Kaori Muraji (村治佳織, Muraji Kaori, born 14 April 1978) is a Japanese classical guitarist. She is the first Japanese artist to have signed an exclusive international contract with Decca Music Group.
Biography
Muraji learned to play the guitar from the age of 3 on. First she was taught by her father and from the age of ten by the guitarist Shinichi Fukuda. In the early 1990s she won several guitar competition in Japan and in 1993 gave her debut recital in the Tsuda Hall. In the same year she published with Espressivo, her first album, with her Orchestra debut happening in the following year with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 1997, she moved to Europe to study under Alberto Ponce at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris. After her graduation in 1999, she moved back to Japan.
Discography
Espressivo
Kaori Muraji, guitar
21 October 1993: Victor Entertainment
GREEN SLEEVES
Kaori Muraji, guitar
21 January 1995: Victor Entertainment
sinfonia
Kaori Muraji, guitar
24 July 1996: Victor Entertainment
Pastorale
Kaori Muraji, guitar
21 November 1997: Victor Entertainment
CAVATINA
Kaori Muraji, guitar
21 November 1998: Victor Entertainment
Concierto de Aranjuez
Kaori Muraji, guitar
Kazufumi Yamashita, conductor
New Japan Philharmonic
23 March 2000: Victor Entertainment
Resplandor De La Guitarra
Kaori Muraji, guitar
Orquesta de Cámara Joaquín Rodrigo
24 April 2002: Victor Entertainment
LA ESTELLA
Kaori Muraji, guitar
21 February 2004: Victor Entertainment
Transformations
Kaori Muraji, guitar
Dominic Miller, guitar
21 July 2004 (Japanese Release)
March, 2005 (International Release): Decca Music Group
Spain
Kaori Muraji, guitar
21 October 2005: Victor Entertainment
lumières
Kaori Muraji, guitar
26 October 2005 (Japanese Release)
February, 2006 (International Release): Decca Music Group
Lyre & Sonnet/Into the Light
Kaori Muraji, guitar
The Sixteen, choir
Harry Christophers, conductor
25 October 2006 (Japanese Release)
Spring, 2007 (International Release): Decca Music Group