Shimon Yoshida was born in Nagoya, Japan, in 1992 and completed his master’s degree (concert singing) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich with Prof. Sylvia Greenberg. Shimon has been a permanent member of the RIAS Chamber Choir Berlin since March 2020. In addition to performing with the ensemble, he often has solo engagements at RIAS concerts. In 2022, for example, he spontaneously sang the tenor soloist in Bach’s Mass in B minor under the baton of René Jacobs. He has been a regular guest with the renowned Bach Collegium Japan under the direction of Masaaki Suzuki since 2022. Among other things, he has sung various Bach cantatas and Handel’s Messiah with Suzuki. In 2024, he will sing the role of the Evangelist in the St. John Passion for the Bach Collegium Japan.

What fascinates you about singing?

I am fascinated by the feeling of a conversation, an exchange with the creator of the work. A very intimate conversation that may have come about across time, places, and all kinds of distances (language, historical background, etc.). The more I explore the work, the composers, and the lyricists, the deeper I can immerse myself in other people’s worldviews. So for me, it’s an exploratory experience every time.