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 Cann/Furuta Duo with pianist Michelle Cann, "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 and the Professor of Flute at San Jose State University. In addition, he leads courses in global music performance and ethnomusicology. Prior to this, he served as an 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 the 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 bring music to marginalized communities around the world. Under his initiative Mas Amor Arts, his ongoing projects include a presence in local juvenile detention centers and collaborative projects with homeless women of color to address injustices of gender, race, finances, healthcare, and homelessness. 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 identify 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, violinist Philip Setzer, and pianist and artistic visionary Wu Han.
Upcoming Performances
January 07, 2022 - Santa Clara, CAFaculty Recital
January 08, 2022 - CMSV 10th Annivers...CMSV 10th Anniversary Opening Night
January 16, 2022 - Berkeley, CADEBUSSY X 3
February 10, 2022 - Boonvile, Californ...ComPanther's Collaboration with GLFCAM
March 10, 2022 - Boonvile, Californ...ComPanther's Collaboration with GLFCAM
March 13, 2022 - Mountain View, Cal...Every Night in Dreams: Romantic Music for Winds
March 26, 2022 - Minneapolis, Minne...Guest Speaker: MTNA National Conference
April 02, 2022 - Palo Alto, Califor...Premiere: Lee Actor's Concerto for Two Flutes and Orchestra
April 07, 2022 - Boonvile, Californ...ComPanther's Collaboration with GLFCAM
April 09, 2022 - Mountain View, Cal...Sound of Japan
May 14, 2022 - San Jose, Californ...Audacious Amadeus: Concerti by Mozart
Past Performances
November 05, 2021 -
Speaker: Marion Cilk... October 02, 2021 -
Mosaic Festival March 13, 2021 -
Master Class: Gabrie... February 13, 2021 -
Guest Artist Recital... January 22, 2021 -
SCU Faculty Artist S... December 12, 2020 -
World Premiere: Lee ... August 17, 2020 -
Mosaic Connect: Prec... August 12, 2020 -
Judge: NAACP New Mus... August 07, 2020 - Sunday, August 16, 2020 -
Annapolis Chamber Mu... July 29, 2020 - Saturday, August 1, 2020 -
Mas Amor Arts Initia... June 21, 2020 - July 10, 2020 -
Imagine Arts Summer ... April 19, 2020 -
North Shore Pro Musi... April 16, 2020 -
Guest Speaker: Diver... April 05, 2020 -
Solo Recital: Stanfo... April 04, 2020 -
World Premiere: Lee ... March 27, 2020 -
Festival Next: Solo ... March 10, 2020 -
Toktli at Cinequest March 07, 2020 -
CMSV: Cabaret Collec... March 01, 2020 -
Lyric Fest: The Ench... February 29, 2020 -
Lyric Fest: The Ench... February 23, 2020 -
First Baptist Presen... February 22, 2020 -
Solo Recital: Annapo... February 08, 2020 -
Rhiannon Gidden's Lu... January 18, 2020 -
CMSV: The Brandenbur... January 10, 2020 -
Solo Recital: Santa ... December 14, 2019 -
CMSV: Prescious Scar... December 07, 2019 -
