Yuko Uebayashi (born in 1958 in Kyoto, Japan) is recognized as one of the leading female composers in the flute world today. Raised in a non-musical family, she discovered her passion for music as a young child playing piano at the community music program. Her talent was recognized at the elementary school but she preferred taking private piano and composition lessons, nurturing close relationships with mentors and friends, and enjoying her adolescence rather than taking traditional music education and placing herself in a competitive and stressful environment. During her later formal and private music training she developed her rich, distinct compositional style. Uebayashi has been transferring a unique blend of French and Japanese culture, inspirations from landscapes, light, paintings, experiences she had with other musicians, and even Japanese popular music into her music, with intention to evoke different emotions that people could enjoy. She has composed for flute in a variety of genres, including solos, chamber works and concerto. Her flute music consists of playful motives and romantic melodies, at times subtly contrasted with passion and sorrow, and as such is effortlessly transferred and enjoyed by a wide audience.

Sonate pour flûte et piano, written in 2002–2003, was commissioned by and dedicated to the French virtuoso flutist Jean Ferrandis and to Emile Naoumoff, a Bulgarian-born pianist and last student of Nadia Boulanger. For this first flute piece ever composed without a programmatic title or any background image, Uebayashi said that in order to compose, she had to explore and find emotions within herself rather than apply her usual reliance on an image. In this sonata, while remaining in traditional form and tonal harmonies, the moods alternate between movements. The first slow and sentimental movement Allegro moderato precedes virtuosic and witty Presto, which is followed by the graceful and melodic Calmato, to finish in an energetic and vibrant Allegro. It is a highly demanding piece for both flutist and pianist, requiring masterful control over their instruments; technical proficiency and a high sensitivity to dynamics, tone colour, and phrasing. An additional challenge is the fact that this piece is personalized for two outstanding musicians. However, what makes this sonata unique is the freedom that performers have to feel the music and deliver it while remaining faithful to their emotions, connecting themselves with the composer and the audience.