Takashi Kako Quartet 15th Anniversary Concert

Takashi Kako Quartet

Formed in 2010 by four members on piano (Takashi Kako), violin (Mariko Aikawa), viola (Kaori Minami), and cello (Akio Ueki), the group performs the music of Takashi Kako. They released their debut album “QUARTET” and “QUARTET II” and “QUARTET III – Suite: THE CENTURY IN MOVING IMAGES” from Avex Classics, and have been active in recording concerts and film soundtracks, and their European performance in 2014 was highly praised. The arrangement of the four members on stage is innovative, bringing new sounds and possibilities to the classical instrument arrangement, and has been described as “beautiful to both the eyes and the ears.”

Takashi Kako

Piano

He studied composition at the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he studied under Olivier Messiaen. He has a unique background, having made his debut as an improvisational jazz pianist while studying in Paris. His compositions range from piano pieces to orchestral pieces, and he has won many awards for his film music. He is known for the theme song “Is Paris Burning” for the NHK Special series “THE CENTURY IN MOVING IMAGES” He is also known as the “piano poets” for the beauty of the tones he plays, and his latest album is “KAKO DÉBUT 50” a collection of film music he has selected himself to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his Paris debut.

Mariko Aikawa

Violin

Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts and the Paris Conservatoire. She is active in a wide range of genres, including performing new pieces by Japanese composers, contemporary music, and serving as concertmaster of the Image Orchestra on the liveimage tour since 2007. In 2022, he received the 1st Gratia Music Award Special Prize.

Kaori Minami

Viola

After graduating from the Kyoto Municipal Kyoto Horikawa Senior High School of Music, she graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts. She has worked as a support for many artists on recordings and concert tours.

Akio Ueki

Cello

He studied cello at Toho Gakuen College Music Department, Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Lyon, and Indiana University. He is the recipient of the 1st Hideo Saito Memorial Fund Award from the Sony Music Foundation. He is a member of the Saito Kinen Orchestra, whose music director was Seiji Ozawa. In 2023, he was become the principal player of the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa.

Lion Kako

Recitation

Graduated from Tamagawa University, College of Arts. Since 2003, he has been active on stage and television. He has appeared in musicals such as “Touken Ranbu” and “Live Spectacle Naruto” in Japan and overseas. As a voice actor, he has appeared in many anime such as “The Prince of Tennis”, “Cardfight!! Vanguard G”, and “Ojarumaru” In recent years, he has worked as a stage director on “Record of Ragnarok”, “NIGHT HEAD 2041”, “The Blue Light”, “TRACE U”, and “Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku”.