
Mark Applebaum: Speed Dating
Applebaum: Speed Dating
C. DEBUSSY, Piano Trio in G major, L. 5, III. Andante espressivo
Ray Furuta, Flute
Saeunn Throsteinsdottir, Cello
Katherine Dowling, Piano
New York, NY, October, 2015
L. McLoskey: Requiem, v. 2.001, I. Intuit
G. Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde; #6 Der Abschied - YouTube
From the 2012 summer season of Yellow Barn, an international center for chamber music.
Recorded at The Big Barn in Putney, VT, August 4 & 5, 2012.
A. Copland: Appalachian Spring
Chamber Music Silicon Valley presents The Silicon Valley Music Festival 2014
Uebayashi: Au-dela du Temps, I. La lemière lointaine de nuit
Burkart Duo Carol Wincenc & Ray Furuta with pianist, Wendy Caldwell. Live 2018
F. Doppler: Andante and Rondo for Two Flutes and Piano - YouTube
Wincenc/Furuta duo: Carol Wincenc & Ray Furuta, Flute and Isabelle Guan, Piano Live October 2016
M. Kljuco: Sto te Nema
Duo Cassotto performing Kljuco's Sto te Nema
M. Kljuco: Sevdah Songs II (No.2 Brala Bih Kupusa)
Duo Cassotto, Live 2014
Sevdah Songs II, (No.2 Brala Bih Kupusa)
Ray Furuta, Flute & Merima Kljuco, Accordion
SOLO
Paul Taffanel: Fantasy on "Der Freischutz" by Carl Maria von Web
Annapolis Chamber Music Festival, 7/31/18, Ray Furuta, flute Laura Ward, piano
Yuko Uebayashi - Sonata for Flute and Piano, III. Lento
Annapolis Chamber Music Festival, 8/3/18, Ray Furuta, flute Laura Ward, piano
P. Gaubert: Sonata No. 1 in A major - YouTube
Ray Furuta, Flute & Michelle Cann, Piano Live March 2015
S. Prokofiev: Sonata for Flute and Piano, I. Andantino
Live February 2017 Beirut, Lebanon Seba Ali, Piano "Music and Conflict" Recital Lebanese American University of Beirut.
