Emily Harwood (Emi Tanaka) is a British-Japanese soprano who recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where she was a recipient of the Kathleen Roberts Scholarship Award.

Emily began vocal lessons under Kyoko Murai in Tokyo in 2013 whilst working at the British School in Tokyo, teaching the school choir and working as a vocal coach herself. In 2015, she began her studies with David Thomas at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and since 2017 has been under the tutelage of Patricia Rozario OBE. Emily’s performances include the role of Sandman in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel with the Scottish Opera in Singapore (2014); Chorus in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in Cadogan Hall (2016); Operatic Chorus for Puccini pieces in St John Smith Square (2017); the Mother in Polish opera Shudder! by Caitlin Harrison (2018); the Employee in The Overcoat by Kieron Smith (2019). She has also undertaken many roles in Opera Scenes at Trinity Laban.

Alongside classical music, Emily enjoys exploring works not typically found in the European tradition and is particularly interested in Japanese operatic and song repertoire, performing compositions from Yamada as well as more contemporary composers such as Ryosuke Karaki. She is currently partnering with a composer to create a Japanese song cycle on the themes of spring and life.