Marika Takeuchi

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Marika Takeuchi | image = MarikaTakeuchi 050 v2.jpg | alt = Marika Takeuchi at piano | caption = | native_name = 竹内まりか | native_name_lang = jpn | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1987|3|14}} | birth_place = Kawasaki, Japan | genre = Modern classical music, Film music, Ambient music | occupation = Composer, pianist, producer, orchestrator | instrument = Piano | years_active = 2007–present | label = MRG Recordings, Independent, Bigo & Twigetti | website = {{URL|marika-takeuchi.com}} }}

'''Marika Takeuchi''' (born 14 March 1987 in Kawasaki) is a Japanese contemporary composer, film composer, music producer and pianist.

==Education== Takeuchi is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, and Shobi Music College in Tokyo.

==Biography==

Takeuchi started her music studies as a classical pianist at the age of three, and also played violin and French horn for several years at an early age.

Her early career in Japan includes composing additional music for NHK FM's radio shows, and songwriting for Universal Music Japan's singer Nami Tamaki's album "STEP". Her second album ''Impressions'' was nominated for ''Best Neo-classical Album'' at the 10th Zone Music Reporter music awards,<ref>{{cite web|title=ZMR Music Awards Nomination-Marika Takeuchi|url=http://www.mrgrecordings.com/MRG/Blog/Entries/2014/2/11_ZMR_Music_Awards_Nomination___Marika_Takeuchi.html|website=MRG Recordings|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref> as well as ''Album of the Year'' in the ''4th Annual Reviews New Age Awards.''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rvwsna.co/1IzacD4|title=Reviews New Age da a conocer los 12 mejores álbumes del género New Age del 2014|last=Clavijo|first=Alejandro|date=2015-01-09|website=Reviews New Age|access-date=2016-05-14}}</ref> Her third album, ''Rain Stories'', was released in 2014 on MRG Recordings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newagemusicreviews.net/2014/11/instrumental-new-age-review-marika.html?m=1|title=New Age Music Reviews: Instrumental New Age Review: Marika Takeuchi-Rain Stories|website=New Age Music Reviews|access-date=2016-03-15}}</ref> Her fourth album, ''Colors in the Diary'', which is produced by Will Ackerman, and features Eugene Friesen and Boston Symphony Orchestra violinist Si-Jing Huang, was released in April 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=190509|title=Mi2N.com - COLORS IN THE DIARY BY MARIKA TAKEUCHI|website=Mi2N|access-date=2016-05-14|archive-date=3 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303123005/http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=190509|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.zonemusicreporter.com/recording/viewreviews.asp?rvwbrdcmmt=11655|title=This Music is Perfect!|last=Hannaleck|first=Keith|date=2016-04-09|website=Zone Music Reporter|access-date=2016-05-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Tra|first1=Báo Thanh|title=Nhạc sĩ Nhật: 'Vết mưa' của Vũ Cát Tường giống sáng tác của tôi|url=http://thanhtra.com.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/su-kien/nhac-si-nhat-vet-mua-cua-vu-cat-tuong-giong-sang-tac-cua-toi_t114c1152n107763|website=BÁO THANH TRA|accessdate=24 January 2017|language=vi-VN|archive-date=27 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727212253/http://thanhtra.com.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/su-kien/nhac-si-nhat-vet-mua-cua-vu-cat-tuong-giong-sang-tac-cua-toi_t114c1152n107763|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Takeuchi has also scored several films and advertisements. She wrote music for the Norwegian landscape photographer Terje Sørgjerd/TSO Photography's time-lapse video ''The Arctic Light''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Praetorius|first1=Dean|title='The Arctic Light,' Time-Lapse Video Captures Breathtaking Northern Phenomenon|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/01/arctic-light-time-lapse-video_n_869054.html|website=The Huffington Post|date=June 2011 |accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref> This composition was later released as a single, and has been featured in many short films and advertisements around the world, including a TV commercial for Curtin University in Australia, the Norwegian Tourist Board (Visit Norway), and others. She has scored several award-winning short films, including ''More Than One'', directed by Takahisa Shiraishi. She is a supporter of marine life conservation, and has written music for Whale and Dolphin Conservation's DVD release ''A Whale of Time in the Gulf of Maine''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://adopt-us.whales.org/shop/a-whale-of-time-in-the-gulf-of-maine/|title=A Whale of Time in the Gulf of Maine|website=Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-14}}</ref>''.''

