BIOGRAPHY
KIMIHIKO KITAJIMA
Respected as one of the Japanese leading pianists and eminent piano teachers, Kimihiko Kitajima has been teaching at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music since 1986. He studied the piano with Kazuko Yasukawa in high school, undergraduate and postgraduate of Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai). During that time, he received the prize of the Japan Federation of Musicians, and was awarded the distinction prize of the 49th Japan Music Competition, and received the Kawai Award at the 25th Overseas Dispatch Competition.
From 1982 to 1985, he studied with Hans Leygraf in the Soloist Course (Master's Program) of the Hannover National University of Music, Drama and Media, on a DAAD Scholarship (scholarship of the government of Germany for international students) and completed the course as one of the top students of the National Music Certification Exam of Germany. Several his performances were broadcasted all over Germany. He was awarded the diploma of the 40th Geneva International Music Competition.
He has solo concerts all over Japan and performs with eminent orchestras such as the Tokyo Philharmonic and the North German NDR radio orchestra and also participates in events such as the Mainichi Newspaper Recital and the Regular Concert of Japanese Chopin Society.
His dynamic, well-refined performance is musically expressive, which is characterized by his rich poetic sense. He has received great reviews, such as “Hats off to his evolving colorful tones”, “The treasure of the Japanese music world”, and “A person of charming character”.
As a professor, he is producing prize winners of the leading competitions every year. From 1991 to 2002, he taught at the Music High School Attached to The Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts. In 2005, he received the prize of the Piano Teachers' National Association for Exceptional Instructors. From 1995 to 2003, he taught at YAMAHA Master Class as a special lecturer. From 2007 to 2009, he was invited to Music Fest Perugia as a performing artist and a teacher of the Master Class. He was invited to the 19th Kiejstut Bacewicz International Chamber Music Competition in Łódź, Poland, as a jury and the 34th Euro Music Festival in Halle, Germany, as a master class professor. From 2004 to the present, he is teaching at professional course of YAMAHA Music Avenue Shinjuku Classe. Presently, he is a professor at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music.
北島公彦
附属音楽高等学校を経て、東京藝術大学を卒業。1982年同大学院を修了。その間、日本演奏連盟賞、第49回日本音楽コンクール入選、第25回海外派遣コンクールで河合賞を受賞。
矢部民・安川加壽子氏に師事。1982年、ドイツ政府給費留学生として、国立ハノーヴァー音楽演劇大学ソリストコースに留学、ハンス・ライグラフ氏に師事。第40回ジュネーヴ国際音楽コンクールで入選、85年ドイツ演奏家資格国家試験に最優秀で合格し修了。旧西ドイツ各地で演奏、及び放送される。東京フィル、NDR北ドイツ放送響、その他のオーケストラとの協演や、毎日新聞社主催リサイタル、日本ショパン協会例会など各地で演奏会を行う。豊かな歌心に裏打ちされたその演奏は、スケールの大きさと同時に繊細さを合わせ持つ。また、各音楽誌によるコンサート・クリティークでは、「進化を続ける多彩な音色のパレットに脱帽」「我が国ピアノ界の宝」「愛されるべきキャラクターの持ち主」等、高い評価を得ている。又、指導者としても主要コンクール等で多くの入賞・入選者を輩出している。
1991〜2002年、東京藝術大学附属音楽高校講師。2005年度、ピティナ特別指導者賞。1995〜2003年、ヤマハマスタークラス特別講師。2007〜2009年、ペルージァ国際音楽祭（イタリア）にパフォーミングアーティスト、及び同マスタークラス講師として招聘されている。また、ポーランド、ウッヂにて開催された2016年第１９回バツェヴィチ国際室内楽コンクールに審査員としても招聘された。2004年〜現在、ヤマハミュージックアベニュー新宿クラッセにおいて北島公彦プロフェッショナルコース開講。現在、洗足学園音楽大学客員教授。