Ryunosuke (Pepe) Abe
As many Japanese brass musicians are so, Pepe began to play the Euphonium at age of 13 when he was in junior high school in Ehime, Japan. Fortunately, he was in a school with a very strong music tradition and the school wind band was excellent with a great teacher. He continued to play the Euphonium in high school and at age 18, he began to play the trombone as well.
In 1995, he took part in I.T.E.C. (International Tuba Euphonium Conference) in the USA and won 2nd prize in the young artist division of the solo competition. He went to France to take part in an international competition in 1997. At that time, he was deeply moved and inspired by the great performances by outstanding musicians from Europe. This was a pivotal moment in his life.
In 1998, he went to Perpignan, France to study under Mr. Mel Culbertson (ex-principal tuba of Orchestre National de Bordeaux Aquitaine/ex-professor at CNSMD de Lyon). He changed many aspects of his playing style and life due to Mr. Culbertson’s influence (who also gave him his nickname “Pepe”). He received 3 gold medals for Euphonium, Trombone, and chamber music from CNR de Perpignan in 1999. A few years later, he became assistant professor at CNR de Perpignan and taught alongside Mr. Mel Culbertson.
In 2003, he moved to Leipzig, Germany and played in the Rundfunk-Blasorchester Leipzig (Leipzig Radio Wind Orchestra) as principal tenorhorn (euphonium). The next year, he moved to Nyíregyhaza, Hungary and played in the Szabolcsi Szimfonikus Zenekar (Szabolcsi Symphony Orchestra) as principal trombone. He was invited to I.T.E.C. in Budapest, Hungary in 2004 as a guest artist and gave a solo recital. In 2012, he was also invited to I.T.E.C. in Linz, Austria as a guest artist and performed “Pantomime by P. Sparke” with a wind band.
He took part in several international competitions and received prizes such as 3rd prize in the euphonium division and 2nd prize (no 1st prize was awarded) in the trombone division at the 1st International Brass Competition in Jeju (South Korea) in 2000. He has given master classes and concerts in Japan and other countries in Europe such as France and Spain. In 2005, he returned to Japan where he has continued his solo activities and teaching.
He released the Euphonium solo CD Carmen Fantasy in 2005 and the Trombone / Euphonium double CD BOLD AS BRASS in 2012, both on his own label “Music. A. Pepe”. He successfully premiered the Japan performance of the “Diamond Concerto (Euphonium Concerto No. 3) by Philip Sparke” with the Ehime University Wind Orchestra in September 2012.
He is the musical director and conductor of Brass Band “Camellia”.
He has played Adams Custom Euphonium since September 2012 as an Adams Euphonium Artist. He is always playing Adams Custom Euphonium with great pleasure.
He has his own publishing company “Music. A. Pepe” and publishes his arrangements, compositions, and CDs.
More information about Ryunosuke (Pepe) Abe you will find on his official website: http://www.pepeabe.com
