Profile

Makoto Ozone

A globally acclaimed pianist and composer known for his unique approach that transcends the boundaries of jazz and classical music.

 

After graduating from Berklee College of Music, he launched his international jazz career by performing with Gary Burton, earning a Grammy nomination. Over the years, he has collaborated with legendary artists such as Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis, and Michael Brecker, establishing a solid presence in the jazz scene. Beyond jazz, he has also gained high recognition in the classical music world, performing with prestigious orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Through unique projects that explore the coexistence of jazz and classical music, he has continued to push musical boundaries. He was selected as a recipient of the “Chopin Passport,” an honor granted to those dedicated to sharing Chopin’s music with the world.

 

In recent years, in addition to his own musical explorations, he has been deeply involved in nurturing young jazz musicians. Since 2022, he has been spearheading From Ozone till Dawn, a project dedicated to discovering and supporting the next generation of artists, providing them with opportunities to thrive on the international stage. Currently, he is actively involved in multiple projects, including trifinity, a group formed with musicians he has mentored, No Name Horses, a big band celebrating its 20th anniversary, and performing as a classical soloist with world-renowned orchestras. His engagements span major global jazz festivals such as Melbourne and Montreux, as well as prestigious classical music festivals like the Ravinia Festival and the Chopin Festival.

 

What sets him apart is his ability to incorporate improvisation based on structural interpretation, instantly drawing out the essence and potential of each piece. His fresh perspectives infuse every performance with originality, creating a unique swing that captivates audiences. By balancing deep respect for the beauty of original compositions with his own striking passion, he has earned widespread acclaim as a groundbreaking musical interpreter on the world stage.

小曽根 真

ジャズ、クラシックの垣根を超えた独自のアプローチで世界的に活躍するピアニスト、作曲家。バークリー音楽大学卒業後、ゲイリー・バートンとの共演からジャズ界での国際的なキャリアをスタート(グラミー賞ノミネート)。

チック・コリアやブランフォード・マルサリス、マイケル・ブレッカーなどの名だたるアーティストと共に活動し、ジャズシーンにおける確固たる地位を築く。その後、ジャズのみならずクラシックの分野でも高く評価され、ニューヨークフィル、ベルリン放送交響楽団、フランス放送フィルハーモニー管弦楽団など、世界の名門オーケストラと共演。クラシックとジャズの共存を追求するユニークなプロジェクトを展開してきた。ショパンの音楽を通じて世界に発信する方にのみ発行される「ショパン・パスポート」対象者に選出。近年は、自身の音楽的探求に加え、若手ジャズミュージシャンの育成に注力。2022年からスタートしたプロジェクト「From Ozone till Dawn」では、新世代アーティストの発掘・支援を行い、国際舞台で活躍できる環境を整備。現在、そこで育成したミュージシャンと共に組む「TRiNFiNiTY」での活動、20年目となるビッグバンド「No Name Horses」での活動、クラシックのソリストとして世界の名門オーケストラとの共演という複数の活動などを同時並行で行っている。メルボルン・モントルーなどの世界的なジャズフェスティバルへの参加と、ラヴィニア音楽祭、ショパン祭などの世界的なクラシックの祭典への参加が続く。

どの音楽に対しても、楽曲の構造から解釈することで、その楽曲の持つ本質と可能性をその瞬間に引き出すための即興を組み込み、新鮮な発想を盛り込んでいるのが特徴。だからこそどのアプローチにも独自のスイングが生まれ、聴衆に熱狂を生む。

楽曲の原型の美しさへのリスペクトと、自身の鮮烈なパッションを両立させる新しい表現者として、世界で高い評価を得る存在となっている。

Career Highlights
Orchestra/Conductor

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra/Kangming Tan

Nantes Philharmonie

Macao Symphony Orchestra

Taipai Symphony Orchestra

L’Ensemble orchestral de Paris/ Thomas Zehetmair

Guiyang Symphony Orchestra/ Joshua Tan

New York Philharmonic/ Alan Gilbert

Scottish National Jazz Orchestra/Tommy Smith

NDR Radiophilharmonie/ Eiji Oue/Lahav Shani/ Andrew Manze

San Francisco Symphony/ Edwin Outwater

São Paulo Symphony Orchestra/ Eiji Oue/ Marin Alsop

Singapore Symphony Orchestra/ Joshua Tan

Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich/ Jun Märkl

Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France/Lahav Shani

Berner Symphonieorchester/ Eiji Oue/ Mario Venzago

Stuttgart Philharmonic/ Dan Ettinger

Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Marin Alsop

Amadeus Chamber Orchestra/ Agnieszka Duczmal

North Carolina Symphony/ Grant Llewellyn

Detroit Symphony Orchestra/ Leonard Slatkin

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester/ Alan Gilbert

National Symphony Orchestra, Taipei/ Jun Märkl

Los Angeles Philharmonic/ Leonard Slatkin

WDR Big Band

Hangzhou Symphony Orchestra

Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra/ Pascal Rophe

Sinfonia Varsovia

Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra/ Duncan Ward

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra / Lahav Shani

Oregon Symphony orchestra/ Kevin John Edusei

Tokyo Philharmonic EU tour/ Myung-Whun Chung

NHK Symphony Orchestra/ Lio Kuokman / Andreas Delfs /Tadaaki Otaka

Collaboration with Jazz Musician

John Abercrombie, Arild Andersen, Art Blakey, Bill Berry, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Gary Burton, John Clayton, Avishai Cohen, Chick Corea, Alan Dawson, Paquito D’Rivera, Peter Erskine, James Genus, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Gomez, Al Grey, Jeff Hamilton, Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes, Jon Hendricks, Billy Higgins, Freddie Hubbard, Marc Johnson, Anna Maria Jopek, Steve Kujala, Ellis Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Donny McCaslin, Christian McBride, André Mehmari, George Mraz, John Patitucci, Clarence Penn, Bill Pierce, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Arturo Sandoval, Bobby Shew, Tommy Smith, Mike Stern, Steve Swallow, Clark Terry, Paolo Vinaccia, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dave Weckl, Phil Wilson

Festival

JVC Jazz Festival (New York, USA)

Boston Globe Jazz Festival (Boston, USA)

Montreux Jazz Festival (swiss),

North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherland)

Umbria Jazz Festival (Italy)

Nice Jazz Festival (France)

Vienne Jazz Festival (France)

Monterey Jazz Festival (California, USA)

Chopin and his Europe (Warsaw, Poland)

La Roque d’Antheron

La Folle Journée, Nantes, Tokyo

Edinburgh Jazz Festival

Ravinia Festival

Tokyo Jazz

Paris Japonism2018 (The 160th Anniversary of Japan–France Friendship)

Bijing Changzhow Festival

Melborne Jazz Festival

Award
2000

35th Kinokuniya theater award individual award

2003

45th Annual Grammy Awards “Best Classical Crossover Album” nominations

2003

Awarded “honorary doctorate” from his alma mater Berklee College of Music

2005

Kobe City Culture Award

2007

32nd Fumio Nanri Prize

2009

Hyogo Prefecture Culture Award

2009

“Road to Chopin” is certified as official album than Chopin Institute

2010

17th Yomiuri Theater Award for Best Staff Award

2010

Frederic Chopin Passport award

2014

64th Art Encouragement of Education, Culture, Sports, Science Minister’s Prize

2018

The Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon