"'Who is your favourite composer?". "In answer to one of the questions I am most frequently asked, I have 'decided' to always mention the name of Maurice Ravel. However, when asked 'Which aspect attracts you most to Ravel's music?', there is so much that comes to my mind that I am easily at a loss. One of the most popular images associated with Ravel is probably that of an orchestral magician. His writing is highly original, creative and brilliant, throughout his orchestral oeuvre.
He was also, however, a pioneer of the Impressionist technique for piano, as illustrated by his Jeux d'eau, composed in 1901. (Although Debussy is often considered the leader of the movement in this respect, Ravel was actually ahead of him with regard to piano compositions: in 1901, Debussy was still writing Pour le piano when Ravel completed his Jeux d'eau. In fact, Ravel himself explicitly wrote to a French music journal that he was ahead of Debussy in establishing this new technique for the piano.)
A connoisseur of Spanish music, Ravel's fascination for Spanish folkloric music is reflected in several of his works. A unique sensitivity to early music and a keen ability to understand its intricacies resulted in homages to several Baroque composers. Their aesthetics are beautifully reflected in works such as Le Tombeau de Couperin, Pavane pour une infante defunte and several minuets.
Other works that showcase his immense diversity include Gaspard de la nuit, which positions itself brilliantly as one of the most virtuoso works in piano repertoire even today."
- Keigo Mukawa
Keigo Mukawa won third prize at the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in 2021 and second prize at the Long-Thibaud-Crespin International Competition in 2019. Thanks to the attention he received in the wake of these highly prestigious international competitions, both carrying a long history and tradition, he is currently engaged in a wide range of activities including solo recitals and performances with orchestras and chamber music ensembles, primarily in France and Japan.
