About

artist Statement and Bio

I write the music that I want to hear but just haven’t heard yet. There’s already a lot of music out there in the world; composers today stand on the shoulders of giants, and this is both a blessing and a curse. But I’m convinced that heartfelt music is needed perhaps now more than ever. Even at the most precursory level, music has the ability to elicit smiles and provide a moment of respite. At its best, I’m convinced that music has the potential to heal and restore what makes us human. I don’t mean to elevate music to a semi-sacred status, but rather, to underline its ongoing relevance in our world today and provide a rationale for why I love what I do.

My name is Hanako Henty and I am a composer, performer, and writer living near Aomori City, Japan. In spring of 2018 I graduated from the University of Miami - Frost School of Music, where I studied jazz and studio writing under the direction of Gary Lindsay. Prior to joining the jazz department, I also pursued an MM in Musicology at Frost. Combining my interests in performance practice, identity, and humor in music, I submitted my final thesis, “A Fine Line Between Art and Entertainment: Music and Humor in the Performances of Victor Borge” in 2016. In addition to my studies I also taught in the Frost Experiential Music Curriculum, the SharpMinds Music Academy, performed locally in the area, and joined the show band aboard the MS Noordam, Holland America Cruise Line during my four years in the Miami area. Most recently I moved to Japan and am now teaching English as an ALT on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) while seeking fluency in Japanese. Born in Japan but raised in the US, I am reconnecting with a part of my family’s heritage while promoting cultural exchange and gathering musical inspiration from the natural beauty of Japan.

MM Jazz and Studio Writing, University of Miami, Frost School of Music
MM Musicology, University of Miami, Frost School of Music
MA Collaborative Piano, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
BM Keyboard Performance, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania