B i o g r a p h y
Ryoko Imai is a unique Japanese percussionist based in The Netherlands & Portugal.
She is musically intelligent and sensitive ably supported by strong techniques. Audience is always attracted and excited by her quirky, rhythmical, feminine, powerful and danceable performances.
Nowadays she is working globally as known as a multi-percussionist beyond the border of different genres of music fields.
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Her musical education was started on playing the piano at age 3. She has changed to play the percussion and she has advanced to specialize on the way at age 16. She has done her bachelor and master degrees in Tokyo College of Music. In 2008, she has moved to study in Conservatorium van Amsterdam, has completed her bachelor ‘cum laude’, also master degree of classical percussion.
In 2009, she won second prize (highest position) at solo VI group in the Pendim International Percussion Competition in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where she also received two special prizes for 'the brightest stage presence' and 'the best membrane instruments performance'.
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She is recently working as an active freelancer percussionist based in Amsterdam / Lisbon in different genres of music; such as classical, contemporary, baroque, pop, latin and jazz. In Netherlands, she has ever worked with many famous orchestras, ensembles and music festivals such as Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Slagwerk Den Haag, Asko|Schöenberg, Insomnio, Lunapark (Lunatree), Nieuw Ensemble, Gaudeams Muziekweek, November Music and Holland Festival etc.
Also she had performances in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Finland, United States, and Japan.
Currently she is member of international world percussion/drum band ‘Drums United’, inter-continental female percussion group 'Beat the Kitchen'. Also she has worked as a percussionist in Australian Broadway musical show ‘Tap Dogs’ tour in Germany 2015 summer.
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She has worked as marimba guest teacher in ArtEZ Arnhem and Zwolle between 2011 and 2012. Also she has a lot of teaching experiences: lessons, master-classes, workshops in Japan and the Netherlands.
