Junko Moriya　　　　pianist, composer, arranger

Junko began studying classical piano at five years old. By age 18, she started playing jazz piano at Waseda University High Society Orchestra, one of the most famous university big bands in Tokyo. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree from Waseda University, she moved to New York where she studied with Harold Danko and received Master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music. During that time, she performed at numerous jazz clubs around the city and in Europe as well.

Since returning to Japan in 1993, Junko has been performing at jazz clubs, concert halls and jazz festivals throughout the country, gaining recognition not only as a pianist, but also as a composer and arranger. Her big band, Junko Moriya Orchestra, regularly performs her original music, which a number of Japanese big bands have selected to include in their own repertoires. In addition to teaching jazz piano and theory at Shobi Music University and Showa Music University, Junko directs big bands at various junior high and high schools. She is also a judge of many jazz contests, and appears on radio and television programs all across Japan.

She has been named the winner of the 12th Annual BMI/Thelonious Monk Jazz Composers Competition for her work, “Playground.” The $10,000 prize was presented by BMI, and the composition was performed (with herself on piano) at the 2005 International Jazz Competition at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC. Junko is the first woman, first Japanese to receive this prestigious award.

She issued 9 CDs (6 bigbandCDs ,sxtet, octet, piano trio) as a leader, and got “2005 Japan Music Penclub Award” by her Orchestra CD “Points of Departure”. In 2008 she was invited to “the 51st Monterey Jazz Festival” with her quartet. Also she participated in “2012 Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival” as a musical director of the student bigband. In 2004 she did a concert with her quartet in India.In 2008 and 2009 she did tours in France. She directed big band at Perth, Australia in 2014-2016, and did concert annually at St.petersburg & Vladivostok, Rossia, between 2014-2018.