ICHI is the debut solo piano album by Ryoka Hagiwara, a prize-winning pianist/composer who was born in Tokyo, grew up in London and is now based in Edinburgh, UK. She has been playing the piano and composing music since she was two! The eight pieces on the album give an impressive sampling of Ryoka’s playing and composing styles, ranging from almost ambient to very powerful and dynamic, and covering a wide range of emotions. Two singles, “In a Haze” and “Oil on Canvas, 2000,” were released prior to the full album, and Ryoka released one single, “Improvisational Variations,” in the fall of 2024.

Ryoka Hagiwara earned her undergraduate degree in Piano Performance and Creative Music Practice from the Showa University of Music in Japan and her Master’s (with Distinction) Degree in composition from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). She is currently working on her PhD in Musicology and Transcultural Studies at Heidelberg University in Germany. Ryoka also enjoys collaborating on a variety of projects and composed the score for an animated short fantasy film entitled "Aster," which was presented at multiple international film festivals. In 2024, she also scored the live-action short thriller film, "Special Violent Interests," shown at the Raindance Film Festival.

ICHI begins with “Obsessed,” a very dark, mysterious and sometimes sinister musical portrait of a tortured soul - a fascinating start! “In a Haze” is much gentler, beautifully describing the feeling of wandering aimlessly, not really aware of what’s going on around you. This could be due to dense fog or being lost in a fog of thought or emotion. “Restraint” has a simple melody played with a repeating left hand pattern. Most of the piece is quiet and even-tempered, building to a more powerful middle section and then becoming more “restrained” and subdued to the end. Very lively and edgy, “Vector” is one of the more intense tracks. The mid-section of the piece is much gentler and then gradually rebuilds the power and drive to the end. “Interlude” is much calmer and more introspective with a graceful melody and heartfelt expression - a favorite! As the title suggests, “Table For One” expresses loss and loneliness, looking inward and trying to make sense of it all. The repeated left hand pattern really intensifies those feelings while the right hand is more open and exploratory. I really like this one, too! “Crosscurrents” ups the intensity from the very beginning with both hands flying freely around the piano keyboard. It’s a fascinating piece, but don’t expect to fall asleep to this one! The album closes with “Oil on Canvas, 2000,” my favorite track on the album. There is a music video for the piece that adds a lot of context. It begins with the artist approaching a blank canvas several times, contemplating, and then walking away. Where to begin? Very gradually, a painting starts to take shape, but, as so often happens, it’s difficult to make the first step and then follow through. The video also has several short segments of Ryoka playing the piano. It’s a fascinating video AND a fascinating album!

ICHI is available to download and stream on Amazon and AppleMusic/iTunes as well as on streaming platforms including Spotify. Check it out!