Debut: Prescious Sca... November 16, 2019 -
Master Class and Rec... August 31, 2019 -
Silicon Valley Music... August 30, 2019 -
Silicon Valley Music... August 03, 2019 -
Annapolis Chamber Mu... July 14, 2019 -
Icicle Creek Chamber... July 13, 2019 -
Icicle Creek Chamber... June 27, 2019 -
2019 SVArts Awards +... June 26, 2019 -
CMSV in Mexico Resid... June 25, 2019 -
CMSV in Mexico Resid... June 24, 2019 -
CMSV in Mexico Resid... May 29, 2019 -
SCU Flute Studio Rec... April 27, 2019 -
Cupertino Cherry Blo... April 13, 2019 -
CMSV: Common Sounds April 07, 2019 -
North Shore Pro Musi... April 06, 2019 -
All "American" Recit... April 06, 2019 -
All "American" Recit... April 01, 2019 -
All "American" Recit... March 30, 2019 -
All "American" Recit... March 29, 2019 -
Common Sounds @ Mosa... March 09, 2019 -
Special Guest with R... February 01, 2019 -
New Music Festival: ... January 31, 2019 -
New Music Festival: ... January 27, 2019 -
Master Class at Oran... January 26, 2019 -
CMSV: The Brandenbur... January 20, 2019 -
Master Class at Oran... November 10, 2018 -
CMSV: Celestial Mech... November 07, 2018 -
Ray Furuta & Haruka ... October 24, 2018 -
Frankenstein October 05, 2018 -
Common Sounds with M... October 4, 2018 -
Faculty Recital August 20, 2018 -
Recording Session: M... August 18, 2018 -
Recording Session: M... August 17, 2018 -
Vico Diaz: Toktli August, 04, 2018 -
Annapolis Chamber Mu... August, 03, 2018 -
Annapolis Chamber Mu... August, 02, 2018 -
Annapolis Chamber Mu... July, 28, 2018 -
Annapolis Chamber Mu... July 15, 2018 - July 21, 2018 -
Imagine Arts Summer ... July 3, 2018 - July 5, 2018 -
Opera en la Calle Fe... June 30, 2018 -
Silicon Valley Music... June 29, 2018 -
Silicon Valley Music... June 28, 2018 -
Silicon Valley Music... May 12, 2018 -
Wind and Reed with M... May 2, 2018 -
Music@Noon with Furu... April 28, 2018 -
CMSV: Rouge March 16, 2018 -
Soloist with SCU Win... February 2, 2018 -
Santa Clara Universi... January 29, 2018 -
Sangam Arts Presents... January 28, 2018 -
North Shore Pro Musi... January 20, 2018 -
CMSV: The Complete B... November 13, 2017 -
Lunes de Musica: Sol... November 3, 2017 -
Faculty Recital @ SC... October 29, 2017 -
Furuta/Kibbey Duo wi... October 21, 2017 -
CMSV: AMOUR September 30, 2017 -
Recital: Okayama Flu... September 24 -30, 2017 -
Okayama Internationa... September 9, 2017 -
Guest Artist - Palo ... September 4, 2017 -
Lunes de Musica July 26-29, 2017 -
Opera en la Calle Fe... July 25, 2017 -
Master Class for San... July 9 - 16 , 2017 -
Imagine Music - Beir... June 18, 2017 -
Mainly Mozart Festiv... June 10, 2017 -
SVMF 2017: A Hug fo... June 9, 2017 -
SVMF 2017: Techno Pa... June 8, 2017 -
SVMF 2017: Vertigo May 5, 2017 -
Performance with Sil... May 3, 2017 -
Performance with Sil... April 6, 2017 -
CMSV Opus Now Soiree March 25, 2017 -
Wind Remix February 15, 2017 -
Music and Conflict -... February 13, 2017 -
