Masako Hirao

Following her graduation from the Kunitachi College of Music (bachelor’s degree in musicology) in Tokyo, Kyoto native Masako Hirao went to study with Jordi Savall at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland, and was awarded a diploma. She subsequently furthered her studies with Wieland Kuijken at the the Royal Cinservatory of the Hague in the Netherlands. While in Europe, Masako was an active member of Hesperion XX. Since returning to Japan, Masako has initiated numerous projects, such as concerts based on research into Diego Ortiz, and collaborations with specialists in Renaissance and Baroque dances, in programs devised based on her own experience of historical dances. In addition to her performances in Japan, Masako has been invited to perform in Korea and all over Europe (Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland) as a soloist or a guest member of Hesperion XXI.
Masako also has an impressive discography, having released a five-volume “Profile of Marin Marais” (ALM Records), all of which were specially selected by the Record Geijutsu music magazine, and Volume 4 of which was awarded the 45th Record Academy Award (in the Music History category), a complete set of the three sonatas for Harpsichord and Viola da Gamba by J.S. Bach, and a disk entitled “Diego Ortiz - Elegancia de Ornamentación en Renacimiento – Recercadas y Música Litúrgica”, which was highly recommended by the Record Geijutsu and various newspapers. Masako has also released a disk entitled “L’echo du Danube” (Meister music), specially selected by Record Geijutsu, “La Paduana del Re”, and many others. In 2010, Artes Publishing published Masako’s annotated Japanese translation of “Trattado de Glosas” (Diego Ortiz, 1553) which garnered considerable attention in the press. In 2014, “Recercate by Diego Ortiz” was published by the German publisher Edition Offenburg.
Masako teaches at Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo and at Kyoto City University of Arts.
[as of January 2017]