Missa Johnouchi

Missa Johnouchi (城之内 ミサ; Jōnouchi Misa) (born 1960) is an artist who creates Asian-styled New Age music. She is not only a composer and pianist, but also a conductor and singer. Missa Johnouchi was named UNESCO Artist for Peace in August 2006.

Personality

Profile

Musician, UNESCO Artist for Peace, Ambassadress of the musical relations for the events commemorative of the 1300th anniversary of the Capital of Nara Heijo-Kyo.

While being registered at the Academic institute of music of Toho, the theory of musical composition section, she began to composei in the audio-visual area for successful television series, commercials s and the cinema. She studied in France under the direction of the composer Jean-Claude Petit.

Since 1988, Missa Johnouchi is accompanied by the Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Paris and the Orchestre National de Paris for the making of her albums. In 1993, she participated t in the international conductors contest of Besançon. Her album of Asian original compositions, “Healing music”, was one of the best selling albums in the occidental countries. Among her several performances and the first time ever, she gave a concert based on her own compositions, as a pianist and as a conductor, in the department of Nara, in front of Kofukuji and Higashikondo (indicated like national treasures). Missa Johnouchi wrotet, composed and played the music in the opening ceremony of the Flower Festival of Hamanakako, entitled “New elegances of the flowers”, whose production was ensured by a great Master of Japanese poetry, Mannnojo Nomura.

At the “World Heritage Torch-Run Concert - Missa Johnouchi”, organized upon the initiative of several countries around the world, the artist plays her own musical compositions on the piano and directs the national orchestras of these countries. She performed in America, China, Tunisia, Italy, Australia, Venezuela, Peru, Canada, Macedonia, Romania and France for commemorative events. At the Carnegie Hall in New York, 200 families of the victims of the terrorist attack of 11 September were invited to the concert organized for the wish to obtain peace. She also performed for the 30th birthday of the Japanese and Australian relations at the Opera house in Sidney, part of UNESCOe list of the world heritage.

In 2006, for the first time, a Japanese female composer and conductor was appointed e UNESCO Artist for Peace. In May 2007, at the “World Heritage Torch-Run Concert for the 35th anniversary of the convention on the protection of the world heritage” in the church of Saint Germain des Prés in Paris, Missa Johnouchi played her own music, and e directed the Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Paris that accompanied her.

Moreover, she composed the music that accompanied the images of the exhibition at the Petit Palais of Paris, entitled “Shôkokuji, Gold Pavilion, Silver Pavilion, Zen and Art with Kyoto within the celebration of the 150th birthday of the Japanese and French relations and the 50th birthday of the Paris and Kyoto twin cities”. Elle sort en octobre 2009, l’album « Spiritual Discovery » pour la première fois en coopération avec l’UNESCO.

In October 2009, the album « Spiritual Discovery » is released, for the first time in cooperation with UNESCO.

Still today, she continues, in her own country and abroad, her function as a UNESCO messenger, as could be seen during the exceptional concert that took place at UNESCO’s Headquarters on 12 November 2009 in Paris or in Tokyo in November 2010 where she gave a charity concert for the children of Afghanistan. She was the first Japanese female “UNESCO Artist for Peace (in charge of the world heritage)” in the section musical composition and conduction, to continue to transmit the message on “ Peace of the heart”, “ conservation of the world heritage”, “ environmental protection”, “ education”.

Discography

Asian Blossoms (13 Jun 2000)

Friends (19 August 2000)

Yamatoji Symphony : The Eternal Yamato (2002)

road to OASIS (12 February 2002)

Dimanche (21 September 2002)

Kurenai (28 September 2002)

Kataribe ~Piano Collection (26 Jun 2003)

Kuge (29 October 2003)

DISC 1

DISC 2 (Symphony)

Canon ~Missa Johnouchi Best (29 September 2004)

Evening (22 Jun 2005)

Snow ~Piano Collection (18 July 2006)

Le Chant de La Terre (11 October 2007)

Green Earth (24 September 2008)

Spiritual Discovery (21 October 2009)

Missa Johnouchi (Best Album) (6 October 2010)

Single

Il pleure dans mon cœur

Avec Toi Toujours

Watashi no Sonzai no Imi

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