Music and Conflict -... February 8, 2017 -
Arts and Conflict - ... February 7, 2017 -
Arts and Conflict - ... February 3, 2017 -
Composer Portrait: E... December 10, 2016 -
Vivaldi: The Four Se... November 21, 2016 -
Recital in Gudalajar... November 13, 2016 -
Duo Recital with Bri... November 12, 2016 -
Recital and Master C... November 12, 2016 -
Friendly Persuasions... November 6, 2016 -
North Shore Pro Musi... October 28, 2016 -
Faculty Recital @ Sa... October 22, 2016 -
Audacious Amadeus December 12, 2016 -
Music@Noon September 22, 2016 -
Crumb: Vox Balanae @... August 19, 2016 -
Soloist with Orquest... August 17, 2016 -
Chamber Master Class... August 16, 2016 -
Flute Master Class -... August 14, 2016 -
Heggie: The Deepest ... August 14, 2016 -
Recital - Tijuana, M... June 25, 2016 -
SVMF 2016: Father Be... June 23, 2016 -
SVMF 2016: Impressio... May 20, 2016 -
Music in May May 7, 2016 -
Benefit Recital for ... April 24, 2016 -
Music in May Salon S... April 23, 2016 -
Ensemble San Francis... April 23, 2016 -
MIMOZART April 22, 2016 -
Santa Clara Universi... April 17, 2016 -
Live at NPR's "Says ... April 9, 2016 -
Son à Trois Recital April 8, 2016 -
Lecture @ Stanford U... April 5, 2016 -
Chamber Music Class ... April 3, 2016 -
North Shore Pro Musi... March 26, 2016 -
Duo Recital with Rac... March 22, 2016 -
The Mozart Flute Qua... March 16, 2016 -
CMSV Outreach at Juv... March 12, 2016 -
Guest Artist with Fr... March 6, 2016 -
North Shore Pro Musi... January 3, 2016 -
San Jose Chamber Orc... December 11, 2015 -
Hidden Valley Opera December 6, 2015 -
Hidden Valley Opera December 4, 2015 -
CMSV Launch November 15, 2015 -
North Shore Pro Musi... April 9, 2015 -
Providence Premieres March 28, 2015 -
C.P.E. Bach D minor ... March 27, 2015 -
Solo Recital March 26, 2015 -
Masterclass and Reci... March 25, 2015 -
Recital with Carol W... March 4, 2015 -
Residency at Califor... February 21, 2015 -
Uebayashi Flute Conc... February 20, 2015 -
Masterclass - Univer... January 30, 2015 -
Residency @ SUNY Alb... January 18, 2015 -
The Complete Bach Fl... December 16, 2014 -
Lecture on The Pheno... November 14, 2014 -
Premieres! November 9, 2014 -
Guest Artist - New Y... November 2, 2014 -
Guest Artist - San F... October 28, 2014 -
Chamber Music Coachi... October 26, 2014 -
Residency - Gettysbu... August 13, 2014 -
Recital - San Diego ... August 13, 2014 -
Master Class - San D... August 1, 2014 -
Side-by-Side with Di... July 12, 2014 -
Icicle Creek Chamber... June 22, 2014 -
Masterclass @ Silico... June 21, 2014 -
Soyokaze Trio in San... April 26, 2014 -
Soloist with San Jos... April 11, 2014 -
Sonic Spring Electro... March 29, 2014 -
Stony Brook Symphony... February 8, 2014 -
The Bach Flute Sonat... January 25, 2014 -
IHS Benefit Concert January 30 - February 2, 2019 -
Santa Clara Universi...
