T2. A2
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KAORI MURAJI. Guitar
Kaori Muraji is recognized as one of the most promising classical guitarists of today, garnering consistent interest in the musical community for her talent and career.
Born in Tokyo, Japan, she began playing the guitar at age three under the guidance of her father, Noboru Muraji. At ten, she continued her training with renowned guitarist Shinichi Fukuda. From a young age, she excelled in competitions, winning first prizes at the Junior Guitar Competition (1989), the Student Guitar Competition (1991), and in 1992, the Leo Brouwer International Guitar Competition and the Tokyo International Guitar Competition.
Her debut recital took place in 1993 at Tsuda Hall (Tokyo), followed by the release of her first album, Espressivo. In 1994, she debuted with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, and in 1995, she toured Japan as a soloist with the RAI National Symphony Orchestra, making her European debut in a televised concert in Turin.
In 1997, she moved to Paris to study with Alberto Ponce at the École Normale de Musique. In 1999, she had the privilege of performing two works for the legendary composer Joaquín Rodrigo shortly before his passing. After graduating, she returned to Japan and solidified her career as a soloist, collaborating with orchestras such as the NHK Symphony Orchestra and exploring chamber music with the Vogler Quartet.
Her international career continued to grow: in 2001, she debuted in Valencia with the Joaquín Rodrigo Chamber Orchestra, and in 2002, she toured Japan with this orchestra as part of Rodrigo’s centenary. She returned to Korea in 2003 to perform again at the Seoul Arts Center before 2,000 spectators, and that same year, she performed in Turin and Florence with the RAI under the direction of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, with whom she collaborated on future tours.
In 2004, she toured with José María Gallardo del Rey, and in December, she premiered Lorenzo Palomo’s Nocturnos de Andalucía in Japan. In 2005, she debuted in China with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.
Muraji has an extensive discography, including eight albums with Victor Entertainment and a DVD titled Contrastes. In 2003, she became the first Japanese artist to sign an exclusive international contract with the prestigious DECCA label.
