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Our Academy

The Academia Yuriko Kuronuma, A. C. was born in 1980, in Coyoacan, a historical neighbourhood located in the southern part of Mexico City, with the priceless support of Messrs. Soichiro Fujii, Rafael Harari and Matsuo Suzuki. At that time, the Academia was the only school in Mexico to teach the violin individually accepting children starting as young as 4 years old. The Academia later expanded its curriculum to include the teaching of the viola and violoncello as well, to become an unique institution in its field. Its main objective is to create a solid technical foundation for its pupils since an early age, in order to develop their talent through discipline and perseverance and always with love and respect for music.

Video: 1-Student: Ana Caridad Villeda (8 years old) in a concert.(2003) 2-Student: Juan Carlos Castillo (11 years old) playing in Japan. (2005) 3-Performance by the group of 12 students during the 4th Tour to Japan. Tokyo(2005) 4-Mexico-Japan Friendship Orchestra conducted by Jorge Cordoba in Tokyo(2005) Watch video (requiere Flash 8)

All along these years, and after bringing up several generations of violinists in Mexico, the Academia has a solid prestige not only in Mexico, but in Japan as well.

The institution has had memorable events that have brought the two nations closer:

1. In its early years, the Academia received more than 100 small size violins donated by Japanese families for Mexican children. 

2. Following the earthquake that destroyed parts of Mexico City in 1985, the Academia and its Japanese friends raised funds to help the “miracle babies” that had survived for several days under the rubble of the ruins of hospitals.

3. The Academia has conducted several tours  “Mexico-Japan Friendship Concerts” in  both countries, where children and young people from the two nations join the same performing stage, live together, share experiences and develop friendship that endure the passage of time.

4. The founder, Professor Yuriko Kuronuma holds great artistic prestige in Japan, her native country. She has dedicated her life to build a “bridge of friendship between Mexico and Japan over the Pacific Ocean”, through Music, the universal language and nourishment of the soul. This fact has been recognized by the government of both Mexico and Japan, who have decorated her with the Aguila Azteca and the Special Prize, respectively.

The results

The Academia has been a second home to several generations of children and young people, whom united by their love of music, found their professional paths as musicians and teachers passing on the musical knowledge they had acquired, or as professionals in various fields but with the rewards that only the study and knowledge of music can give.

Video: 15th.Anniversary Concert (1995). “The Four Seasons” by Vivaldi with 4 former students as the soloists: 1-Carlos Lot (Spring) 2-Rie Watanabe(Summer) 3-Daniel Vega-Albela (Autumn) 4-Adrian Justus (Winter) Watch video (requiere Flash 8)

Among the alumni that have joined the music world as professionals are: Genoveva Aguirre, Diego Bañuelos, Paulina Derbez, Sergio Díaz, Eduardo Espinosa, Omar Hernández-Hidalgo, Jorge Jimárez, Adrián Justus, Sebastian Kwapisz, Batiste López, Carlos Lot, Saúl Robles, Lucy U’Ren, Daniel Vega-Albela and Rie Watanabe (in alphabetical order) on our records, though there are probably more. Of this list, already six students have become teachers; they have returned to their musical cradle – the Academia Yuriko Kuronuma- and have delivered the same love and dedication that they received in their childhood and youth to new generations.

Academia Yuriko Kuronuma A.C. Violin, viola & violoncello individual lessons.
Presidente Carranza #52-7, Coyoacán. México, D.F. Tel/Fax. (5255) 5554 7750