Chikage Imai / 今井智景

Since her musical activity moved to the Netherlands in 2003, her musical activity has been broadened worldwide. Her music has been shown in contemporary music festivals such as Gaudeamus music week (NL), Dark Music Festival (IS), Suite muziekweek (NL) and Hamburg Klangwerktage (DE), broadcasted on Radio 4 programma (NL), hr kultur (DE) and Radio Afera (PL), and recorded on cds from Muzikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm, Power Record and Ensemble Modern Media. She works with many international musicians; Sava Stoianov, Miako Klein, Ayako Okubo, Theo Nabicht, Milan Osadsky, Ensemble Adapter and Duo Plus, and conductors; Lucas Vis and Henrik Schaefer. She also works with the other media artists like Martin Boverhof (visual art), Masako Ito (stage design) and Yasu Kaneko (ceramic art). Her first successful ensemble piece in composing, Vectorial Projection I -bouncing ball (2006) was awarded an honorable mention of the 28th Irino Prize for Chamber music 2007 (JP). In 2008 she received a commission to write a piece for Irvine Arditti and Nieuw Ensemble and the piece Vctorial Projection IV -fireworks was premiered by them under the baton of Yoichi Sugiyama in Fesival d’Automne à Paris (FR). She participated in De Componist 2007/2008 (NL), The 4th International Composition Seminar of the International Ensemble Modern Academy 2008/2009 (DE) and Ostrava Days 2009 (CZ), and Akiyoshidai summer seminar(JP).
Chikage Imai acquired a Bachelor degree of Composition with Akihiko Matsui at Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, and Bachelor and Master diplomas under Wim Henderickx and Fabio Nieder in composition at Conservatorium van Amsterdam. She is also influenced by Beat Furrer. Joji Yuasa has been her private mentor since 2002. She was a recipient of Rohm Music Foundation (JP) 2005-2009. She is currently an Honorary Research Associate at Royal Holloway University of London in UK.
Music Works
Solo
- Verbalizing (2009)
for Flute solo
Chamber music
- *The woman of talents -Pillow book by Sei Shonagon- (2005)
for Flute, Clarinet, Guitar, Soprano, Percussion
- *At one’s elbow -music version- (2006)
for Soprano Sax. and Guitar
- Vectorial Projection II –turning of the lathe (2007)
for Bass Clarinet and Accordion
- *Osmosis Phoneme (2007)
for Trumpet and Recorder
- Mare’s tail Lazulite (2008)
for Piccolo, Soprano Recorder and Harp
- Five for the circle (2009)
for Saxophone and Percussion
Ensemble
- *TRISHADE (2005-2006) for chamber ensemble
i. An obscure path (Fl. Va. Hp.)
ii. On the frontier (Cl. Vn. Vc.)
iii. A substantial bloom (Bsn. DB. Perc. / the whole ensemble)
- Vectorial Projection I –bouncing ball (2006) for 12 musicians
for Fl.(Alt.), Ob.(Cor Ang.), Cl.(Bcl.), Perc., Mandolin, Gt., Hp., Pf., Vn., Va., Vc., DB.
- Vecotial Projection IV –fireworks (2008) for Violin solo and 12 musicians
for Vn.solo, Fl.(Picc.,Alt.), Ob.(Cor Ang.), Cl.(Bcl.), Perc., Mnd., Gt., Hp., Pf., Vn., Va., Vc., DB.
- Simulgenesis (2009) for 17 musicians
for Fl (Picc.), Ob., Cl., Bcl., Bsn., Hn., Trp., Trb., 2Percs., Celst., Pf., 2Vns., Va., Vc., DB.
Works with …
- Piano Suite for children tale “Britcha becomes a rainbow” (2005)
ピアノ組曲 - 虹になったブリッチャ
作：船橋康貴、イラスト：茶畑和也
- Synecdochism (2008)
intermedia work by Karatedo-Kata (film), Stage design and Music
Karate-do Kata: Shin Narita (成田真), Stage design: Masako Ito (伊藤雅子)
Music played by Sava Sotianov(trp.) and Miako Klein(rec.)
- Video installation based on Vectorial Procejtion IV –fireworks (2008)
Visual design: Martin Boverhof
Arrangement works
- *Seductive Realm (2004) -Die Zauberflöte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart-
for Saxohpone quartet and Piano
- Tag line (2008/2009) -Die Dreigraschenoper by Kurt Weill-
for Alto saxophone and Piano
*Published works on CDs