Akiko Seki

Akiko Seki (September 8, 1899 in Tokyo – May 2, 1973 in Tokyo) was a Japanese soprano. She is commonly recognized as the founder of the movement of The Singing Voice of Japan (, Nihon no Utagoe / うたごえ運動, Utagoe-undō). In 1955 she was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize.

Life March 1921: She graduated in artistic singing at the Music School of Tokyo (,Tōkyō Ongaku Gakkō). May 1, 1946: On the occasion of the first May Day post-war in Tokyo, she conducted L'internationale and a Japanese version of The Red Flag; this experience led her to the creation of a national musical movement of the working class. February 10, 1948: She created the Choir of the Communist Youth League of Japan (, Nihon-seinen-kyōsan-dōmei Chuō-gassyōdan) in Tokyo, as the core of national musical movement of the working class.