Biography
Ryuji "Rue" Yamauchi (山内竜志)
Composer | Pianist | Conductor
Based in Oradell, NJ | Projects in New York & Tokyo
Ryuji "Rue" Yamauchi is a Japanese-American composer, pianist, and conductor whose work spans instrumental, choral, and commercial music. Known for his lyrical, emotionally resonant writing, Rue’s music bridges classical foundations with contemporary sensibilities, offering a kind of neo-classical voice that speaks directly to listeners with depth and expressive clarity.
Rue began his musical journey with piano at age five and music theory and harmony at age eleven. His early compositions earned national attention, with Rondo for Oboe and Piano (1991) and Duet for Flute and Bassoon (1992) published by Phoebus Publications. He represented New Jersey at Interlochen Arts Camp on a full scholarship for oboe and composition, and was later selected as one of only 11 young composers worldwide to attend the prestigious Boston University Tanglewood Institute in 1991.
He continued his studies at Columbia University in New York City, where he trained in piano with the legendary teacher Niels Østbye and earned his BA in Music in 1996. Alongside classical composition, Rue ventured into the digital realm—developing e-commerce platforms for CDs and music videos, and composing for TV commercials and journalistic media.
In 2010, a chance encounter led him to choral conducting. As Music Director of the Men's GleeClub of New York, Rue arranged dozens of Japanese pop songs (1980s–2020s) for 4-part men’s choir and conducted the group at major events—including performances of the U.S. national anthem at Yankees and Mets MLB games. His choral work has recently expanded into 7-part SSATTBB arrangements for mixed ensembles.
Rue’s latest major work, 8 Sonnets for Violin, is a 25-minute cycle for solo violin written in collaboration with Tokyo-based violinist Riho Kishikawa. Each movement speaks with the intimacy and phrasing of a human voice, and the work is poised to become a significant addition to the modern violin repertoire.
Rue is currently engaged in projects in both New York and Tokyo, encompassing both composition and piano performance. He draws inspiration from the expressive depth of masterworks by Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Chopin, and Richard Strauss while shaping a new generation of music—works that speak with clarity and connect deeply with both performers and audiences.