Kimiko Wakiyama – Whistler

Akiko Shibata – Whistler

Tournament Results
– IWC2008 in Japan : 2nd Place (Popular 1st Place)
– IWC2009 in U.S. : 3rd Place (Classical 1st Place)
– IWC2010 in China : 1st Place (Popular/Classical 1st Place)
– Puckerama in Japan : Puckerama of The Year (The Most Valuable Player Award)
– IWC2012 in U.S. :1st Place (Popular/Allied Art 1st Place)

Rika Mori – Pianist

She started taking piano lessons at the age of four. She studied at the Toho Gakuen Music School for Children, the Toho Gakuen Music High School, and graduated from the piano department of the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. Received the Tateshina Kogen Music Festival Award in 1987. Performed in the Yomiuri Concert by Rookie Musicians in 1991. Mori has performed piano concertos with orchestras as a soloist since her college years. She is now active in various fields as soloist and chamber music performer, and also as an official pianist for overseas bassoon players in master classes. Studied piano with Kiyoshi Arai, Yoshiya Iwamoto and Hidemitsu Hayashi.
Her chance of playing as an accompanist in the whistlers’ recital in 2003 led her to further performances with many Japanese whistlers in the series of the “Whistlers Music Festival” since 2005. Mori performed with overseas whistlers such as Geert Chatrou and Mitch Hider etc. in the concert of 35th International Whistlers Convention 2008 in Japan. She has been enjoying extending her activities as an accompanist for many whistlers, such as in the “Whistling Festa Packarama! 2012”.

Ryosuke – Whistler (The Primary Selection Only)

Born in Tokyo, Ryosuke Takeuchi uses the “Throat-Warbling” style of whistling, a trill whistling method. He had also been a member of an amateur jazz group and classical music choir that for a period of time performed with an orchestra. He started his career as a whistler in 2005. That same year, he participated for the first time at the International Whistlers Convention (IWC) in Louisburg, NC USA. Each year since 2007, he has participated in the IWC-including 2010 when the IWC was held in China, and was a leader for the IWC when it was held in Japan in 2008. After 2009, he has been a finalist continuously, placing 4th in adult male in 2011 and 2nd in Allied Arts Category in 2013. In 2012, Ryosuke released his classical whistling CD “Baroque Whistling.” He has taught whistling classes and developed the application for iOS: “WhistleTuner”, “WhistleTutor”, and “SoloPlayer” to help whistlers in their training and performing. In this year 2014, Ryosuke is again a leader for the IWC as it is held again in Japan.