「フルート界のロックスター」とメキシコの新聞、Informador de Guadalajaraに称賛され、アメリカ、日本、メキシコと3つのバックグラウンドを持つフルタ氏は、世界を舞台にクラシック、コンテンポラリー、ワールド音楽、ジャズからポップまで、あらゆるジャンルにおいて幅広く活躍する。
2014年にはアメリカの文化大使を務め、アメリカ国内の都市をはじめ、日本、メキシコ、オーストリア、チェコ共和国、ポーランド、ハンガリー、中東を、演奏家/講師として旅する。これまでにヨーヨー・マ監修のシルクロード・アンサンブル、リンカーン・センター室内楽協会、ジュリアード音楽院、国連、Mainly Mozart音楽祭、岡山国際音楽祭、サラソタ音楽祭、イエローバーン音楽祭などで演奏した。
コンチェルトソリストとしての活躍もめざましく、上林裕子、ブレット・ディーン、ポール・シェーンフィールドなどのコンチェルトをレパートリーとし、フルート奏者としてコンテンポラリーミュージックを広める礎となっている。
室内楽奏者としては、ハープ奏者のブリジット・キビーとFuruta/Kibbeyデュオ、パーカッション奏者の藤井はるかとFurujii、そしてフルート奏者のキャロル・ウィンセンスとBurkart デュオとして活躍している。他にはジョン・ナカマツ、ピーター・フランクル、そしてアヴァロン、ブルックリン・ライダー、クロノス、メンデルスゾーン、エマーソン弦楽四重奏団のメンバーらと共演する。また、世界各地の民族音楽への興味は尽きず、Van Anh Vo(ダン・チャイン奏者)、Sandeep Das(タブラ奏者)、Vijay Gopal(バーンスリー奏者)、Merima Kljuco(アコーディオン奏者)、Ghassan Sahhab(カーヌーン奏者)、Christina Pato(ガリシン・バグパイプ奏者)と、様々な民族楽器奏者との共演を楽しむ。メキシコシティを拠点とするコンテンポラリージャズバンドToktli、そしてCommon Sounds ensembleのリーダーでもある。
フルタ氏は現在カリフォルニア州のサンタクララ大学で音楽とソーシャル・ジャスティスの講師として、後進の指導にも情熱を注ぐ。加えて、世界を拠点とする音楽演奏、民族音楽学のコースも受け持つ。過去にはニューヨク州立大学ストーニーブルック校にてエマーソン弦楽四重奏団の助手として、フルートと室内楽を指導した経験も持つ。
各地でのマスタークラスの開催にも熱心に取り組み、これまでサンフランシスコ音楽院、スタンフォード大学、ベイルート・アメリカン大学、カリフォルニア大学サンディエゴ校、サンノゼ州立大学、ヴィクトリア大学、ニューヨーク大学などに招聘された。Icicle Creek室内楽音楽祭、Imagine音楽セミナー(ベイルート)、 Orqesta Sinfonica Juvenil(グアダラハラ、メキシコ)でも講師を務める。また、ソーシャル・ジャスティスのフィールドにも身を置く音楽家として、最近ではホームレス施設や貧困区域内の学校、少年施設など世界中のあらゆるコミュニティーに音楽を届けようとコンサート活動を企画している。
ティフアナ(メキシコ)では、貧困家庭の子供たちに向け音楽プログラムを立ち上げ、音楽を糧に子供たちがストリートチルドレンにならぬようにと願いを込め、毎年恒例のプロジェクトとしている。このような活動や、中東でシリア難民に向け演奏した経験を活かし、後に、現在教鞭を取るサンタクララ大学でのソーシャル・ジャスティスのカリキュラム設立へと至った。
地元カリフォルニア州ではアートシーンをさらに盛り上げようと、Silicon Valley室内楽音楽祭やサンタクララ大学でのMusic@Noonコンサートシリーズの代表を務める。2018年には革新的且つクリエイティブなアーティストに送られるX-Factor Arts Prizeを獲得。今年2019年には、シリコンバレーでコミュニティーを豊かにする為に最も尽力したアーティストとして、 “On the Stage” Artist Laureate of SVCreatesに選ばれた。
ストーニーブルック大学、大学院ではキャロル・ウィンセンスに師事し、卒業生として“40 under 40”アワードを受賞。在学中、エマーソン弦楽四重奏団はもとより、フルート奏者のイザベル・シャプイ、 ジル・フェルバー、エレナ・ヤリトゥ、ハープシコード奏者のアーサー・ハス、ピアニストのウー・ハンにアーティストとして最も影響を受ける。
Apodado "The Rockstar of the Flute" por el Informador de Guadalajara (México), el flautista mexicano-japonés estadounidense Ray Furuta ha actuado en todo el mundo como un artista versátil que domina los sectores clásico, contemporáneo, música del mundo, jazz y pop.
Nombrado embajador cultural en los Estados Unidos de América en 2014, Furuta ha realizado giras como intérprete y maestro en México, Japón, Austria, República Checa, Polonia, Hungría, en todo el Medio Oriente y América del Norte. Ha actuado con artistas de renombre y en festivales reconocidos internacionalmente, como el Conjunto Silkroad de Yo-Yo Ma, la Sociedad de Música de Cámara del Lincoln Center, la Escuela Juilliard, las Naciones Unidas y los Festivales de Música Mainly Mozart, Okayama, Sarasota y Yellowbarn. Como intérprete dinámico, también ha frecuentado el escenario como solista concertante, masterización los conciertos contemporáneos de Yuko Uebayashi, Brett Dean y Paul Schoenfield y como recitalista solista de gira que domina los pilares del repertorio de flauta.
