SHIINA, Yuichiro Professor

Centered around music that is intertwined with people,
Learn about the history of society and culture

Music has developed in response to the societies of each era. My main research theme is the music of J.S. Bach, often called the "father of music." I connect his works with the social conditions of the time and examine them from multiple perspectives.

In our daily lives, we encounter various kinds of music without even realizing it, and are greatly influenced by it. Learning about music from all times and places is also about learning about the history of society and culture. If you're involved in band or choir, or simply love music, why not join us in exploring music in depth?

• Main research areas: Music, pipe organ performance
• Courses taught: European Music History I & II, Christianity and Music, etc.

Research topic

My research interests include music, particularly Christianity and music, pipe organ music, and the organ works of J.S. Bach.

Research Topics

Christianity and Music

Most of the music we encounter today is based on Christian music. This includes not only Western music, but also the origins of the songs sung in elementary and junior high schools, which can be traced back to hymns. My research focuses on how Christian music relates to the music we listen to every day, and how Christianity and music have developed together.

Pipe organ music

The pipe organ has a history of over 2000 years. Music in each era is closely related to the instrument, and we are researching how music was performed in each era and region, and the performance practices based on instruments, documents, and other historical materials.

A Study of J.S. Bach's Organ Works

Bach left behind over 200 organ works. My research focuses on studying his works, written from his boyhood until shortly before his death, in an attempt to shed light on Bach's musical landscape.

Examples of graduation thesis titles from the Shiina Seminar

• "The influence of J-pop seen in K-pop"
• "Music and Brain Function"
• "Irish folk music"
• "The social role of music"
• "Musicals and Gender"
• "The Evolution of Post-War Japanese Popular Music (J-pop)"
• "The Rise of the Piano in the 19th Century and its Relationship to Music"
• "The Evolution of Gender Views as Seen Through Yumi Matsutoya"
• "Musical Rhetoric in the 18th Century"
• "Michael Jackson's Music and Thought"

Recent works

• "Introduction to the Pipe Organ" (Shunjusha, 2015)
• "(Tentative Title) Bach and the Organ" (Artes Publishing, 2026)

For more details, please see researchmap or organist Yuichiro Shiina.