YOSHIOKA, Takayoshi

Started playing marimba at age 7, percussion at age 9, and composing at age 10. He graduated from Toho Gakuen High School Music Department at the top of his class. He graduated from Toho Gakuen University Music Department. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music. He studied marimba with Keiko Abe, percussion with Yoshitaka Kobayashi, and composition with Sadao Bekku, Akira Miyoshi, and Takekuni Hirayoshi. He has performed his own Marimba Concerto with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Ukrainian Philharmonic Orchestra, Carlos Chavez Symphony Orchestra, Paraguayan National Symphony Orchestra. He has held concerts of Takayoshi Yoshioka's works in Beijing and Shanghai with the Lien Ya-Wen Percussion Orchestra of Taiwan. He won the University of Cincinnati International Composition Competition. He won the PAS International Composition Competition. He won the Muramatsu Prize. He won the Agency for Cultural Affairs Arts Festival Grand Prize. He won the Aoyama Music Award Baroque Saar Prize. He formed Marimba Duo Wings. He is the representative of the Super Marimba Project. He has performed in 20 countries, including the United States, Ukraine, Turkey, Spain, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Paraguay, Argentina, Thailand, Taiwan, China, South Korea and North Korea.