Born in Tokyo, Japan, Mariko Ishikawa, Pianist/Composer began to realize her love for music at an early age. Since her mother found that she had perfect pitch and an instinct for music, she provided piano lessons at Yamaha music institute for her since she was 3 years old. Mariko also showed her talent for composition. She started to appear in many concerts hosted by Yamaha playing her original tunes and became known for her musical abilities.She continued to improve her piano performance techniques and develop new approaches to her composition with Yamaha music institute until 15 years old and following her teacher’s advice, she entered to Toho gakuen high school of music majoring composition. She then received extensive training in the areas of classical music theory, solfege, arranging, composition, piano and violin performances.Mariko didn’t staying only in front of her desk writing music, she played the lead in the musical played at the school’s festival. She arranged whole music of the musical as well and she got recognized as the most talented student in the school.She enrolled in Toho gakuen university of music continuing her study of composition. But as an ordinary young girl, her growing interest for music led her to listen to commercial and jazz music not only classical. Mariko began listening to great recordings and started to imitating those jazz players such as Frank Sinatra, Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans.Since then Mariko’s desire for learning Jazz was getting bigger. As of her parents used to live and study in US, they encouraged her to study abroad. Mariko was interested in Berklee College of Music.Mariko attended to Pan School of Music in Tokyo, which is Berklee international network school. At her first year of there, she got a chance to take an audition, the Berklee world scholarship tour.With substantial amount of scholarship, she moved to Boston in January 2004 to attend Berklee as a piano principle, and to continue furthering her career in music.She had been helping many recording sessions for other students, and had discovered her high performing ability to respond to requests from composers and producers. Also turning her previous experience of performing classical piano to advantage, she has performed with college orchestra and accompanied for soloists.Mariko graduated Berklee in December 2005. She started to write Japanese traditional pop music working with lyricist Mr. Shin Hayashi in Japan. Her music will be released from one of the biggest record company in Japan next year. In her young and unique career as a pianist/composer, Mariko Ishikawa is at all times determined and motivated to craft innovative and creative way to reach people.
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