Biography

Born and raised in Saitama, Japan, Nozomi Hiwatashi is a rising young international artist in the percussion world and is currently living and working in Stuttgart, Germany.

Apart from regular performances in Japan and Germany, Hiwatashi is branching out and performing in many more countries, particularly across Europe. She brings with her a unique and personal tone colour, as well as a range of musical styles; a package that excites and charms audiences of music lovers and professionals alike.

Hiwatashi’s ambition and drive for the instrument has achieved her wide recognition in her field and countless awards from various competitions and festivals. These include receiving 1st Prize at the Southern California Marimba Competition in 2021, and 2nd Prize along with Willem Vos Award at the prestigious TROMP International Percussion Competition Eindhoven 2020, Netherlands. Furthermore, in 2019, Hiwatashi was a Semi-Finalist at the 68th International ARD Competition in Munich, Germany. Other prominent achievements include: 2nd Prize at the 14th Italy Percussion Arts Society Competition in the Marimba category; and finalist in the Marimba category at the 34th JMECPS Japan Wind Percussion Competition among others.

As an active member of the international music scene, Hiwatashi has played at many events from concerts and recitals, to various international music festivals around the globe. Some career highlights for Hiwatashi include: the 50th anniversary of the International Kolberg Festival (Germany), the International Festival Percussion PULSE 2020 in Copenhagen (Denmark), matinée concert at the 68th ARD International Competition in Munich (Germany), and performing as a guest soloist with the Gala Orchestra at the University of Music Tokyo (Japan), as well as the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich (Germany).

Hiwatashi has had the honour of accepting multiple scholarships and funds from several institutions that support her work, for which she is very grateful. They include: Yamaha Music Foundation Scholarship, Seki Art Foundation (Japan), Scholarship from Tokyo College of Music and the Interstip-Stipendium (Germany).

Her first percussion teacher was Prof. Toshiaki Ishiuchi. She then went on to study at the University of Music Tokyo under Prof. Momoko Kamiya, Prof. Atsushi Sugahara, Syouichi Kubo and Hidemi Murase. Currently, she is completing her Artist Diploma (Solo-Konzertexamen) at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart (where she also received her Masters degree) under the tutelage of Prof. Marta Klimasara and Prof. Klaus Dreher, as well as receiving advice and support from Prof. Jürgen Spitschka, Tomohiro Nishikubo and Satoko Ichimaru.

Alongside her activity as a soloist, Hiwatashi also actively engages in a range of chamber ensembles from duo to ensembles with 12 musicians, and is an active member of the Stuttgart-based percussion ensemble “Talking drums”.

Since 2021 Nozomi Hiwatashi is Yamaha and Kolberg Percussion Artist.