Ryunosuke (Pepe) Abe
Our new Adams endorser from Japan.
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 the school which has very good tradition in music playing and the windband of school is very good with good teacher. He continued to play the Euphonium in high school and when he was 18 years old, he began to play the Trombone as well.
In 1995, he took part in I.T.E.C. (International Tuba Euphonium Conference) in USA and took 2nd prize in the young artist division of the solo competition. He went to France for taking part in international competition in 1997. At that time, he was very very moved and shocked by great performances which performed by great musicians from Europe. This is the big point for his life.
He went to Perpignan/France to study under Mr. Mel Culbertson(ex-principal tuba in Orchestre National de Bordeaux Aquitaine / ex-professor in CNSMD de Lyon) in 1998. He changed a lot of things(style of playing music and life) because of he was very influenced by Mr. Mel Culbertson(he gave me my very nice nickname "Pepe"). He received 3 gold medals for the Euphonium, the Trombone and chamber music from CNR de Perpignan in 1999. Few years later, he became assistant professor at CNR de Perpignan and gave lessons with 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) and next year, he moved to Nyíregyháza / Hungary and play in the Szabolcsi Szimfonikus Zenekar(Szabolcsi Symphony Orchestra) as principal trombone. He was invited to I.T.E.C.(International Tuba Euphonium Conference) in Budapest/Hungary in 2004 as guest artist and gave solo recital. In 2012, he was also invited to I.T.E.C. in Linz/Austria as guest artist again and performed “Pantomime by P.Sparke” with wind band.
He took part several international competitions and got some prizes such as 3rd prize in the euphonium division and 2nd prize(there was no 1st prize) in the trombone division at the 1st International Brass Competition in Jeju(south Korea) in 2000. He gave master-classes and concerts in Japan and other countries in Europe such as France and Spain. In 2005, he moved to Japan and he has kept giving solo activities and teaching.
He released Euphonium solo CD "Carmen Fantasy" in 2005 and Trombone / Euphonium double CD "BOLD AS BRASS" in 2012 both from his own company "Music. A. Pepe". He successfully gave Japan Premier of “Diamond Concerto(Euphonium Concerto No.3) by Philip Sparke” with Ehime University Wind Orchestra in September 2012.
He is musical director and conductor of Brass Band “Camellia”.
He has played Adams Custom Euphonium since September 2012 as Adams Euphonium Artist. He is always playing Adams Custom Euphonium with big pleasure.
He has his 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