She released a single ''Found'' in June 2018, and another single ''Night Time'', and an album ''Melding'' in July 2018 on a London-based label Bigo & Twigetti.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Approved: Marika Takeuchi - Complete Music Update|url=http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/approved-marika-takeuchi/|access-date=27 June 2018|archive-date=24 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124152017/https://completemusicupdate.com/article/approved-marika-takeuchi/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Album Stream: Melding by Marika Takeuchi|date=15 July 2018 |url=https://stationarytravels.wordpress.com/2018/07/15/album-stream-melding-by-marika-takeuchi-bigo-twigetti/}}</ref> She was also commissioned to write a piano solo piece ''Bloom'' for Sony Masterworks pianist Lara Downes' new album ''Holes in the Sky'', which was released in March 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|title=The unbearable lightness of women's music |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/the-unbearable-lightness-of-womens-music-pianist-downes-celebrates-the-matriarchy/2019/02/24/d84721da-385c-11e9-a2cd-307b06d0257b_story.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Holes in the Sky: Lara Downes Channels the Collective Artistry of the Feminine|date=17 May 2019 |url=https://newmusicbuff.com/2019/05/17/holes-in-the-sky-lara-downes-channels-the-collective-artistry-of-the-feminine//}}</ref> In addition to her releases as an artist, she writes music for music libraries, including West One Music Group and Fujipacific Music Inc, and her music has been featured in various TV shows. Her EP ''Daydream'' was released in November 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Marika Takeuchi Daydream|date=3 December 2019 |url=https://www.stereofox.com/marika-takeuchi-daydream/}}</ref> and her EP ''Missing Piece'' was released in May 2020. In July 2022, she released her latest album ''Lost Letters'' on West One Music Group.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Beautiful solo piano album from Marika Takeuchi |date=8 July 2022 |url=https://www.westonemusic.com/blog/2022/07/08/beautiful-solo-piano-from-marika-takeuchi/}}</ref>

==Personal life==

Marika Takeuchi is in a relationship with American producer Michael A. Pruss. They had a daughter, Emily, in the summer of 2022. They got married in Japan in February 2023.

==Discography==

===Albums=== *''Impressions'' (2013, MRG Recordings)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Clavijo|first1=Alejandro|title=Marika Takeuchi – Impressions|url=http://www.reviewsnewage.com/2014/01/21/marika-takeuchi-impressions/|website=Reviews New Age|date=21 January 2014 |accessdate=24 January 2017}}</ref> *''Rain Stories'' (2014, MRG Recordings) *''Colors in the Diary'' (2016, Marika Takeuchi) *''Melding'' (2018, Bigo & Twigetti) *''Lost Letters'' (2022, West One Music Group)

===EPs=== *''Night Dream'' (2011, Marika Takeuchi) *''Daydream'' (2019, Bigo & Twigetti) *''Missing Piece'' (2020, Bigo & Twigetti)

===Singles=== *''The Arctic Light'' (2011, Marika Takeuchi) *''Found'' (2018, Bigo & Twigetti) *''Night Time'' (2018, Bigo & Twigetti) *''Driven'' (2019, Bigo & Twigetti) *''Out Looking In'' (2020, Filter Label) *''The Pain That You Use'' (2021, Filter Label)

===Compilation albums=== *''Holes in the Sky'' by Lara Downes, Track 17 ''Bloom'' (2019, Sony Masterworks) *''The Gathering IV '' by Various Artists, Track 6 ''Green Field'' (2019, West River Records) *''Scale'' by Various Artists, Track 15 ''Forgotten'' (2019, Bigo & Twigetti) *''The Hygge Collection Vol.1'' by Various Artists, Track 5 ''Five for Silver'' (2020, Sonder House) *''Perceptions'' by Various Artists, Track 13 ''Unspoken Words'' (Bigo & Twigetti) *''10 Waltzes'' by Various Artists, Track 6 ''Recovery'' (2021, Bigo & Twigetti) *''Perceptions Vol. 2'' by Various Artists, Track 13 ''Breathe Out'' (2021, Bigo & Twihetti) *''The Shape of Piano To Come'' by Various Artists, Track 12 ''Distanced'' (2021, INRI Classic) *''For Ukraine'' by Various Artists, Track 18 ''Brighter Days'' (2022, Headphone Commute) *''Perceptions Vol. 3'' by Various Artists, Track 8 ''Closer'' (2022, Bigo & Twigetti)

===Soundtracks=== *''The Arctic Light'' (Short, 2011) *''The Shoe'' (Short, 2012) *''Finding Ambrosia'' (Short, 2012) *''Horizons: 50 Years'' (Short, 2013) *''Without You'' (Short, 2014) *''More Than One'' (Short, 2015) *''Link to a Dream Journey'' (TV series, 2017) * The Vanishing Hitchhiker (film)

===Music Libraries=== *''Post Classical 〜起・承・転・結〜'' (2018, Fujipacific Music Inc) *''Post Classical 〜雪・月・風・花〜'' (2019, Fujipacific Music Inc) *''Phenomenal Women Vol. 3'' (2019, MPATH/APM) *''WABI-SABI Vol. 6'' (2019, Fujipacific Music Inc) *''Savannahs'' (2020, Extreme Music) *''Emotive Classical Piano'' (2021, West One Music Group) *''Bright Horizons'' (2022, West One Music Group)

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.marika-takeuchi.com}} * {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0003343050|label=Marika Takeuchi}} * [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5258443/ Marika Takeuchi] at the Internet Movie Database

{{DEFAULTSORT:Takeuchi, Marika}} Category:1987 births Category:21st-century Japanese classical composers Category:21st-century Japanese classical pianists Category:Japanese film score composers Category:Japanese women classical composers Category:Japanese women film score composers Category:Living people Category:Japanese women classical pianists Category:Women in classical music Category:21st-century Japanese women pianists Category:21st-century Japanese women composers