Rei Hotoda

Rei Hotoda was born in Tokyo and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Her musical studies in piano began at the age of three with her mother. She received her Bachelors degree from the Eastman School of Music and her doctorate in piano performance under John Perry at the University of Southern California. Other teachers and mentors include Emilio Del Rosario, Barry Synder, Paul Schenly, Menahem Pressler and Richard Goode.

One of America's most versatile and dynamic concert artists, Rei Hotoda is busy as a conductor, solo pianist, orchestral soloist and chamber musician.

Ms. Hotoda has appeared as a pianist and conductor in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland, New Orleans, Palm Springs and other US cities. Her work as conductor with the innovative Chicago new music group Ensemble Noamnesia has included US and world premieres of works by composers including Salvatore Sciarrino, Luc Ferrari, Gene Coleman and others. She is also the principle conductor for Ensemble N_JP -- a group of traditional and experimental Japanese musicians. She conducted the New Symphony Orchestra in Sofia, Bulgaria and recently in Prague with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. In workshops she conducted a number of prestigious American orchestras including the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Concordia Orchestra in New York City, the Seattle Youth Symphony and the members of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. She received a scholarship/recognition award from the Women's Philharmonic of San Francisco and a grant from the Governors International Arts Exchange Program of the Illinois Arts Council for concerts and a workshop in Eastern Europe. Currently she is working with conductor and teacher Gustav Meier at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland.

October 3rd, 8:00 PM

Chao-Ming TUNG (composer and guzheng),
Bernhard Gal (composer and electronics),
and Gene Coleman (composer and bass clarinet)
with Ensemble Noamnesia,
directed by Rei Hotoda

The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago
5811 South Ellis Ave.
Chicago, IL
773-702-8670
www.renaissancesociety.org
(free concert)

October 12th, 7:30 PM

Pianists Helena Bugallo and Amy Williams:
music by Conlon Nancarrow for piano 4 hands

Pianist Rei Hotoda:
Music by Japanese Composers:
"Rain Tree Sketch I" (1983) by Toru TAKEMITSU
"Automat at Suginami Ward" (2002) by Yuji TAKAHASHI
"Nacht Klange" (1994) by Toshio HOSOKAWA
"Gensho-shi" (2000) by Noriko HISADA
"Rain Tree Sketch II" (1992) by Toru TAKEMITSU

Pianoforte Chicago
Fine Arts Bldg. 410 South Michigan Ave. #825
Chicago, IL
312-291-0000
www.pianofortechicago.com
Adm. $10.00
(please call for ticket info)

October 26th, 8:00 PM

The Renaissance Society presents:

US premiere of:
"YAGO (insects and architecture #1)"
by Gene Coleman

performed by:
Ensemble N_JP and XASAX Quartet
directed by Rei Hotoda

This composition includes saxophone quartet, gagaku ensemble,
live electronics and video. The video was created in collaboration
by Chicago artist Tom Denlinger and Gene Coleman. The concert
will also feature music by Iannis Xenakis and traditional Gagaku
music.

Ensemble N_JP (Japan/USA):

Ko ISHIKAWA (sho = bamboo mouth organ)
Aya MOTOHASHI (hichiriki = bamboo oboe)
Takeshi SASAMOTO (ryuteki = bamboo flute)
Kazuhisa UCHIHASHI (guitar and daxophone)
Toshimaru NAKAMURA (no input mixing board = live electronics)
Gene COLEMAN (sound projection)
Tom DENLINGER (video projection and lighting)
Rei HOTODA (conductor)

XASAX Quartet (France/Switzerland)

Marcus WEISS (soprano sax)
Pierre-Stephane MEUGE (alto sax)
Jean-Michel GOURY (tenor sax)
Serge BERTOCCHI (baritone sax)

This project is part of the Sound Field 2004 festival and is made possible by the following sponsors:

The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago
The Shin Higuchi Institute
Soundfield, NFP
The French Cultural Services, Chicago Office
The New Chicago Japanese American Association
The John David Mooney Foundation Gallery
The llinois Arts Council (a state agency)
Mrs. Akiko Sugano
The American Music Center
Lake Forest College

Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago
(Please call the Renaissance Society for info)
(free concert)

Min Xiao-Fen (composer and Sheng player) with Ko Ishikawa (sho)
and Ensemble Noamnesia, directed by Rei Hotoda
performing Works by Wu, Ishikawa, Yuji Takahashi, and others.

Bond Chapel at the University of Chicago
(free concert)