美月葉子プロフィール
ミヅキヨウコ / Yoko Mizuki
シンガー / 弾き語り
幼馴染みの影響で５歳からピアノを習い始めました。仲間とアンサンブルで弾いた「ラプソディインブルー」を通して音を奏でる楽しさを体感したのが、音楽の道へのきっかけとなったのかもしれません。
14歳、歌と芝居のオーディションに合格し、福岡県のプロダクションへ所属するも、最愛の父の死を境に夢を断念、進学の道を選びました。大学時代の教育実習での感動体験により、地元大分県で中学高校英語教師に。
教員仲間に誘われバンド活動を通じてボーカルを務めたのが、音楽との再会です。その頃は恩師にも恵まれ、ハワイ大学の語学学校、アメリカでの大学院への留学も経験させて頂きました。
「音楽、それとも教職か」この選択にいつも迷いを感じながら、奨学金取得のため音楽留学ではなく教育学部へ進学を決めました。大学院時代はピアノ科副専攻。
帰国後は教職へ復帰しながらも、音楽の夢を諦めきれず、東京・横浜で音楽活動を再始動。神奈川ジュビリーコラールへ所属しクワイヤを学んだりもしました。
のちにジャズ音楽学院へ通い、バンド・デュオ・コーラス・ソロ活動を続けながら、作詞活動を開始。
民謡を唄う祖母が老人ホームへ慰問活動を始めたのも、思春期の頃からの自分に大きな影響となってくれてます。
自身も、逗子葉山の保育園、幼稚園へ慰問、教会で演奏する機会に恵まれ、人とのご縁、形なきものへの価値や意義を感じるきっかけとなりました。
現在は小学校英語非常勤講師傍らソロ活動中。200名の児童と心触れ合い、和気あいあい英語で歌う授業の日々。低年齢児の高い吸収力、小さなパワーの集合体の発する前向きな力が自身への活力やインプットとなり、音楽への大きなアウトプットに繋がっていると実感しています。
愛や感動、慈しみ溢れる（そして時に過酷な）生の教育現場で確かなやり甲斐を感じつつも、
「自分にとって歌い続けること」は「生きる意義とは何か。愛することとはどういうことか」を探求・模索し続けることのできる大切なツールであると感じています。まさに日常の心のヒーリング・自己愛の積み重ねになってくれています。
近頃は、曲作り・レコーディング・ミュージックビデオ撮影に専念し、ラジオ番組『渋谷クロスFM』『狛江FM』に出演、多くの方々へ心の音色をお届け中。自然溢れる環境の中で幸せや癒しを感じてもらえることが喜びとなっています。
叶えたい夢の一つは「音楽で旅をすること」（日本語・英語圏であればどこへでも）。
その土地の美しい風景・さまざまな人々との出会いの中で、人の心の意識の在り方・移り変わりを、五感を通じて自由に心豊かに堪能し、吸収し続けたい。
そんな私の音楽活動が、人に些細な喜びや小さな感動を与え、少しでも誰かの何かのお役に立てることに繋がるとしたら、それこそが私の情熱であり、魂の喜びです。
「心に響く言葉。心に響く音色と癒し」を胸に刻みながら、歌い続けてゆけたらと願っています。
———美月葉子
大分県生まれ。神奈川県葉山町在住。カンザス大学教育学部英語教授法修士課程修了。ロータリー財団日米国際親善使節(‘06-‘08)。小学校英語専科。
○代表曲「All I Want」「5回目の誕生日」
I began piano lessons at the age of five, having influenced by a childhood friend. Perhaps, it was experiencing the joy of playing sound through “Rhapsody in Blue,” which I played in an ensemble with her friends, that inspired me to pursue a career in music. At the age of 14, I passed an audition for singing and acting and was accepted into a production company in Fukuoka Prefecture, but after my beloved father passed away, I gave up on my dream and chose the path of higher education. An experience of her teaching practice at an educational internship during my college years led me to become an English teacher at a junior high and high school in my hometown, Oita Prefecture. A fellow teacher invited me to join a and I became a vocalist, which was my second encounter with music. I was fortunate to have a mentor during that time, and I also had the opportunity to study abroad at a language school at the University of Hawaii and at a graduate school in the United States. I was always torn between music and teaching, and decided to go to the School of Education instead of studying music in order to obtain a scholarship. However, during graduate school, I enjoyed majoring in piano as a minor. After returning to Japan, while returning to teaching, I was not able to give up my dream of being a singer and restarted my musical activities in Tokyo and Yokohama. I joined the Kanagawa Jubilee Chorale and studied quire. Later, I took lessons at the Jazz Music Academy and began writing lyrics while continuing involving a band, duo, chorus, and solo activities. My grandmother, who sang folk songs, began visiting senior citizens’ homes, which had a great influence on me as an adolescent. I was blessed with the opportunity to visit nursery schools and kindergartens in Zushi and Hayama, and to perform at a church, which made me realize the value and significance of human relationships and formless things. Currently, I am teaching English at an elementary school and also performing as a soloist. 200 children are in close with me, and we sing songs in English in an English room I created. I feel that the positive energy of the young children’s high level of absorption and the positive power of their small collective strength are a source of energy and input for me, leading to a great output of music. While I feel a certain sense of fulfillment in the live (and sometimes harsh) educational environment that is full of love, emotion, and compassion, I also feel that “continuing to sing for me” is a way to explore “what is the meaning of life,” “what does it mean to love ?” It may be that singing has become a natural way for me to accumulate healing and self-love in my daily life. Recently, I have been concentrating on recording and shooting for music videos, and appearing on the radio programs “Shibuya Cross FM” and “Komae FM,” bringing the tones of my heart to many people. I am savoring the moments when it is a pleasure to bring happiness and healing to people in the nature of Zushi /Hayama. One of my dreams to come true in the future is to “traveling with music” ( to any countries spoken in Japanese or in English ). Through the beautiful landscapes of the land and encounters with various people, I would like to experience the state of consciousness of the human heart and how it changes over time, I want to continue to freely and richly enjoy and absorb to my heart through the five senses. If my musical activities can give people joys and impressions, and if they can help someone in some small way, that is my passion and my purpose in life.
“Words that touch the heart, Tones that touch the heart, are Healing.”
I hope to continue singing, keeping this in my heart.
——Sincerely, Yoko Mizuki
Born in Oita. Based in Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan. M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Kansas, School of Education. Rotary Foundation Goodwill Ambassador to the U.S.-Japan (’06-’08). Elementary school English Teacher.
Original songs: “All I Want” “Happy 5th Birthday”
Radio appearances: “Shibuya Cross FM” “Komae FM”
