Ayako Watanabe

1939 - 2025

Ayako Watanabe, longtime harpist with The Saint Louis Symphony, passed away on September 11th in Shizuoka, Japan, due to complications related to dementia at age 86. She and her husband, former Saint Louis Symphony violinist Haruka Watanabe, had recently moved back to Japan from Massachusetts after spending almost six decades in the US.

Ayako Watanabe, née Matsuzaki, was born on January 6, 1939. She was a daughter of Teijiro, a politician-turned-businessman, and Teru, a poet. Both were from the historic town of Shimabara. Ayako was born in Tokyo, one of six siblings. She was educated by Catholic nuns at Sacred Heart School, who encouraged her to play the piano and harp. She graduated from the Kunitachi College of Music, where she studied under renowned harpist Josef Molnar. Her future husband, Haruka, lived in Kunitachi and attended Tokyo University of the Arts, so they crossed paths daily for years before finally meeting on the job at an orchestra concert. She moved to the US with Haruka, where they both received their Master's Degrees in Music at Indiana University, and she studied with Peter Eagle. Ayako and Haruka married in Indiana in 1967.

Ayako began playing with the Saint Louis Symphony in 1970. In addition to their many contributions to the orchestra, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, various choirs, and churches, Ayako and Haruka enjoyed a large and dedicated following in St. Louis as The Watanabe Duo. Ayako also performed at a wide variety of events as a freelancer. Ayako once said there is no greater joy and privilege than playing music for people, whether it was on stage at the majestic, gilded Powell Symphony Hall, for pivotal occasions in people's lives, or playing background music at a restaurant. She also enriched the musical and cultural life of St. Louis through her teaching, her activities with the St. Louis Harp Society, and her involvement with the Japan-America Society of St. Louis. Ayako received the Owen Miller Award in 2008 from the Musicians' Association of St. Louis.

During trips to Japan, Ayako and Haruka were invited several times to meet and perform for Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Michiko, a schoolmate of Ayako's and fellow harpist, at the Imperial Palace. Following the devastating 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, on tour in Japan that year, performed a free concert for Kobe residents still in shock from the disaster. The Empress sent a message of gratitude and encouragement to the Symphony through Ayako, underscoring the deep cultural connection she helped to foster between Japan and St. Louis.

While working as a full-time musician, she handled all the cooking, cleaning, and childcare at home. She visited her two sons' schools to play the harp for the students and also to teach them how to fold origami samurai helmets out of newspapers. One time, the boys were picked up by the police for skateboarding in downtown St. Louis, and she showed up at the police station post-performance, wearing black concert attire with her hair and makeup fully done, and proceeded to berate the police officers for not allowing the children to live their youth.

Her many students, friends, and family will miss her kindness, beauty, elegance, as well as her talent, intelligence, and gentle sense of humor. Her legacy lives on in the many students, friends, and family members whose lives she touched.

Ayako is survived by her husband Haruka, their two sons, Hideki (Arlene), Kaoru (Yurie), beloved granddaughters Wraven and Shinobu, and many loving siblings, nieces, and nephews.

Condolences may be sent to the family at https://www.facebook.com/maria.gracia.16940599.