ensemble bloom biography

写真 "emsemble bloom" was created by four active female percussionists in Japan and the United States.

On July 16, 2010, the group played its debut performance at the joined concert “My Stage”(Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall). The ensemble received high acclaims for transforming simple everyday things into musical instruments, and performing with outstanding level of musicianship.


About the Artists

Yuri has received Bachelor of Music from San Francisco State University in 1998 (summa cum laude), Master of Music (2004) and Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance (2009) from University of Southern California.
While at USC, Yuri had opportunities to collaborate with artists such as Evelyn Glennie, NEXUS, Yo Yo Ma, Steve Reich, John Williams.As a teacher’s assistant, she also performed Micro-Concerto by Steven Mackey.
Yuri is currently the principal percussionist with the Redlands Symphony Orchestra, and teaches at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA.
Yoko has received Bachelor’s degree from Ueno-Gakuen University’s Music department (Tokyo, JAPAN), specializing in instrumental performance. She was selected to perform at their graduation recital.She also got her Performance Diploma from Tokyo Conservatoire Sho-bi (Currently Tokyo Music & Media Arts Sho-bi). Yoko was the winner at All-Japan Soloist Competition, and winner at the 16th New Percussionists Concert.
Yoko studied percussion and marimba under Chidori Kitahara, Toshiko Komiya, Michiko Takahashi, Yoshihiro Ando, Kazunori Momose, and Mutsuko Fujii. Yoko founded “Marimba Duo Seiyo Ju Recital” in 2000 and 2001,and founded “Yoko Isoda Marimba Concert” in 2002, performing as a soloist. She is a member of a music unit “evergreen” and a percussionist for the Tokyo International Artists Association.
Masako got her Bachelors degree form Musashino Music Academy (Tokyo, JAPAN), and Percussion Performance Diploma from Tokyo Music Media Arts Sho-bi (Tokyo, JAPAN). She studied percussion under Yasushi Tsukada, Kazunori Momose, and drumset under Masayuki Higuchi. Masako performs all genres from orchestral percussion, supporting artists at live shows and events, classical to pop music. She also is an active educator. Supervisor of Digital&Percussion band “sideshow", and a member of Saitama’s percussion ensemble “The Circle ‘90". Masako is an instructor at M’s Percussion Lab Music School in Kawaguchi, Saitama. Masako's Blog
Noriko got her Bachelors degree from Japan Arts University Music Department.
She studied percussion and marimba under Hiroshi Arai, former principal timpanist of Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. Noriko has also studied with Ken Sato (supervisor of Funcussion), and Isao Nakamura, professor of University of Music Karlsruhe in Germany. Noriko plays all styles of percussion, supporting community orchestras and wind ensembles. She is a member of entertaining percussion ensemble“Funcussion” and Ladies' orchestra“flumus”.
Noriko's Blog