Sakurako Jayne Abe

Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, Jayne Abe is currently in her third year of study at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, pursuing her piano performance degree in Dr. Lisa Tahara's studio. She has been playing the piano since the age of four under the tutelage of Michi Ueno and Mikiko Ko. She was a finalist at the Japan Student Music Competition, received numerous prizes at local competitions, and participated in the annual music camp in Hakodate for seven years. She solidified her career as a musician and pianist through multiple master classes with professors who represent the Japanese music industry, including Haruko Ueda, Katsumi Ueda, and Atsuko Okada. Also, she has found her passion in creating music with others by performing in a piano trio with Kenta Matsumi (violin) and Rintaro Kaneko (cello). Both her enthusiasm for collaborative piano and her cultural heritage led to a private creative project with Chihiro Yasufuku, named the Hibiki project. The Hibiki project releases performance videos, interviews, and collaboration products with other artists through an online platform, to celebrate Japanese art and music culture. She currently works as a pianist for the Harmony School of Music and Dance and Voice Graduate Pedagogy Program at the University of Toronto, expanding her career path as a collaborative pianist. During her undergraduate years, on top of her numerous recordings and performances related to the Hibiki project, she also participated in and received prizes from the Pacific International Piano Competition, Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival, the North York Music Festival, the Pickering Rotary Music Festival, and the Ontario Music Festival.