Guitarist Tomonori Arai Profile

Tomonori Arai was born in Shibuya, Tokyo. He started his guitar studies at the age of six with his father Kazuo Arai. In 1991, he began to take lessons with Yoshinobu Hara. Tomonori won First Prize at the Junior Guitar Competition, the Student Guitar Competition, and the Spanish Guitar Music Competition. In 1992, he entered Cologne Music University where he received his diploma in 1998. He continued his studies in Aachen and finished his Concert Examination in 2000. During his stay, he also studied with Tadashi Sasaki, Zoran Dukic, and Thomas Muller-Pering. Tomonori has won many prizes at numerous guitar competitions. His recordings include solo CDs, "Abrir" "Castillos de Espana" "Simple Essence," guitar trio "Harpo Rhythm, and guitar duo “The Summer Islands” (Wood note studio, 2011 ) with Gen Matsuda and “Aqua in Summer Countries” (2014) with Hitoshi Miyashita. In April 2016 flute and guitar duo album "Beyond the Pyrenees" with Yoshie Ueno was released from Octavia Records. From 2013 to 2015 he performed in 12 different regions around Japan with flutist Yoshie Ueno for JELA (The Japan Evangelical Lutheran Association) sponsored charity event "child support charity concert of the world." Arai has held recitals in Germany, Austria, France, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Italy, Thailand, Nepal, South Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines. He is presently teaching in Ueno Gakuen University and the Gendai Guitar Academy.

Competition

1982-1987  Student Guitarcompetition 1 prize. (3 times)(Japan)
1984  Junior Guitarcompetition 1 Prize.(Japan)
1988  Spanish music Guitarcompetition 1 prize.(Japan)
1998  VDMK musiccompetition 1 prize.(Germany)
1994  Finale Ligure International guitarcompetition 1 prize.(Italy)
1994  Tychy International guitarcompetition 3 prize.(Poland)
1999  Mottola International guitarcompetition 3 prize.(Italy)
2000  Vienna Guitar Forum International competition 3prize.(Austria)
2000  Rust International guitarcompetition 1 prize.(Austria)
2001  Weikersheim International guitarcompetition 2 prize.(Germany)

Discography See All CD's

2020 Jan // Canciones de Espana (solo) by ALM Recording
2017 July // Enrique Granados works for guitar (Guitar Duo with Gen Matsuda) by Woodnote Studio
2016 August // Jacques Ibert works for guitar (Guitar Duo with Gen Matsuda) by Woodnote Studio
2016 April // Beyond the Pyrenees (Duo with Yoshie Ueno(Flute)) by Octavia Record
2014 November // Aqua in Summer Countries (Guitar Duo with Hitoshi Miyashita) by Woodnote Studio
2011 August // The Summer Islands (Guitar Duo with Gen Matsuda) by Woodnote Studio
2011 March // Simple Essence (Solo) by ALM Recording
2006 August // Castillos de Espana (solo) by ALM Recording
2006 May // Harporhythm (Guitar Trio) by Gendai Guitar
2005 July // Abrir (solo) by ALM Recording