Shintaro Mieda
Biography Shintaro Mieda
Shintaro Mieda
Born in 1985. From Kanagawa. Got master’s degree of musical composition at Tokyo College of Music. Joined concert tour and recordings of bandoneon player Ryota Komatsu since 2008. Joined Naoki Kita Quartet in 2011 as a pianist and received high acclaim with his unique style of play that involve beauty and intensity. He also works as a composer of film music and music for play, and is highly regarded for his work in “Reijin (2015)” – the concert and CD album project of Takarazuka Revue Company OG – in which he worked as a pianist, an arranger and a musical director. Did the film music for “Wasurerarenai to chikatta bokuga ita,” “Kara no Kyokai,” “Sentimental Yasuko” and more. Formed Shintaro Mieda’s Orquesta de la Esperanza in 2014 to play his original songs and contentiously released unconventional pieces that include elements from modern tango to jazz and contemporary music.
Satoshi Kitamura
Born in 1979. From Nara. Got initiated into bandoneon at Kansai University and studied with Ryota Komatsu. Performed at number of concerts and tango festivals from home and abroad. In 2011, he was selected as a member of Asia team for Pablo Ziegler, former pianist of Astor Piazzolla’s Quintet. Performed in recordings of NHK’s “Ryomaden,” “Carnation,” “Yae no Sakura” and more. Received high regard for an ambitious program that excluded traditional tango and Piazzolla’s piece in “B→C” at Tokyo Opera City in September 2014.
Atsushi Yoshida
From Yamaguchi. Started violin from age of four. Won first place in Japan Students’ Music Competition at Fukuoka. Started to play tango at Tokyo University of Arts. Performed in “Ryota Komatsu & Tangists,” “Machiko Komatsu & Tango Crystal,” etc. Graduated form Tokyo University of Arts and got master’s degree of chamber music at the graduate school of the university afterwards. Currently works at Tokyo University of Arts as a part time professor.
Natsumi Okimasu
From Onomichi, Hiroshima. Studied with Hideo Kojima, late Chikashi Tanaka, Chiyoko Noguchi, and Natsumi Tamai. Won the highest award at the 15th Chugoku Youth Competition. Graduated from Tokyo University of Arts (violin major) in 2008. Offered Nakamura Music Scholarship for two years from 2004 by Hiroshima International Cultural Foundation. Joined “Machiko Komatsu & Tango Crystal” since 2009. Devoted to her study under Machiko Komatsu, one of the leading tango pianists. Got Encouragement Prize at the First Neo Classic International Competition (2010).
Atsuki Yoshida
From Ogaki, Gifu. Graduated from Tokyo College of Music (violin major) first on the list. Played both violin and viola at the university and performed for various studio and musical project including Ryuichi Kawamura, Ayaka, Hikaru Utada, and Yuta Furukawa. Performed with Ryota Komatsu as a tango musician and joined Orchesta Tipica Pampa led by Yuzo Saito. Having a presence and receiving attention in jazz and gipsy music scene by performances such as an unconventional stage performance with tap dance and a unique string duo with contrabass known as “GALI×BULI.”
Yumi Shimazu
Born in Osaka. Started cello from age of six. Graduated from Tokyo University of Arts in 2006. Studied cello with late Minoru Sugiyama, Mineo Hayashi, and Kaeko Mukouyama. Performed in recordings for various artists in all sorts of genre including performances in chamber music and orchestra. Released 8 CDs for her group.
Toru Nishijima
Born in 1973. From Tokyo. Started to play violin from five years old, and began playing electric bass at high school. Switched over to contrabass after graduated Nihon University. Performed for various artists including Jazztronik, Pablo Ziegler, Cullen Aoki, Hiromitsu Azuma, Kosuke Naka, Chie Ayado, Hiroko Williams, Lisa Ono, Maki Carmen, Yoshiko Kishino, Ryota Komatsu, Tatsuo Sunaga, Mika Nakashima, Taro Hakase, Kiyoshi Hasegawa, Iwao Yoshizawa, Wasaburo and more. Released “El retratador,” second duo album with pianist Masaki Hayashi, in March 2014.
Hitomi Aikawa
Graduated from Tokyo University of Arts in 2006. Studied percussion with Ryoichi Kayatani, Makoto Aruga, and Takafumi Fujimoto. Got second place at Plovdiv International Percussion Competition in Bulgaria in 2007 (1st place not applicable). Performed at “Kohaku Utagassen” in 2013 as a member of Yoshihide Otomo & Amachan Special Big Band. Currently active in various scene as an all-around percussionist across genres.
Tomomi Oda
Born in Kanagawa. Enrolled in Tokyo University of Arts form College of Music High School and graduated form the university in March 2012. Besides her solo work, she is a keyboardist of “dCprG,” a composer of “VOICE SPACE (a collaborative group of poetry and music),” and a pianist for concerts of Chikuzan Takahashi, a well known performer of Tsugarujyamisen. Released first album “Shamn Gari” that was co-produced with Naruyoshi Kikuchi.
