Biography

Nishimura Haruko

Since co-founding Degenerate Art Ensemble (formerly The Young Composers Collective) in 1993, Nishimura has produced a consistent stream of original and adventurous works combining physical theater and butoh dance with live experimental music. Many of these pieces are large-scale works involving up to 5-15 performers and the Degenerate Art Ensemble’s 10-17 piece orchestra. Nishimura’s choreographed works have been commissioned by On The Boards, City, County and State Arts Commissions, as well as a number of private foundations and have appeared in ten countries.
As a performer, Nishimura has appeared in as many as 60 performances per year over the past ten years, including performances in her own group Degenerate Art Ensemble, as well as in other ensembles including San Francisco/Berlin based inkBoat (“Cockroach” and “Onion”), Holland based R.A.M.M. Theater and with Meg Stuart and Damaged Goods. These performances have taken place throughout the US West Coast, New York, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, France, Netherlands and Italy.
Nishimura has composed and recorded numerous works for The Young Composers Collective, including film scores for Fritz Lang’s silent classic Metropolis (performed at Gas Works Park to a crowd of 10,000), and Douglass Fairbanks’ The Gaucho (performed at Fremont Outdoor Cinema). She was also TYCC’s pianist. Now she is the experimental vocalist for Degenerate Art Ensemble’s big band garage orchestra, with whom she has performed numerous Seattle shows and four European Tours over the past four years. Nishimura is also currently the lead vocalist for The Buttersprites, an all Asian Girl Band based in Seattle.
More information about her work at: www.degenerateartensemble.com.