Aya Yoshida, a Japanese composer born in Kobe in 1992. Her musical journey began at the age of 6 under the guidance of Mrs. Yasuko Osato. Yoshida graduated from the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo in 2014, where she got her bachelor in composition under the tutelage of Kenya Masakado and Prof. Masaki Norikura. She also delved into composition theory and classical piano performance under Prof. Masaki Norikura's guidance. In Japan, Yoshida received comprehensive training in violoncello and classical vocal performance from lecturers Yoko Hasegawa and Kei Yonashiro respectively. In 2014, she embarked on a new chapter in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she completed her postgraduate studies in composition at The Royal Danish Academy of Music with Niels Rosing Schow and Jeppe Just Christensen.

Yoshida's compositions have been performed in Japan, the USA, and Europe, with notable performances by the Arditti Quartet (2014), the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra (2016), and the Royal Danish Orchestra (2024). In November 2017, Yoshida debuted her opera, "Skyggen (The Shadow)" in Copenhagen, commemorating the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Denmark. The opera earned acclaim, recognized by the Danish Arts Foundation as one of the top 10 music releases of the year. Yoshida has also participated in numerous artist residencies, including those at the Visby International Centre for Composers (Gotland, Sweden), organized by the Austrian Federal Chancellery and Kultur Kontakt Austria (Vienna, Austria), USF Bergen (Bergen, Norway), and the provincial government of Styria (Graz, Austria).

In addition to accolades, Yoshida won the first prize in the Zemlinsky 2019 Composition Competition (USA). Her ballet piece, "Let Me Take You There" premiered by CCM Philharmonia and dancers in Cincinnati, USA, in 2021. She also served as Composer in Residence for the Tivoli Youth Guard in Denmark from 2020 to 2022, contributing to their repertoire, including a waltz for their 175th anniversary. Yoshida's continued impact on the music scene is evident as she was named a finalist in the Luciano Berio Composition Competition 2022 (IT) and for the Gaudeamus Award 2023 (NL). She received a prestigious commission to celebrate the 575th jubilee of the Royal Danish Orchestra, with the world premiere of her anniversary piece took place on March 17, 2024.

