Keiko Abe

Biography

Keiko Abe is known for an international marimba player and a great composer in modern marimba world. She has performed in more than 60 countries with prominent orchestras, percussion groups and Jazz artists beyond genres. She attains the world-wide reputation as one of the greatest musicians in the music history. She teaches young marimba players in over a hundred music schools in Japan, Asia, U.S.A. and Europe.

It has been 40 years since Yamaha and a legend marimba player, Keiko Abe started collaborating to develop instruments. Till today, Yamaha and Keiko Abe have been firmly united under the passion to develop the marimba to maximize virtuosities of soloists. This collaboration led the development of the first 5 octave marimba in the world and it has established the foundations of modern marimba world. Then, the YM-6100 was developed as a culmination of the 40-year collaboration between Yamaha and Keiko Abe.

YM-6100

Designed in conjunction with world-renowned marimba legend Keiko Abe, the YM-6100 is the culmination of over 40 years of instrument development with Ms. Abe, and is the industry-leading flagship for all Yamaha marimbas.

Keiko Abe Signature Models

Designed in close collaboration with Keiko Abe, her Signature Series Mallets are designed to draw out the most from both the performer’s technique and tone from the instrument in compositions that require exceptional technique. Ideal for advanced players, these mallets are much heavier than regular mallets. This causes the marimba’s tone bars to resonate fully creating a sound that has been up until now, difficult to obtain.

Mike Mainieri

Born on July 24, 1938, in the Bronx, New York, Mike Mainieri started to learn vibraphone from the age of 12 and made his professional debut at the age of 14. After performing as a member of the Buddy Rich Band, he served as a pioneer in the New York style fusion movement as a band leader of legendary groups, including White Elephant, L'Image, STEPS and STEPS AHEAD together with Steve Gadd, Michael Brecker and other artists in 1970s.

Don Liuzzi

Don Liuzzi was born and raised in Weymouth, Massachusetts, and completed high school at the Franklin Learning Center in Philadelphia. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan and his Master of Music degree from Temple University. Before joining The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1989, Mr. Liuzzi was a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony percussion section from 1982 to 1989.

Isao Nakamura

Isao Nakamura has taught at the Internationalen Ferienkurse für Neue Musik in Darmstadt (1994-2006), Akiyoshidai International Contemporary Music Seminar and Festival in Japan (1991-1998) and is Professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe since 1992.

View All