Harpist Mariko Anraku is one of four musicians on the JUNO Award-winning album Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl, named Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble). The other performers on the album are Conrad Chow (violin), Ron Korb (Japanese and Western flutes), and Rachel Mercer (cello). The full-length ballet score recorded on the album, Kevin Lau’s composition Kimiko’s Pearl, was also nominated for Classical Composition of the Year. The album was released by the project’s commissioner, Bravo Niagara, and is available on all streaming platforms and as a limited-edition double vinyl.
According to a press release, Kimiko’s Pearl is the first ballet based on the Japanese Canadian internment during World War II, and its musical style blends a contemporary sound with elements of traditional Japanese music. The ballet is based on a story by Emmy Award-winning writer Howard Reich, inspired by the family history of Christine Mori and her daughter Alexis Spieldenner. Mori and Spieldenner commissioned and produced the project as co-founders of Bravo Niagara. “It is an honor to share our family’s story and pay tribute to the resilience of the Japanese Canadian community,” Mori says. “We are grateful that Kimiko’s Pearl can help shine a light on this dark chapter in Canadian history and [we] hope this music takes listeners on a journey of intergenerational healing and hope.”
Anraku has held the position of associate principal harp of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 1995. She is a faculty member at the Bard College Conservatory of Music and the Manhattan School of Music. Check out our cover interview with Anraku in the May/June 2021 issue of Harp Column.
Presented annually by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the JUNO Awards recognize excellence in Canadian music. The award was presented at the 2026 JUNO Awards Gala on March 28 in Hamilton, Ontario.
