Takana Miyamoto
Pianist / Composer / Music Producer
( Photo by Kate Belle )
Takana Miyamoto is a multi award winning, internationally acclaimed concert pianist, composer, arranger and music producer. She has performed in 30+ countries worldwide, and currently bases herself in Japan.
Takana’s story-telling piano sound and music writing are featured on several albums including ones of the multi-Grammy nominated jazz artists Kirk Whalum (sax), Nnenna Freelon (voc), Rene Marie (voc), Grammy winner Irene Cara, and Japanese greats such as Chikuzen Sato, May J, Sarah Alainn, Keizo Nakanishi, TOKU, Kimiko Itoh, SUGIZO (Luna Sea/X-japan) among many others.
Born and raised in Yuki, Ibaraki, Japan, Takana’s first music lesson was at age 4. She decided to make a career being a composer at age 14 and became deeply drawn to jazz piano, fascinated by the music of Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and Dave Grusin while attending Berklee College of Music. She recorded her first jazz piano trio album in 1997, made the nationwide TV debut on BET ‘Jazz Central’, and started her international performing career as a concert pianist.
After graduating with an honor and several awards, with a dual degree in Film Scoring and Jazz Composition, Takana relocated to New York city, where she won the First place in Randy Edman Piano Competition in 1998. Takana joined the world tour of the multi- Grammy nominated vocalist, Nnenna Freelon, and is featured as a pianist, arranger and musical director in ‘Soulcall’ which received 2 Grammy nominations in 2001.
Takana moved to Atlanta, GA in 2002, received the ‘Rising Star’ recognition from the International Jazz Society, and completed the master’s program in Jazz Pedagogy at Georgia State University. She was awarded the US permanent residency based on her contribution in the music field. She was selected as one of ‘GA’s most powerful and influential women’ (2002), Elite Asian from Asian American Community in GA, (2005) and ‘GA’s 25 most influential Asian'(2012), ‘the Atlanta’s best jazz act’ (2005 and 2006) in Creative Loafing, and the honorary member for the Japan America Society of Georgia (2009).
As a composer, Takana has scored for several motion picture productions, theatre and TV shows, as well as for big bands and concert orchestras. (voted ‘GA’s most influential women’ as a composer in 2003.)
Takana’s story-telling piano sound and music writing are featured on several albums including ones of the multi-Grammy nominated jazz artists Kirk Whalum (sax), Nnenna Freelon (voc), Rene Marie (voc), Grammy winner Irene Cara, and Japanese greats such as Chikuzen Sato, May J, Sarah Alainn, Keizo Nakanishi, TOKU, Kimiko Itoh, SUGIZO (Luna Sea/X-japan) among many others.
Born and raised in Yuki, Ibaraki, Japan, Takana’s first music lesson was at age 4. She decided to make a career being a composer at age 14 and became deeply drawn to jazz piano, fascinated by the music of Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and Dave Grusin while attending Berklee College of Music. She recorded her first jazz piano trio album in 1997, made the nationwide TV debut on BET ‘Jazz Central’, and started her international performing career as a concert pianist.
After graduating with an honor and several awards, with a dual degree in Film Scoring and Jazz Composition, Takana relocated to New York city, where she won the First place in Randy Edman Piano Competition in 1998. Takana joined the world tour of the multi- Grammy nominated vocalist, Nnenna Freelon, and is featured as a pianist, arranger and musical director in ‘Soulcall’ which received 2 Grammy nominations in 2001.
Takana moved to Atlanta, GA in 2002, received the ‘Rising Star’ recognition from the International Jazz Society, and completed the master’s program in Jazz Pedagogy at Georgia State University. She was awarded the US permanent residency based on her contribution in the music field. She was selected as one of ‘GA’s most powerful and influential women’ (2002), Elite Asian from Asian American Community in GA, (2005) and ‘GA’s 25 most influential Asian'(2012), ‘the Atlanta’s best jazz act’ (2005 and 2006) in Creative Loafing, and the honorary member for the Japan America Society of Georgia (2009).
As a composer, Takana has scored for several motion picture productions, theatre and TV shows, as well as for big bands and concert orchestras. (voted ‘GA’s most influential women’ as a composer in 2003.)