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The Japanese soprano, Asako Motojima (Japanese: 本島阿佐子の), studied voice with Kyoko Ito at the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo. After receiving her master’s degree she continued her studies at the College of Music in Vienna (Musikhochschule Wien) where she worked with Adele Haas (Diploma) and with Norman Shetler (German Lied interpretation). She went on to study with Kurt Widmer at the Conservatorium in Basel, Switzerland where she attained a Soloist Diploma. 2010 she spent in New York City studying the English vocal repertoire.
Asako has won awards at various international competitions: 1st Prize at the International J.S.Bach Competition (1998 Leipzig, Germany), 2nd Prize (1st prize was unawarded) of the International Robert Schumann Competition (1993 Zwickau, Germany), 2nd Prize of the International Johannes Brahms Competition (1994, Hamburg, Germany) and was a finalist in the International Maria Callas Competition (1995 Athens, Greece). She has sreceived a number of awards in Japanese national competitions, including 1st Prize of Yuai German Lieder (1991), and 3rd Prize of Sougakudo Japanese Songs Competition (1992).
Asako Motojima is a lyric soprano and as a Lied and concert performer gives recitals and concerts throughout Japan and Europe. She has been invited to perform at many festivals, amongst them: the Bachfest Leipzig, Germany (2000), Klangspuren Tirol, Austria (2002), Swiss Chamber Music Concerts in Zürich, Geneva and Basel (2004), Zuricherfest Tonhalle, Zürich, Switzerland (2009), Takasaki Music Festival, Japan (2013), Qara Qarayev International Contemporary Music Festival, Baku, Azerbaijan (2015), Internatioanl Festival Forum für neue Musik, Obersdorf, Germany(2016).
Her first solo CD “Inori ~Prayers of a Japanese Spirit~” (2010) is an attempt to reach the source of music through the power of human voice, ranging from ancient European music through to modern Japanese songs. Her second CD “Lieder : Mozart / Schubert” (2014) is her favorite selections of classical German songs which she always devotes herself, and the latest 3rd CD “Melodies of Memories” (2017) is a collaboration of her Japanese Folksongs with Jazz piano.
As an associate professor at the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo, teaching the younger generation is important in Asako Motojima's life work. |
