[No. 84] Yuki Koyama

I enrolled in the Faculty of Science and Technology in 2005 and graduated from the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology in 2010. Looking back, those five years seemed long, but they passed in the blink of an eye.

There are two reasons I chose the Faculty of Science and Technology. First, I had been interested in science and math since junior high and high school and wanted to study them more deeply in college. The second reason was the Keio brand. Keio University is not only highly regarded by others, but it also has strong connections between upperclassmen and underclassmen. Most importantly, I believed I could meet wonderful friends who would last a lifetime, which is why I decided to enroll.

When I think back on my university days, I remember my tennis club, my friends from Class Ka in my first year, repeating a year (laughs), and my graduation research. I joined the Regulation Tennis Club right after enrolling. I joined somewhat casually to make friends, but this decision turned out to be a very significant one. The upperclassmen were all so kind that I was able to fit in easily, and my classmates were all people I got along with. We still hold reunions to catch up with each other.

I often studied with my classmates from my first year, and they were a different type of friend from those in my club, so it was a lot of fun to be with them. We would have wild times at karaoke and other places under the guise of "regular meetings," and I have fond memories of the crazy things we did, like when my friends threw me a surprise party in the summer of my third year and we had a beer fight "inside the house." It was chaotic but very memorable.

I had to repeat my second year. The reason was that I missed three lab sessions, which caused me to fail the course and immediately have to repeat the year. I was already active as a solo flutist during my university years, and it just so happened that my lab days conflicted with my concert dates. It was very disappointing not to be able to graduate with my classmates, but on the other hand, I was able to meet and become friends with many underclassmen, so I choose to see it as a positive.

In my fourth year, I had to write a thesis to graduate. Since I aimed to become a musician, I was determined to connect music, which would be my lifelong pursuit, with what I had learned at Keio. After much deliberation, I conducted research on the topic "Automatic Performance and Evaluation of Chorales Based on Bach's Harmonic Structure." The Takeda Laboratory, to which I belonged, was very liberal, allowing us to research anything we wanted, so I was able to conduct my research freely.

If I had gone to a music conservatory instead of Keio, I would never have had these unique experiences that are not ordinarily possible, nor would I have met such wonderful friends. My character was ultimately forged here at Keio. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Keio University once again.

I am currently studying music at the Basel Academy of Music in Switzerland. I may have taken a detour, but I feel like I have finally started on the path toward my dream. At first, there were many challenges, such as not understanding German, not being able to find a place to live, and not being able to obtain a residence permit. However, I am now completely used to it, and my days are fulfilling. There are many elements here that can help me grow further. I feel truly happy to be able to engage with the music I love every day.

My future dreams are endless: to become the principal flutist of a top European orchestra, to become a world-renowned soloist, to nurture talented students, to be able to speak about seven languages, and to build a happy family. With my positive personality, which firmly believes that nothing is impossible in this world, I intend to continue sprinting forward with all my might.