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CD - Journey - Misa Mea & Tomoko Sawano (piano) |
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In stockHere is the stunning debut CD from Misa.
Journey is an album that captures her superb musicianship, virtuosity and control. The repertoire includes several works either composed or arranged by Misa. It was recorded in January 2014 in Studio 7 at the RNCM, Manchester.
The pianist is the superb Tomoko Sawano.
Here is the Youtube appetiser of the CD: http://youtu.be/s3X5opTzCog
The repertoire:
1. Fantasy Rondo - Robert Schumann Arr. Pierre Cambourian
2. Otemoyan Fantasy - Misa Mead
3. Hummingbrrd - Steven Bryant
4. Journey - Misa Mead
5. Waltz Op.39 No.15 - Johannes Brahms Arr. Misa Mead
6. Fantasy Rondo for Two Euphonium (duet with Steven Mead) - Derek Bourgeois
7. Concerto for Euphonium, Wind & Percussion (Summer of 2008) - David Gillingham
8. GAME - Suite for Euphonium and CD - Misa Mead
Misa Mead
Misa was born in the city of Kumamoto, in the south west of Japan.
She graduated from Tokyo College of Music in 2008.
At both high school and university she was a scholarship student.
Misa won the unanimous Gold Medal at the European Solo Competition for Young Soloists in Luxembourg 2011, as well winning the first prize at the 4th All-Japan Junior High and Senior High School Students Wind Instruments Solo Contest, 2000, and the 25th All-Kyushu Music Competition Gold Award 2001.
At the highly prestigious 7th Jeju International Wind and Percussion Solo Competition 2012, South Korea, she won third prize and was the highest placed Asian performer.
Misa graduated with Honours at the Paris Conservatory in 2012.
She appeared as a guest soloist in March 2013 at the TubaMania Festival in Bangkok, Thailand and is set to return there in March 2014.
She also appeared as a guest artist in May 2013 at the South West Region Tuba Euphonium Conference (SWRTEC) in California, USA, performing her own compositions. In 2013 she was appointed High School Performance Assistant at the Tokyo College of Music. She also works closely with the Tokyo-based Spiel Kammerensemble.
Misa is an active as freelance composer and orchestrator. Many of her works are published by ASKS Winds (Japan) and distributed world-wide.
Since July 2013, Misa has moved to the UK, and performed many concerts in Europe including in France, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Lithuania . She married the famous British euphonium artist Steven Mead in March 2014, and changed her name from Misa Akahoshi to Misa Mead and with this, her debut album Journey, her recording career has also begun. Forthcoming appearances include the ITEC2014 in Bloomington, Indiana and the Sydney International Brass Festival.
Misa was recently appointed as a Besson Euphonium Artist and will represent the Buffet Group around the world with her solo and duet activities.
Tomoko Sawano
Born in Tokyo in 1969, Tomoko began playing the piano at the age of three. She studied at the Tokyo College of Music High School and Tokyo College of Music under Katsuko Miura and Kazune Shimizu, winning Third Prize in the Special Grade of the PTNA Piano Competition in 1992.
In 1993 Tomoko moved to Germany to study at the University of the Arts, Berlin under Professor Rainer Becker. In 1995, during her studies in Germany, she was awarded a Diploma at the International Music Competition Maria Canals of Barcelona.
Since high school Tomoko has been dedicated to ensemble performance. She places importance not just acting as an accompanist, but on serving as an essential partner during performances. With flexibility and a resolute musical sense she possesses great ensemble abilities that allow her to become one with her co-performers. She is highly regarded for her ability to draw out the musicianship of her collaborators. As a result she receives offers from musicians all over the world for CD recordings, concert tours, and recitals.
Additionally, Tomoko has served as an official pianist at competitions and workshops across the globe, including the International Instrumental Competition Markneukirchen (Germany), ARD International Music Competition (Germany), Philip Jones International Competition (France), International Trombone Festival (Denmark), Pacific Music Festival (Sapporo), Mondoñedo Workshop (Spain), and TubaMania International Festival, Thailand. She has won many best pianist awards at these events.
From 1998 Tomoko has served as brass and wind répétiteur at both the University of the Arts, Berlin and the Franz Liszt college of Music, Weimar. She receives extremely high praise for her work in these schools and many of her students have won prizes at international competitions.
Tomoko currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
