New York-based Japanese soprano Aine Hakamatsuka is a versatile artist whose vocal flexibility and love for collaborative music-making have led her to a career spanning concert, opera, and choral repertoire. 

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Aine’s versatility is evident on the concert stage, where she has appeared as a soloist in repertoire ranging from the traditional to the contemporary. This season, she is excited to sing François Couperin’s Leçons de Ténèbres in concert at the historic St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City. She was also recently seen as the soprano soloist in Giovanni Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the Open Gates Project, a project of Gotham Early Music Scene that aims to engage more artists of color on stage and grow the diversity of early music audiences. A champion of contemporary music, Aine has performed as a soloist in works by 20th and 21st century composers including David Lang, Katherine Hoover, and Thea Musgrave. Most notably, she was the soloist in the world premiere of Nina Shekhar’s Blush, a ten-minute long piece for soprano and choir that explores the sometimes painful, often beautiful experience of transforming from a girl into a woman. Other favorite solo works include Bach’s Magnificat, Fauré’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and the vocal ensemble arrangement of Rachmoninoff’s Vocalise Op. 34, No. 14.

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A deep love of chamber music has inspired Aine to pursue a career that is equal parts solo and ensemble. In demand as a choral artist, she has appeared with the American Symphony Orchestra, Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity, Bard Festival Chorale, Musica Sacra, the New York Philharmonic, New York Virtuoso Singers, St. Bartholomew’s Church Choir, and the Choir of Trinity Church Wall Street, in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, the Met Museum, and many of New York City’s most beloved churches. 

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Described by the Observer as a “pearly soprano” and by The New York Times as having “loads of personality,” Aine has made a mark performing soubrette and lyric coloratura opera roles including Lucy in The Telephone, Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Madame Silberklang in Der Schauspieldirektor, Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, and Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, for which she was invited for a repeat performance at the Kennedy Center. When she is not performing, Aine enjoys teaching piano and voice lessons, and caring for her two cats Mimi and Momo.