is a Japanese-French

pianist A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...

. Ebi was born in

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

. She studied at the

Tokyo University of the Arts or is a school of art and music in Japan. Located in Ueno Park, it also has facilities in Toride, Ibaraki, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Kitasenju and Adachi, Tokyo. The university has trained artists in the fields of painting, sculpture, crafts, inter ...

, and won the piano prize of the 41st Music Competition of Japan. Her international career began with her winning second prize in the 1975 Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition in Paris. She continued her studies with

Aldo Ciccolini Aldo Ciccolini (; 15 August 1925 – 1 February 2015) was an Italian pianist who became a naturalized French citizen in 1971. Biography Aldo Ciccolini was born in Naples. His father, whose family bore the title of Marquis in the city of Macera ...

at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), or the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (; CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue Jean Ja ...

. In 1980, she won fifth prize at the X International Chopin Piano Competition, after which

Martha Argerich Martha Argerich (; ; born 5 June 1941) is an Argentine classical concert pianist. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argerich gave her debut concert at the age of eight before receiving further piano training in Europe. At an early age, she won sev ...

, who was a member of the jury, took patronage over her. Ebi is one of the major pianists of our time''88 notes pour piano solo'',

Jean-Pierre Thiollet Jean-Pierre Thiollet (; born 9 December 1956) is a French writer and journalist. He is also affiliated with the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, a European trade union. Career Thiollet attended a school in Châtelleraul ...

, Neva Editions, 2015, . and her international career continues with performances around the world, with annual tours in Japan, and annual appearances at international music festivals including

Festival de La Roque-d'Anthéron A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival constitutes ...

in France, the Echternach Music Festival in Luxembourg, and

La Folle Journée La Folle Journée is a French annual classical music festival held in Nantes. It is the largest classical music festival in France. The festival's name refers to the Pierre Beaumarchais play ''The Marriage of Figaro'', whose alternative title i ...

in France.

Recordings

Ebi has recorded works by Chopin, Brahms, Liszt, Franck and others. Among her most noteworthy recordings are the two discs "Music of Hikari Ōe" of works by the Japanese composer

Hikari Ōe is a Japanese composer. He is the son of Japanese author and Nobel Prize laureate Kenzaburō Ōe and Yukari Ikeuchi, and the nephew of director Juzo Itami. Biography Hikari Ōe was born autistic and developmentally disabled. Doctors tried to co ...

Awards

* 1975 – second prize in the 16th Long-Thibaud Competition * 1980 – fifth prize (no fourth was awarded) in the 10th International Chopin Piano Competition * 1981 – Leeds International Piano Competition * 1993 – French government

Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres The Order of Arts and Letters () is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is the recognition of significant ...

, distinction * 2002 – Japanese Exxon-Mobile Music Prize

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ebi, Akiko Japanese classical pianists Japanese women pianists 21st-century French women classical pianists 21st-century French classical pianists 1953 births Living people Musicians from Osaka Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition prize-winners Prize-winners of the International Chopin Piano Competition Japanese emigrants to France