HANDA, Miwako　(Soprano)

Miwako Handa graduated from Toho Gakuen College and then completed that college’s graduate course. She won the highest prize and the Shizuko Kawasaki Prize when she completed a course at Nikikai Opera Studio. She also won First Prize and the Fukunaga Prize at the 4th Fujisawa Opera Competition. She then continued her studies in Berlin.

Since her opera debut performing Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with Nikikai, Handa has appeared in numerous operas. She performed the role of Hanako in Toshio Hosokawa’s opera Hanjo in its Japan premiere and Italy premiere. In 2016, she performed the title role of the same composer’s opera Matsukaze produced by Sasha Waltz in the opera’s Asian premiere.  Handa’s acrobatic performance of singing while dancing with contemporary dancers in this production earned high praise.

In March 2019, Handa performed the lead role in Ikuma Dan’s opera Yuzuru in the three performances of the Russian tour organized jointly by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mariinsky Theatre.   Her performance was acclaimed by the audiences in Russia.

Her first album released in 2012, Khôra-Niemandslied, was chosen as a special selection of music magazines and other media.  Handa performs extensively as a concert soloist and has performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, Mozart’s Requiem, and other religious music.  She has performed with renowned conductors from Japan and abroad, and has wide-ranging repertoire from classic, German Lieder, French and American songs, to contemporary works.  In recent years, her elaborate technique and musicality in Berg’s Der Wien (Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ken Takaseki) as well as her overwhelming personification of the role in Matsukaze, produced on a Noh stage by Tatsuji Iwata, received acclaim.

Official website: http://miwako-handa.jp/

KOBAYASHI, Asuki (Alto)

MAKI, Yoshinori  (Tenor)

Yoshinori Maki is mainly active as a soloist in church music, and has sung solos in about 100 works by Bach, including masses and cantatas.

In addition to Bach, he has also won acclaim for his performances as evangelist in Handel’s and Telemann’s Passions.

Yoshinori appeared as soloist at the Bach Fest Leipzig 2002 and the Takefu International Music Festival in 2021.
He is currently a member of the Kobe City Philharmoic Chorus.
And he is the Musical Director of the ensemble Voice=Spective.

YAMASHITA Tetsuhiro  (Bass)

Der Bariton aus Japan ist in Fukui geboren.
Er studierte an der Osaka-University of Art und schloss sein Studium mit dem Mastertitel ab.
Nach dem Abschluss des Studiums gewann er den 1. Preis in der　Musikwissenschaftsabteilung.
2009-2014 studierte er an der Universtät für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien in der
Opernklasse bei Univ.-Prof. Reto Nickler, Univ.-Prof Ivan Parik, und in der Gesangsklasse von Univ.-Prof Ralf Döring. Danach studierte er an der gleichen Universtät im postgradualen Lehrgang　für Gesang bei Univ.-Prof. Peter Edelmann und bei Manfred Schiebel. (2014 Diplom mit Auszeichnung).

2014-2017 studierte er an dem Richard Wagner Konservatorium in der Solo-Gesangsklasse bei Silvia-Saavedera-Edelmann.(2017 Diplom mit Auszeichnung)
2017-2019 studierte er an dem Prayner Konservatorium in der Lied und Oratoriumsklasse bei Prof. Walter Moore. Während des Studiums gewann er den 59. Fukui-Präfektur Musikwettbewerb Gouverneurspreis, den zweiten Platz des 9. japanische Musikerwettbewerbs. Den 61. All-Japan Student Musik Wettbewerb Osaka und außerdem Finalist bei dem 16. und 18. internationalen Musikwettbewerb Osaka.
Er nahm an den folgenden Opernprojekten als Solist teil, während des Studiums.
,,Die Hochzeit des Figaro (Graf Almaviva)”, ,,Die Zauberflöte (Sprecher) “,,The Telephone (Ben)” und Musical ,,Im Herz (Gott)”, ,,La Boheme (Marcello)”, ,,Serse (Arsamene)”. Im Rahmen der isa-Opera Vienna nahm er in ,,Cosi fan tutte (Guglielmo)“ im Schlosstheater Schönbrunn teil.

2015 trat er bei der OPER BURG GARS in ,,Don Carlo (Familiari del Sant Ufficio)“ auf. 2016 trat er bei der +Opera in „Pariser Leben (Urbain)“ und bei dem Nara Centennial Hall-Projekt in „Die japanische Gesandtschaft nach China (Kibi no Makibi)“ auf (Weltpremiere). 2017 trat er bei der +Opera in „L’elisir d’amore (Belcore)“ auf.
Seit 2018 singt er imArnold Schoenberg Chor Wien und seit 2019 wurde er Mitglied des Philharmonia Chor Wien