Dedicado a la música de cámara, Furuta mantuvo un papel activo como flautista con varios conjuntos, incluyendo el dúo Furuta / Kibbey con la arpista Bridget Kibbey, Furujii con la percusionista Haruka Fujii y el Burkart Duo con la flautista Carol Wincenc. También ha compartido el escenario con luminarias clásicas, incluidos Jon Nakamatsu, Peter Frankl y miembros de los Cuartetos de cuerda Avalon, Brooklyn Rider, Kronos, Mendelssohn y Emerson. Además, su pasión por la música del mundo lo ha llevado a actuaciones con las superestrellas Van Anh Vo (Danh Tranh), Sandeep Das (Tabla India), Vijay Gopal (Bansuri), Merima Kljuco (Acordeón), Ghassan Sahhab (Qanun) y Christina Pato ( Gaita galaciana) por nombrar solo algunos. También es miembro de la Banda de Jazz Mexicano Contemporáneo con sede en la ciudad de México, Toktli, y es un destacado artista-miembro del conjunto de Sonidos Comunes.
Como apasionado artista docente, Furuta es profesor de Performance Practice y Music & Social Justice en la Universidad de Santa Clara. Además, dirige cursos de interpretación musical global y etnomusicología. Antes de esto, se desempeñó como instructor de flauta y música de cámara para el departamento de música de pregrado en la Universidad de Stony Brook como asistente de enseñanza seleccionado a mano para el Cuarteto de Cuerdas Emerson.
Ha realizado residencias y ha impartido clases magistrales en instituciones como el Conservatorio de Música de San Francisco, la Universidad de Stanford, la Universidad Libanesa Americana de Beirut, UC San Diego, la Universidad Estatal de San José, la Universidad de Victoria (BC) y la Universidad de Nueva York, entre otras. Además, es miembro del cuerpo docente del Instituto de Música de Cámara Icicle Creek, del Seminario de Música Imagine en Beirut y de la Orquesta Sinfonica Juvenil de Guadalajara.
Como filántropo artístico, la pasión de Ray Furuta por la justicia social ha llevado a gran parte de su carrera musical a llevar música a comunidades marginadas de todo el mundo. Sus proyectos en curso incluyen presencia en centros locales de detención juvenil y para jóvenes sin hogar y escuelas de título 1. Además, ha establecido un proyecto anual en los distritos marginados de Tijuana, México, para llevar educación musical a los jóvenes en un esfuerzo por mantenerlos fuera de las calles. También ha actuado para refugiados sirios en el Medio Oriente. Posteriormente, ha desarrollado el plan de estudios de Justicia Social para la Universidad de Santa Clara.
Como curador célebre, es el Director Artístico Productor de Música de Cámara Silicon Valley, una importante organización artística californiana. Además de la serie semanal de conciertos Music @ Noon de la Universidad de Santa Clara. Fue nombrado ganador del Premio X-Factor Arts 2018, que reconoce ideas emprendedoras e innovadoras para avanzar en las artes y la creatividad. Y más recientemente, fue anunciado como el Laureado Artista “On the Stage” 2019 de SVCreates, diseñado para identificar y reconocer a los mejores artistas de Silicon Valley en función de la calidad de su trabajo y su compromiso de enriquecer a la comunidad. Además, es alumno del Instituto de Liderazgo de Artistas Multiculturales (MALI).
Como receptor del prestigioso Staller Scholar y distinguidos alumnos “40 under 40”, Ray Furuta tiene su doctorado en artes musicales de la Universidad Stony Brook, donde fue alumno de Carol Wincenc y del Cuarteto de Cuerdas Emerson. Otras influencias importantes incluyen las flautistas Isabelle Chapuis, Jill Felber y Elena Yarritu, el clavecista Arthur Haas y el pianista y visionario artístico Wu Han.
