If you’ve wandered down Pakenham Main Street lately, you may have been lucky enough to hear the soft, sweeping melodies of Yukimine Ishino’s violin fill the air. Mr Ishino, or ‘Sky’ as he’s better known, is a multi-talented artist who has travelled around the world, performing to audiences in both concert halls and city streets. Although he speaks limited English, Sky took a moment to share his story with GABRIELLA PAYNE – with a little help from Google Translate.
Though there are many languages in the world – there are none quite like music.
Often referred to as ‘the universal language’, music has a way of breaking down barriers; of sharing stories and emotions, and bringing people together.
Yukimine Ishino may not speak fluent English, but through his violin, he can communicate to one and all.
A talented musician, Mr Ishino, otherwise known as ‘Sky’, has been busking in Australia ever since he moved here in 2007 and delighting audiences around the country with his music – but his performance journey started long before then.
Born in Jilin, China in 1962, Sky fell in love with performing at a young age, citing his father as one of his biggest musical inspirations.
“I started to learn to play violin from my father when I was seven years old,” Sky said.
“He was the director of a hospital and he was also a self-taught violinist, and he often played the violin.”
Sky’s childhood was filled with music, as he picked up the violin and began to follow in his father’s footsteps, but at the age of 14, that all came to a stop when he was accepted to a prestigious dance college, the Jilin College of the Arts.
“I basically abandoned the violin,” Sky explained, as his rigorous dance training took up most of his time.
“I went to dance college and I could only go back home twice a year on vacations, and I could only play the violin occasionally when I went home,” he said.
For the next 26 years, Sky’s passion was dance.
Whilst he always had a dream of becoming a musician, Sky poured his love and energy into becoming the best dancer he could be – and he shone in the process.
“As for dance, that is my real major,” Sky said.
“After graduation, I taught dancing in the college for four years.
In 1987, as an elite talent, I was transferred to the Song and Dance Troupe of All-China Federation of Trade Unions as a leading actor, choreographer-director, as well as the captain of the professional development team,” he said.
A highly-respected dancer and choreographer, Sky reached many incredible heights with his dance career and was even involved with directing and performing on programs for China Central TV – but music and the violin were always at the back of his mind.
Before moving to Australia and rekindling his love for violin though, Sky took up his “second career” – hairdressing.
Having retired from dance, Sky studied and graduated from not only the Shiseido Beauty Academy in Tokyo, Japan – but also the New York International Beauty School in Manhattan, and went on to become a qualified beautician and hair stylist in four different countries.
Whilst working as a hairdresser in Japan, Sky got talking with a customer about his passion for violin – not knowing she was a musician herself.
The woman invited Sky to join her and some musical friends at one of their weekly parties, and it was this that reignited the flame for Sky.
“From then on, the violin has always been with my life,” Sky said.
“On my days off, I would take the violin to play in the park, because I liked the violin very much.
In 2007, I moved to Sydney, Australia, and saw street performances everywhere, which made me want to join in the fun,” he said.
“Unexpectedly, I became popular with the audience as soon as I came out.
As a result, I began to live a life of street performance.”
Since moving to Sydney 14 years ago, Sky has busked in streets all across Australia,“from big cities to small towns” – and captivated audiences wherever he goes.
Now living in Officer, Sky regularly performs in Pakenham’s Main Street and if you’ve been lucky enough to catch one of his performances, you would surely remember it.
Dressed to the nines in a black suit and crisp white shirt, Sky brings a level of skill and professionalism to street performing, and said that he believes dressing formally is an important part of entertaining.
“My audience gave me the name of the ‘mobile Sydney Opera House’, as I made an open-air concert in the streets of Sydney,” Sky said.
“Formal dress brings to the streets a different sight, and I am delighted that my listeners are shopping with joy.”
Sky clearly has a deep connection and understanding of music, and his prowess as a violinist is plain to see.
His contagious smile and positive nature convey a special sense of joy through his music, making many a passerby stop in their tracks and listen, escaping reality for a moment.
Sky believes that his extensive dance career only strengthened his love for music and the arts, and said he was grateful for the journey that he’s had.
“Dance performance is inseparable from music, and dancers’ understanding of music is more expressive and appealing,” he said.
“So now playing violin will let me continue to follow my pursuit of art from another way, and to achieve self-enjoyment!”
Sky plays a wide range of music when performing on the streets, often taking requests from his audience – and it was his listeners who inspired him to take the next step and record his first ever CD.
“I love lyrical music. Whenever I hear something good, I try to change it to a version suitable for the violin – and many of these are provided to me by listeners.
I put a whiteboard in front of me to collect good songs, and enthusiastic listeners would write them for me.
Many people asked, ‘where is your CD?’ and I thought I should keep a souvenir anyway, so I recorded one,” he said.
His CD went on to become very popular, and so Sky kept on recording music to please his fans.
Years later, Sky has now recorded eight CD’s and a DVD and has made quite the name for himself in the musical world.
He regularly performs at weddings and events around Melbourne – and continues to busk whenever he can, something he said he will not be giving up anytime soon.
“Music is the most beautiful tool of communication in the world,” he said.
“Without music, life would not be worth it!”
To find out more about Sky and his music, visit www.skysmusic.com.au
