山本翔太（作曲家・編曲家）
4歳でピアノを始めるが8歳で勝手に教室を辞めてくる。しかし14歳の時に訪れたドイツでコンサートに触れ作曲に興味を持つ。高校時代にギル・エヴァンスの独創的なジャズの作編曲に衝撃を受け甲陽音楽学院にてジャズコンポジションを学ぶ。
在学中より京都コンポーザーズジャズオーケストラに楽曲提供し、ストレートなジャズから実験的な曲まで数々の意欲的な作品を発表。全国各地・海外での公演やレコーディングにて高い評価を得る。作品には国際コンテストでの受賞曲も多い。
2017年、名古屋市メキシコシティ姉妹都市提携40周年記念事業で世界的マリンバ楽団マリオ・ナンダヤパ・カルテット（マリンバ・ナンダヤパ）へ作品を提供し、同公演を含むメキシコツアーに参加。
2018年には京都コンポーザーズJ.O.より全曲が自身の新作書き下ろしのアルバム「平調」をリリース。翌19年にはベトナム公演、20年には韓国公演を行い好評を博した。
作曲レッスンのほかUdemyにて粟田麻利子との音楽講座「さとのうたアカデミー」を開講するなど、音楽文化の振興にも務めている。
国内外のアーティストへ委嘱作品を提供する他、ビッグバンド譜出版、テレビ番組用楽曲制作など、幅広く活動している。
- John Lennon Songwriting Contest 2019 ファイナリスト
- International Songwriting Competition 2018 Honorable Mention (2曲)
- SongDoor International Songwriting Contest 2018 特別賞
- American Songwriting Awards 2017 ジャズ部門最優秀賞
- Hollywood Songwriting Contest 2016 Best Jazz Song
- International Songwriting Competition 2016 Honorable Mention / People’s Voice部門ジャズ作品中1位
Shota Yamamoto (Composer / Arranger)
Shota YAMAMOTO was born in 1988 in Aichi, Japan. He began to learn the piano at the age of 4, but cookie-cutter lessons weren’t his interest. However, at the age of 14, he went to a concert in Germany and he was attracted to the music. After that experience, he began to listen to the music of Gil Evans and Maria Schneider. He was influenced a lot by their innovative sounds, and that was a turning point of his music life. He studied jazz and classical composition at Koyo conservatory, a partnership school of Berklee in Japan.
Shota began his career by joining Kyoto Composers Jazz Orchestra in 2010. He wrote over 150 compositions and arrangements for this band, and the pieces are played at their concerts all over Japan. His compositions are recorded in more than 10 albums.
Some compositions won international competitions, e.g. American Songwriting Awards 2017 Best Jazz Award, SongDoor 2018 Special Recognition and International Songwriting Competition 2016/2018 Honorable Mention.
He and Mariko Awada (vocal) offers music courses and voice training courses on Udemy, the online education site. More than 2000 people have taken the courses.
Besides these projects, he is writing for musicians in various genres, theaters, events and broadcasts.
In 2017, he wrote some compositions for a Mexican famous marimba group “Mario Nandayapa Quartet (a.k.a. Marimba Nandayapa)”, and succeeded a tour in Mexico.
In 2018, Kyoto Composers J.O. released an album “Hyojo ~the music of Shota Yamamoto~”. All tracks are his brand new compositions, and the CD is a great hit.
- John Lennon Songwriting Contest 2019 Finalist
- International Songwriting Competition 2018 Honorable Mention (2 pieces)
- SongDoor International Songwriting Contest 2018 Special Recognition
- American Songwriting Awards 2017 Jazz Winner
- Hollywood Songwriting Contest 2016 Best Jazz Song
- International Songwriting Competition 2016 Honorable Mention