Mari Takano
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese composer, pianist, essayist, and teacher. Takano's work, and musical voice, has been recognized as among the most distinctive to be found amid Japanese composers of the "post-Takemitsu generation".
in her native Tokyo, including a composition course with Mutsuo Shishido and, in 1983, lessons with Yoriaki Matsudaira and Jo Kondo
. From 1983, Takano began to study in Germany with Brian Ferneyhough
at the Musikhochschule Freiburg (Freiburg University of Music), and in 1986 Takano had private lessons with Morton Feldman
. After taking her diploma in Freiburg, Takano enrolled in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater (University of Music and Theatre, Hamburg) with Gyorgy Ligeti
, continuing there until 1994; she was awarded her MA under Ligeti in 1989. Takano's initial reputation in Europe was made while she served as pianist, keyboard player and composer with the contemporary music ensemble Hamburg Consort -- later Chaosma -- in which she participated with fellow Ligeti students Manfred Stahnke, Hans Peter Reutter, Hubertus Dreyer and Sid Corbett. Takano resettled in Japan permanently in 1994, and since then Takano has taught at the Shobi Conservatory in Tokyo, the Toho Gakuen School of Music and, from 2004, at the Joshibi Daigaku. Takano has also conducted, and participated in, music courses in the United States, including a master class given at New York University at the invitation of Julia Wolfe
in 2009.
. In the early part of the twenty-first century an increasing number of Takano premieres have been held in the United States, including her Full Moon (2009) for New York-based violinist Mari Kimura
and LigAlien IV (2010) for the Northshore Saxophone Trio, based at Northwestern University in Chicago. Takano has also been twice commissioned by the city of Hamburg (1993, 1995) in addition to fulfilling commissions for the twelfth Interlink Festival Tokyo (1995) and the Kanagawa Arts Festival (1997), for singer Barbara Hendricks
. In addition to Sharon Bezaly
, Takano has also created works to commissions from mandolinist Akihiro Fukaya, Koto player Teiko Kikuchi, Hichiriki player Hitomi Nakamura, saxophonist Masahito Sugihara and pianist Ellen Ugelvik.
Biography
Mari Takano completed four years of music instruction at the Toho Gakuen School of MusicToho Gakuen School of Music
is a private conservatoire located in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.-History:Toho Gakuen was founded in 1948 in Kudan as a music school for children, and two years later opened the Toho High School of Music, to provide quality musical education to teenage girls. 1955 saw the establishment of the Junior...
in her native Tokyo, including a composition course with Mutsuo Shishido and, in 1983, lessons with Yoriaki Matsudaira and Jo Kondo
Jo Kondo
Jō Kondō is a Japanese composer of contemporary classical music.Kondo studied composition from 1968 to 1972 with Yoshio Hasegawa and Hiroaki Minami at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He won the third prize and made his debut in Japan-Germany Contemporary Music Festival in 1969...
. From 1983, Takano began to study in Germany with Brian Ferneyhough
Brian Ferneyhough
Brian John Peter Ferneyhough is an English composer. His music is characterized by the extensive use of complex rhythmic tuplet notation which features in all his works...
at the Musikhochschule Freiburg (Freiburg University of Music), and in 1986 Takano had private lessons with Morton Feldman
Morton Feldman
Morton Feldman was an American composer, born in New York City.A major figure in 20th century music, Feldman was a pioneer of indeterminate music, a development associated with the experimental New York School of composers also including John Cage, Christian Wolff, and Earle Brown...
. After taking her diploma in Freiburg, Takano enrolled in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater (University of Music and Theatre, Hamburg) with Gyorgy Ligeti
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
, continuing there until 1994; she was awarded her MA under Ligeti in 1989. Takano's initial reputation in Europe was made while she served as pianist, keyboard player and composer with the contemporary music ensemble Hamburg Consort -- later Chaosma -- in which she participated with fellow Ligeti students Manfred Stahnke, Hans Peter Reutter, Hubertus Dreyer and Sid Corbett. Takano resettled in Japan permanently in 1994, and since then Takano has taught at the Shobi Conservatory in Tokyo, the Toho Gakuen School of Music and, from 2004, at the Joshibi Daigaku. Takano has also conducted, and participated in, music courses in the United States, including a master class given at New York University at the invitation of Julia Wolfe
Julia Wolfe
Julia Wolfe is an American composer. She was born in Philadelphia, holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Princeton and Yale, and currently works in New York. Wolfe's music is rhythmically vigorous and often clangorously dissonant...
in 2009.
