Junichiro Mataga

Junichiro Mataga is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator based in New York City. Mataga grew up in Niigata, Japan where he began playing piano at the age of six and
guitar in junior high school. After graduating high school, he moved to Tokyo and began studying jazz piano in the University Jazz Club. Following his graduation from the University of Electro-Communications with a Master’s Degree in Engineering, Mataga worked as a Sound and Vibration Researcher in the Central Research Lab of NEC Corporation. Throughout his studies and his work at NEC,  Mataga was active in the jazz scene in Tokyo, Japan. He performed with his own band, the big band, Shiny Stockings; the gospel band, 7 Seasons; the jazz quartet, Beyond the Cinema. Mataga’s career took  a major turn in 2019 when he moved to New York City and began taking courses in the jazz program at Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.  There he studied with world-renowned musicians such as David Berkman, Jeb Patton, Antonio Hart, Michael Mossman, Dennis Mackrel, Tim Armacost, and many others. Mataga graduated from ACSM in May 2020 and is now working as a freelance musician in NYC.

Mataga released his first debut album “Sketches” in June 2021. This album won “Silver Medal Winners, composition/composer division” and also got “Top Albums of the Year 2021” by Global Music Awards.

ニューヨーク在住。新潟市出身。6歳からピアノを始め、大学のジャズ研究会でジャズを始める。ジャズピアノを石井彰氏に師事。
卒業後はNEC中央研究所にて振動音響工学の研究職員として従事する傍ら、ピアニスト、キーボーディストとして活動。作編曲を大貫和紀氏、ピアノ奏法を道脇直樹氏に師事。2013年には新潟ジャズコンテストにて自身のカルテットで金賞（最高位）を受賞。リーダーバンドでの活動の他、東京都内のBigBand、Shiny Stockingsの一員として目黒Blues Alley Japanや新宿J、銀座NB Clubなどに出演。
2019年に音楽留学のため渡米。ニューヨークのAaron Copland School of Music にてMaster of Music, Jazz Studies（修士課程）を修了。David Berkman, Jeb Patton各氏らに師事。在学時には優秀な生徒に贈られるMarvin Hamlisch Awardを受賞し、Award Concert ではオーケストラと共演。同年、BrooklynのSoapbox Gallery にて行われたDavid Berkman主催のSolo Piano イベント”Piano Hang”にピアニストの一人として出演し、David Berkman, Bruce Barth, Sean Wayland らと共演。2021年6月、1st Piano Trio Album 「Sketches」をリリース。本作はGlobal Music Awards のComposition部門 にてSilver Medal/Outstanding Achievementを受賞し、2021年のTop Albums of the Year 2021に選出された他、ジャズ専門Website「All About Jazz」やJazz Life、Jazz Japan などジャズマガジンにレビューが掲載されるなど、国内外で高い評価を得ている。