Yasuaki Fukuhara – Buddhist Priest and Percussionist
Yasuaki Fukuhara is a Japanese percussionist active internationally, particularly within the brass band world. Renowned for his expressive percussion playing and refined musicality, he has built a distinctive career as a soloist, ensemble musician, composer, and arranger, with a strong commitment to expanding the role of percussion with brass band.
He moved to the United Kingdom to study percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, where he was awarded a scholarship and graduated in 2014. During his studies, he immersed himself in the British brass band tradition and quickly gained recognition for his versatility and artistry.
In 2011, Yasuaki became the first Japanese percussionist to join the Fairey Band. Within five months of his debut, he was named among the Top Five Percussionists of 2011 by the influential brass band website 4barsrest, and was later featured in The British Bandsman.
His career highlights include the premiere performance of Rodney Newton’s percussion concerto The Golden Apples of the Sun at the 2013 RNCM Festival of Brass, as well as solo appearances with the Leyland Band at the Brass in Concert Contest. He later joined the world-famous Black Dyke Band, becoming the first Japanese musician in the band’s history.
In 2022, Yasuaki won first prize in the Italy Percussion Competition (Vibraphone category). He is an official endorsee for Majestic Percussion and continues to perform internationally while composing and arranging new works that broaden the expressive possibilities of percussion with brass band.