Prelude for orchestra (2011) Performed by Shinwa Girls Orchestra in Japan in March 2011
空はいま... [Sky is...] for trombone and piano (2011) Performed by the selected students from
Toho in Tokyo in Novermber 2011
Tone on Tone check for orchestra (2012) Performed by the selected students from Toho in Tokyo
in November 2012
The Vivid Stitch for 12 violoncellos (2012-2013) Performed by UNM cello ensemble in Helsinki
in September 2015
La maison de couture for chamber orchestra (2013) Performed by the selected students from
Toho in Tokyo in November 2013
Retro-future for viola solo (2013) Performed by the selected student from Toho in Tokyo in
November 2013
トモダチカミノケミドリヤネン(2013) Performed by the selected students from Toho in Tokyo
in November 2013
High Gauge for violin, cello and woodblocks (2013) Performed by Curious Chamber Players
in Viitasaari, Finland in July 2013
The Flower That Smiles Today for soprano, piano and marimba (2014) performed by the
selected students from Toho Gakuen School of Music in Osaka in March 2014
Polka dots for string quartet (2014) Premiered by Arditti Quartet in October 2014
Pointed toe for trumpet and viola (2015) Performed by Antonin le Faure and Noé Nillni in Paris
in July 2015
Muji for soprano and trumpet (2015) Unperformed
Ready-to-wear for 3 violoncellos (2015) Unperformed
Double-face for orchestra (2015-2016) Performed by Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra in
Copenhagen in March 2016 *This piece was the winning piece of Zemlinsky 2019 Composition
Competition (USA)
Muji for violin solo (2016) Unperformed
Appliqué for string trio (2016) Unperformed
Monotone for piano and chamber orchestra (2016) Unperformed
Singing in the Rain for chamber orchestra (2017) Performed by Orkest de ereprijs in Apeldorn,
in February in 2017 in The Netherlands
Opera “Skyggen (The Shadow)” (2017) Performed in Copenhagen as the official event of the
150th anniversary for the diplomatic friendship between Japan and Denmark
Shibori for string quartet (2018) Unperformed (This piece was composed with support from the
Danish Arts Foundation)
Rock ‘n’ Roll for guitar solo (2018) Performed by Mathias Klarlund on 20th June 2018 in Royal
Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen (This piece was composed with support from the
Danish Arts Foundation)
Muji for piano solo (2018) Performed only at the private occasion
Romantic High-heels for cello quartet (2018) Unperformed
Cello-Go-Round (2018) Performed by eXtracello in Allegro Vivo on 8th September in Austria
Ma for soprano and recorder (2019) Performed on 24th February 2019 at Glyptoteket in
Copenhagen, Denmark
Filigree for flute, recorder and cembalo (2019) Performed by Ensemble AIRBORN
EXTENDED on 6th March 2019 at Panorama Festival in Aarhus, Denmark
TIVOLI-GARDENS 175-ÅRS VALS… tilegnet de unge Gardere…(2019) Performed from
April 2019 in Tivoli Garden in Copenhagen, Denmark
Muji for double bass (2019) Performed by James Oesi at Grachten Festival and Gaudeamus
Music Festival2019
The Shadow in the Rain for 16 voices and double bass (2019) Performed by Les Metaboles
and Florentin Ginot at Royaumont, France (Pièce écrite dans le cadre de l'Académie Voix
Nouvelles de la Fondation Royaumont)
NIGHTIUNGALE (2019) Performed by Tivoli Youth Guard on 8th and 9th August 2020 at
Tivoli concert hall in Copenhagen, Denmark (This piece was composed with support from the
Danish Arts Foundation)
Infinity dress for saxophone and cello (2020) Unperformed (This piece was composed with
support from the Danish Arts Foundation)
Decode for violin and piano (2020) Performed by Duo DAN/NIE on 13th June 2022 in
Copenhagen, Denmark (This piece was composed with support from the Danish Arts Foundation
and Dansk Komponist Forening)
Réquiem para un niño-Canción de cuna eterna for soprano (2020) Performed by Josefine
Göhmann on 19th August in Berlin, Germany
The Beauty of Everyday Things for cello solo (2020) Performed by Ida Nørby on 3rd and 5th
September 2020 at Yonobi in Copenhagen, Denmark (This piece was composed with support from
the Danish Arts Foundation)
Under the Umbrella for flute and double bass (2018/2020) Performed by Marie Sønderskov
and Erik Higgins in Aarhus, Denmark (This piece was composed with support from the Danish
Arts Foundation and Dansk Komponist Forening)
I tell you yet again… for soprano and piano (2020) Performed by Anne Due Nørgård and Galya
Kolarova in Roskilde, Denmark (This piece was composed with support from the Danish Arts
Foundation and Dansk Komponist Forening)
Pleat Pleat Pleat for saxophone, viola and cello (2020) Performed by United Instruments of
Lucilin in neimënster, Luxembourg
Ein kleines Lied for coloratura soprano and piano (2021) Performed by Ayako Tanaka in
Tokyo, Japan
Let Me Take You There for dance and orchestra (2020-2021) Performed by CCM
Philharmonia and dancers in Cincinnati, USA *This piece is the commission fort he winner of
Zemlinsky 2019 Composition Competition (USA)
Drape for violin solo (2022) Performed by Tatsuki Narita on 24th March 2022 in Tokyo, Japan
Decode for violin and piano (2020) Peformed by Duo DAN/NIE on 13th June 2023 in
Copenhagen, Denmark (This piece was composed with support from the Danish Arts Foundation
and Dansk Komponist Forening)
Suite “Tit er jeg glad” for 10 saxophones (2022) Performed by Nordic Saxiphone Collective on
13th April 2022 in Aarhus, Denmark (This piece was composed with support from the Danish
Arts Foundation and Dansk Komponist Forening)
Scented… (2022) Performed by Ayako Tanaka on 10th June 2022 in Tokyo, Japan
Power Dressing for string orchestra (2022) Performed by collective students in Toho Gakuen
School of Music on 21st February 2023 in Tokyo, Japan
Shijima for clarinet, viola and piano (2022) Performed by Keglebanetrionen on 2nd May 2023
in Copenhagen, Denmark (This piece was composed with support from the Danish Arts
Foundation and Dansk Komponist Forening)
Ok for bass clarinet (2023) Performed by Petra Stump-Linshalm on 5th May 2023 at Carte
blanche festival in Germany
Tivoli Fanfare (2023) Performed by Tivoli Garden on 12th Aug. 2023 at Tivoli-Gardens 179 års
fødselsdagskoncert in Copenhagen, Denmark
Myriader af tabte minder (2023) Performed by Ly Tran, Christine Pryn, Anna Jalving, Isabelle
Bania and John Ehdeon 15th Aug. 2023 at Rudersdal Sommerkoncerter in Denmark. (The piece
is realised through The Fair Practice Award 2022 by Danish Composers Society)
11-Variation (2023) Performed by Moving Strings on 8th September at Het Huis Utrecht in
Utrecht, The Netherlands
SUS for mezzo, flute, violin, viola, cello and harp (2023) Performed by Hehku Ensemble on
26th Nov. 2023 in Musikhuset in Denmark. (This piece was composed with support from the
Danish Arts Foundation and Dansk Komponist Forening)
5-7-5 (7-7) for 10 musicians (2024) Performed by Royal Danish Orchestra on 17th March 2024 in
Opera house in Copenhagen, Denmark to the 575th jubilee of the Royal Danish Orchestra.
Transfigurations for String Quartet and Dance (2024) Performed by NOVO Quartet and Paxton
Ricketts on 30th November 2024 (This piece was composed with support from the Danish Arts
Foundation and Koda Culture)