Style & approach
Takano credits Ligeti with helping to find her personal sense of direction as a composer. In addition to Ligeti, an important proponent of Takano's work is BIS Records' head Robert von Bahr, who issued Takano's first album, Women's Paradise, and commissioned her to write a concerto for flautist Sharon BezalySharon Bezaly
Sharon Bezaly is a flutist.Bezaly was born in Israel, but lives presently in Sweden. Her virtuosity has drawn comparisons to David Oistrakh and Vladimir Horowitz. She has been an international star since 1997, when she began her solo flute career. She made her solo debut at 14 with Zubin Mehta...
. In the early part of the twenty-first century an increasing number of Takano premieres have been held in the United States, including her Full Moon (2009) for New York-based violinist Mari Kimura
Mari Kimura
is a Japanese violinist and composer best known for her use of subharmonics, which, achieved through special bowing techniques, allow pitches below the instrument's normal range...
and LigAlien IV (2010) for the Northshore Saxophone Trio, based at Northwestern University in Chicago. Takano has also been twice commissioned by the city of Hamburg (1993, 1995) in addition to fulfilling commissions for the twelfth Interlink Festival Tokyo (1995) and the Kanagawa Arts Festival (1997), for singer Barbara Hendricks
Barbara Hendricks
Barbara Hendricks is an African American operatic soprano and concert singer. Hendricks has lived in Europe since 1977, and in Switzerland on Lake Geneva since 1985, She is a citizen of Sweden.-Early life and education:...
. In addition to Sharon Bezaly
Sharon Bezaly
Sharon Bezaly is a flutist.Bezaly was born in Israel, but lives presently in Sweden. Her virtuosity has drawn comparisons to David Oistrakh and Vladimir Horowitz. She has been an international star since 1997, when she began her solo flute career. She made her solo debut at 14 with Zubin Mehta...
, Takano has also created works to commissions from mandolinist Akihiro Fukaya, Koto player Teiko Kikuchi, Hichiriki player Hitomi Nakamura, saxophonist Masahito Sugihara and pianist Ellen Ugelvik.
Discography
Awards
- 3rd Prize for Manichi Edition/NHK competition for L'Aube (1981)
- Irinopreis for Duende (1984)
- Förderpreis from the city of Stuttgart for Kokai (1985)
- First Prize at the composition competition held by the city of Ancona (1986)
Stage works
- Women's Paradise, abstract opera for mezzo soprano, female choir, 3 saxes, 3 synthesizers or samplers & viola (1991)
- The Snow Queen, chamber opera (in progress, 1992 to present) various sections performed as separate works; "Flower Aria" (1993/1997), "Crow Scene" (1993/1995) and Act II, Scenes 1-5 (1995)
- Beautiful Mythology of Japan (incidental music) for violin & piano (2007)
Orchestral works
- Kokai for piano & orchestra (1984)
- Flute Concerto for flute & strings (2006)
Chamber works
- Duende, for flute, clarinet, T-bells, vibraphone & violin (1982)
- Felicitas, for 15 instruments (1984)
- Liebeslieder for flute solo (1985)
- Kreislauf, for percussion quartet (1985)
- Octet for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets & 2 bassoons (1986)
- Four Pieces for Six Players for 3 winds, trombone, piano & percussion (1987)
- Are you going with me? [first version] for vibraphone & piano (1987)
- Are you going with me? [second version] for 2 guitars (1987)
- Zauberspiegel for oboe & piano (or synthesizer) (1988)
- Casablanca for sax, synthesizer, viola & double bass [first version] or sax, 2 synthesizers & viola [second version] (1989)
- L'Abandon for 14 guitars (1992)
- Octet in Two Movements, for clarinet, horn, guitar, piano, 2 percussionists, violin & double bass (1993)
- Snow Shadow; The Crow and the Jelly Fish for guitar, harp, percussion & rebab (1989)
- Mugen No Tsuki; Mugen No Hoshi for koto, 17-string koto, sho, hichiriki & violin (1998)
- String Quartet (1999)
- Song of the Pig-Mary (Paradox Love Song) for 6 harmonicas (2000)
- Moon Cherry for shakuhachi, koto & 17-string koto (2000)
- Silent Light for mandolin & harpsichord (2001)
- Two Pieces for Two Mandolins (2002)
- LigAlien I for soprano sax, tenor sax & piano (2003)
- LigAlien II for hichiriki, 17-string koto & violin (2003)
- LigAlien III for violin & harp (2007)
- LigAlien IV for Soprano sax, tenor sax & piano (2008)
- LigAlien X for shakuhachi, piano, violin & cello (2010)
Vocal music
- Drei Stücke für Stimmen for tenor, mixed chorus, 2 recorders & 2 percussionists or for tenor & mixed chorus (1987)
- Two Chansons for soprano & piano (1997)
Electronic music
- L'Abandon [first version] for guitar & electronics (1992)
- L'Abandon [second version] for synthesizer & MIDI (1992)
- Full Moon, for violin & electronics (2009)