Born in Tokyo, Japan, Mariko Takazoe received her training as a pianist at the Geidai National Academy of Music and Fine Arts in Tokyo under Prof. Jun Date, graduating with a Master's degree. She then completed her masterclass studies with distinction at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich under Prof. K. Schilde.
From 1988 to 1994, she was a lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich, becoming one of the first members of the newly founded 'Instrumental Accompaniment' department at the suggestion of Prof. Schilde.
She has worked as an accompanist in many masterclasses, including those at Haus Marteau in Markt Oberdorf, Radolfzell, and Thun, Switzerland, with professors such as Nothas, Turban, Schilde, Chumachenko, Wiesel, Dill, Schneider, and Gaede.
From 2001 to 2010, she held a teaching position in instrumental accompaniment at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. Since 2008, she has taught instrumental accompaniment across all classes at the Nuremberg University of Music, primarily focusing on violin and cello.
As a concert pianist, she has performed at venues such as the Schwarz'sche Villa in Berlin, the small hall of Munich's Gasteig, the Cherry Hall in Tokyo, and the Nuremberg Bechstein Concerts. In 1998, she released a CD featuring piano works by Johannes Brahms. Between 2008 and 2024, she performed all of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's piano sonatas in her annual Mozart evenings as part of the Wolkersdorfer Kulturherbst and Kulturtage in Schwabach, receiving overwhelmingly positive press coverage:
Schwabacher Tageblatt: "A stroke of luck", 11 October 2011; "Sensitive elegance", 15 October 2016; "Playfully light and elegant", 26 October 2019.
She works at Nuremberg University of Music as an accompanist in audition simulations and at in-house masterclasses with renowned musicians such as Ms Kang, Prof. Brandis, Prof. Lindecker and Prof. Breuninger. She is also in demand as a répétiteur for the vbw Festival Orchestra and professional orchestras such as the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, the Nuremberg State Opera and the Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingolstadt, as well as a lecturer in audition preparation at institutions such as the Crailsheim Music School, the Nuremberg Music School and the Starnberg Music School.
Mariko Takazoe has been an honorary professor at NUM Nuremberg since 3 July 2025.
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