Akemi Naito ~ Bio

Born in Tokyo in 1956, Akemi Naito began studying piano at the age of five and composition at the age of fourteen. In 1978, she received B.A. in Music Composition from the University Division at the Toho Gakuen School of Music and graduate degree from the same university in 1980, and was a member of school’s faculty from 1980 until 1991. She was awarded the Takei Prize in 1982 and a finalist of the Music Today Composition Award in 1982 and 1988. Following her earlier activity as a composer in Tokyo, she received a grant from the Asian Cultural Council, that enabled her to come to New York City in 1991. She has since established herself as a New York-based composer.

Ms. Naito’s works have been featured in music festivals around the world such as International Bayan Festival in Moscow, International Congress of Percussion in Poland, PASIC in Dallas and Austin, Gaudeamus Music Festival, Melbourne Festival, Musica Scienza Roma, Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, Japan Society Spring Festival, Music from Japan Festival, Foro Internacional de Musica Nueva in Mexico and Music Today International Festival in Tokyo. Her Marimba piece, Memory of the Woods, which was written for William Moersch in 2000 has received numerous performances both in the U.S. and internationally.

Naito is a recipient of awards and grants from organizations including Composer Assistance Program of the American Music Center, Aaron Copland Fund for Music for Recording for her CD album in conjunction with Cygnus Ensemble, the Bellagio residency from the Rockefeller Foundation, Chamber Music America, the New York Foundation for the Arts, consecutive ASCAP Standard Awards since 1998, Meet the Composer Fund, the first Aaron Copland Award from the Copland House residence, and resident fellowships from Yaddo, MacDowell Colony and Millay Colony for the Arts.

Her second CD album, Mindscape has been released by Bridge Records in September 2006. In addition, her compositions can be heard on CRI, EMI and ALM.

Her works have been published by HoneyRock and AUGEMUS.