Midori Komachi

is a Japanese violinist, composer, translator and radio presenter based in London. She is internationally recognised for bridging traditional and contemporary music of the United Kingdom and Japan, and for her interdisciplinary work combining music with visual arts, architecture and cultural heritage.

Early life and education

Komachi was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and moved abroad at the age of three. She grew up in Hong Kong and Switzerland, moving to the United Kingdom at age 15 to study independently.

She began violin studies at age seven. At age 11, she commenced studies at the Basel Academy of Music under Adelina Oprean. The following year, at age 12, she made her orchestral debut performing with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra conducted by Howard Griffiths.

Career

Performance

As a solo violinist, Komachi has performed extensively throughout Europe and Japan at prestigious venues including Tonhalle Zürich, the Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall, and Wigmore Hall.

In March 2024, Komachi embarked on a UK tour titled "On an Endless Road: Ito Noe and the Women Composers of Her Time", with performances at the Actors' Church in Covent Garden, the University of Huddersfield, the University of Manchester, and the Howard Assembly Room in Leeds.

Delius research and advocacy

In 2012, Komachi launched a concert project sponsored by the Courtauld Institute of Art based on her research theme "Delius and Gauguin". The concert series subsequently toured London, Cambridge and Tokyo. In 2013, she was honoured by the Delius Society of the United Kingdom. She subsequently developed the "Delius Project" with music journalist Hayashi Naoki, which included various events and CD releases.

British music scholarship and translation

Komachi is a bilingual writer and translator specialising in English and Japanese music. In 2022, she co-translated (with Nobuya Takahashi) Simon Heffer's biography Vaughan Williams into Japanese, published by Artes Publishing.

In May 2022, Komachi appeared on BBC Radio 3's "Vaughan Williams Today" programme discussing the composer's work. 2019: Spa treatment music for LUSH "Tangled Hair" product. 2021: "Bamboo Ring" for Milan Design Week, a collaboration with architect Kengo Kuma and OPPO. 2024: Commission by Sound and Music for the SoundEscapes project at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, creating a composition inspired by Leiko Ikemura's sculpture "Usagi Kannon". 2025: Composer and sound designer for the Japan Pavilion "Paper Clouds: Materiality in Empty Space" at the London Design Biennale 2025, which was selected as "best pavilion" by Forbes. 2025: Music & Audio Content Editor for the UK Pavilion "Come Build the Future" at the Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, working with Immersive International, composer Benedic Lamdin and sound designer Simon Little.

London Design Biennale 2025

For the Japan Pavilion at the London Design Biennale 2025, Komachi composed music for "Paper Clouds: Materiality in Empty Space", designed by SEKISUI HOUSE – KUMA LAB (University of Tokyo) and curated by Clare Farrow. The installation occupied Somerset House's historic Nelson Stair, featuring cloud-like structures made from Washi paper.

The project also provided educational opportunities through a workshop with the London Music Fund's Senior Scholars, who subsequently performed alongside Komachi in live performances throughout the Biennale.

Chashitsu: Auditory Tea Room

In October 2025, Komachi premiered her album and live performance project Chashitsu: Auditory Tea Room at the Royal Albert Hall's Elgar Room. The sold-out performance, created in collaboration with MSCTY founder and producer Nick Luscombe, drew inspiration from Chashitsu (Japanese Tea Room) and Chadō (the Way of Tea).

The album was praised by A Closer Listen, which described it as "an instantly endearing release" that "translates the principles of the Japanese tea ceremony into silence and sound".

Broadcasting and media

BBC Radio 3

In 2018, Komachi served as adviser for BBC Radio 3's Japanese music series "Night Blossoms". For the documentary programme "Music Matters", she conducted fieldwork in Japan and provided simultaneous interpretation, working with music journalist Tom Service to introduce various artists active in Japanese traditional music, contemporary music and video game music.

Other media

Komachi has appeared on Japanese radio programmes including Blue Radio.com's "Café Figaro" (2015), OTTAVA (2017), and ANA World Air Current (2019). In 2020–2021, the residency continued in digital format during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Discography

Albums Delius and Gauguin (2014) – MusiKaleido Chashitsu: Auditory Tea Room (2025) – MSCTY

Selected compositions "Tranquility" (2018) – Nonclassical [NONCLSS026] "Song of Koki-riko" (2018) – Nonclassical [NONCLSS026] "Window" (2020) – Nonclassical [NONCLSS]

Publications

Translations Song of Summer: The Real Delius by Eric Fenby, translated by Midori Komachi, supervised by Daisaku Mukai (Artes Publishing, 2017) Vaughan Williams by Simon Heffer, co-translated by Midori Komachi and Nobuya Takahashi (Artes Publishing, 2022)

Columns and articles "Journey through British Music" – ONTOMO Music Magazine (Ongaku No Tomo Publishing) "Musician's Bookshelf" – Ongaku No Tomo Music Magazine (August edition)

Honours and appointments

2013 – Honoured by the Delius Society of the United Kingdom 2019–2021 – Musician-in-Residence, British Council & PRS Foundation 2024–present – Adjunct Lecturer, Queen's University, Canada 2025–present – Ambassador, London Music Fund 2021-2026 – PhD, Goldsmiths, University of London (AHRC-funded)