Tetsuya
Tetsuya Takeno grew up in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. In 2002, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Japanese Education for non-native Japanese speakers at International Christian University Tokyo, Japan. He also graduated with a Bachelor of Music Performance Degree in Percussion, jazz emphasis (Summa Cum Laude 2007) and a Master of Music Performance, Percussion (2011) at Youngstown State University. While he was in master degree, he served as percussion graduate assistant at Youngstown State University. His teachers include: Dr. Glenn Schaft, Junji Hirose, Rob Ferguson, Nathan Douds, Ron Coulter, Dr. Kent Engelhardt, Dr. Stephen Gage and Dr. Dave Morgan.
He began his career as a drummer for the Japanese college big band, Modern Music Society (MMS), while he attended International Christian University in Japan. He performed in the Yamano Big Band Jazz Contest three times with the Modern Music Society. At two of those contests, he received seventh and tenth places. He recorded “Locus”, a Modern Music Society album with guest artist Wayne Bergeron at Capital Records, Hollywood, CA in March 2003 while MMS USA West coast Tour. He toured as a cruise ship drummer for the Holland America Line in 2008.
He moved into St Paul, MN in 2010 after he finished his master degree at Youngstown State University. He has been working as a freelance musician performing with Electric Avenue (professional show band), Elemental Ensemble (theatre), and Smasara (contemporary jazz ensemble). As a member of Electric Avenue, he performed most of major casinos in Middle West of U.S.A.
At the beginning of 2011, he was involved world premier performance of “Journey” directed by Mohammad B. Ghaffari as a member of Elemental Ensemble. It serves as the centerpiece for a three-day international conference at the University of Minnesota, “Shared Cultural Spaces,” which examines the relationship of Islam and the humanities, namely in architecture, art, literature, new media
At Youngstown State University, he had performed in the Caribbean Ensemble, Brazilian Ensemble, John Hollenbeck Ensemble, Jazz Ensembles 1, 2 & 3, Graduate Jazz Combo, Percussion Ensemble, Youngstown Percussion Collective, Concert Band, YSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, YSU Marching Pride, Dana Symphony Orchestra, Dana Chamber Orchestra and Studio Ensemble.
As a member of the Youngstown Percussion Collective, he performed at several area elementary and middle schools in Ohio and western Pennsylvania between 2006 and 2010. As a member of YSU Jazz Ensemble, he performed in Lakeland Community College Jazz Festival 2005 with guest artist Paquito D’Rivera. He also performed with several well known artists such Allen Vizzutti and Grammy Winner Ralph Lalama while he attended YSU Jazz Ensemble. He performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2005 as a member of the YSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, at the OMEA (Ohio Music Educators’ Association) Convention in Cleveland in 2006 as a member of the YSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble and YSU Percussion Ensemble, and at the OMEA Convention in Cincinnati in 2010 as a member of YSU Percussion Ensemble. As a member of YSU percussion ensemble, he also performed in Ohio PAS (Percussion Art Society) day of Percussion 2006.
He was a co-winner of the Dana Young Artist Competition in 2006 playing vibraphone and performed Ander’s Koppel’s duet concerto “Toccata For Vibraphone and Marimba” with Dana Symphony Orchestra on January, 2007. His performances outside of university in Ohio include the Greenville Symphony Orchestra (Greenville, PA), Crissie McRee Band, Spiritus Percussion Trio, jazz combo and several local theaters.
He is also an active arranger, composer, and educator. As a composer/arranger, his music has been performed by the Brazilian Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combo, recitals and Percussion Ensemble at YSU. In January 2010, he received a commission from the Greenville Symphony Orchestra (Greenville, PA) to arrange two pieces of music and performed them with the symphony orchestra in Pennsylvania on May 2010.
As an educator, he has been teaching several private music schools as a private lesson and class room instructor last 7 years. From 2006 to 2007 seasons, he taught Boardman High School (Boardman, OH) and Liberty High School (Liberty, OH) as a drum line instructor. From 2008 to 2010, he served as an assistant director of YSU Percussion Ensemble. His percussion compositions, keyboard percussion method book and drum set method book are in process of publishing.
His performance recordings include “31st and 32st Yamano BIG Band Jazz Contest”, “Locus” (Modern Music Society, 2001, 2002 and 2003), “Tipping Point” (YSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, 2006), “Dark Wood” (YSU Percussion Ensemble, 2008) His performances and performance reviews have been on news paper and radio several times.