Kento Masuda

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Kento Masuda
Birth name Masuda Kento
Also known as His Excellency Count Maestro Don Kento Masuda
Born 29 June 1973 (1973-06-29) (age 50)
Origin Katori, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Genres Instrumental, piano, new-age, classical, pop, electronica
Occupations Composer, Pianist, songwriter, record producer, film producer, actor, fashion model
Instruments Piano, MIDI master keyboard, Logic Pro, Pro Tools
Years active 1990–present
Labels JPMC Records, Kento Masuda Music, LLC, Kent on Music, Inc. (ASCAP)
Associated acts Gary Vandy,[1] Jim Gray,[2] Charles Eller,[3] Antonio Aki Chindamo[4], Lane Gibson[5]
Website kentomasuda.com

Kento Masuda (増田 顕人 Masuda Kento, His Excellency Count Maestro Don Kento Masuda?, born 29 June 1973, in Katori, Chiba, Japan) is a Japanese composer and recording artist. He is a voting member of The Recording Academy,[6] and his work has been described as "one of this world's artistic treasures."[7] As an exclusive player for KAWAI pianos, Masuda is the sole player of the one million dollar Crystal Grand Piano. A maestro composer to the Vatican.[8] A nobleman of Europe and Asia. The United Nations Peace International Initiative Ambassador.[9] An Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to enjoy the diplomatic privileges of the Knights of Malta.[10]

Biography

Early life

Kento Masuda began playing keyboards at the age of 5. While preferring to compose his own music instead of playing standard repertoires, Masuda took part in a variety of contests for talented young musicians. By the age of 10, he began winning competitions including the Junior Original Competition of Yamaha Music Foundation.[11]

Early music career

From 1990, Masuda began conducting professional public performances as YAMAHA's employed musician at age of 17, while playing classical and modern compositions for events, ceremony halls and Yamaha shop on 5th Ave in New York. Just a year later Masuda released his original first album "Wheel of Fortune".[11] Between 1993 and 1995, Masuda lived in New York where he worked in the area of music production, collaborating with producers such as Phil Rubin and Lee Shapiro.[12] His success at such a young age set the foundation for a lifetime of performances, composing, and music production.[13]

During this time, Masuda worked on several musical projects and jobs, including radio, game, and TV/CM music offerings in Tokyo.[13] These were written (both music and lyrics), arranged, and performed on keyboards by Masuda. Masuda also produced his original solo album entitled "MYOJYOW" (a non-standard transliteration of 明星 (myōjō?), the Japanese word for "Morning Star" or Venus) on 19 June 1998. "MYOJYOW" was audio mastered by Bobby Hata. On 26 October 1999, Masuda released "MEMORIES". Both albums were submitted in the U.S. which resulted in Masuda receiving positive feedback from major companies, including Steve Vai's management office of Sepetys Entertainment Group in Santa Monica. CEO Ruta Sepetys (who is also a music producer) suggested that Masuda join forces with recording artist Steve Vai, but Masuda chose to remain a solo artist.[14]

2000s

In 2000, Masuda established his own publishing company and label, Kent on Music, Inc. (ASCAP) as well as producing and recording studio "Externalnet" in Tokyo.[14] The 6th album "HANDS" released on August 26, 2003, was mixed with a producer Tadashi Namba and mastered by Bobby Hata in Los Angeles CA. The album was promoted to MIDEM in Cannes, France. It then entered the European music market, particularly among German audiences, which led to Masuda's interview with Klassik Radio Hamburg. Additionally, program sponsor Galerie ATTA's owner Ruth Atta along with artist Delphine Charat, who painted Masuda's portrait, showed the connection of music to painting to masterpiece.[15][16][17]

In 2005, Masuda signed with JPMC Records,[18] a Swiss label based in New York and became a member of the ASCAP. His 7th album, "GlobeSounds," was released on 13 June 2006, and mixed with Grammy-nominated producer Charles Eller and Lane Gibson. "GlobeSounds" was mastered by Bobby Hata. During the recording of "GlobeSounds", Hon. Ambassador Madeleine M. Kunin visited at Eller's music studio in Charlotte, Vermont, US.[19]

In 2007, Masuda's music has enjoyed continued growth from Myspace and Last.FM along with recent airplay on radio stations internationally. His catalog of compositions and recordings has been featured on MTV, NME Magazine, and BBC Music.[20][21][22] In 2009, Masuda created several music videos: "So We Are" "Shine On" a documentary film "Down to Earth" which describe his album "GlobeSounds" and "Musical Notation and Concrete Poetry" (featuring the author Diana Macs and the Portuguese poet, Luís Adriano Carlos).[17]

2010s

Masuda's 8th album "Light Speed+" was released on 11 September 2010. With a strong emphasis and weight on composition, Masuda also showcased his unique style with a full-length synthesis album.[23]

In 2011, Masuda composed music for renowned designer Yohji Yamamoto's Femme Autumn Winter 2011–2012 Paris Fashion Week fashion show which featured his compositions "Hands" and "Little Tokyo Poetry".[24] They continued to collaborate on Masuda's creative short music film "Godsend Rondo" directed by Tomo Oya in Hokkaido. In this film Masuda dressed in Yamamoto's Ready-to-wear collection.[25] The film "Godsend Rondo" has won numerous awards.[17][26]

On 26 September 2012, Masuda's first piano solo album and piano book "All in the Silence" was released, followed by two live performances "Force in the Silence" and "Force in the Silence 2" at Musicasa Acoustic Concert Hall in Tokyo, Japan.[27] His performances featured classic pieces that highlighted his career thus far, with themes that touch upon the many feelings of life along with those unspoken but shared thoughts that transcend all borders.[28]

On 16 April 2014, Kento Masuda released his 10th album "'Loved One," which was produced by Masuda and multiple award-winning Miami producer Gary Vandy.[29][30] "Loved One" was recorded at Gary Vandy's Studio Center in Miami, which has produced recordings that have won 8 Grammy awards along with multiple platinum albums. "Loved One" features musicians Paul Messina (Flashpoint) and Kevin Marcus Sylvester (Black Violin) and utilizes the HQCD process for superior sound quality.[6]

On 14 November 2014, Masuda produced and performed in the multi-cultural concert "5 ELEMENTS LIVE" at CASA DEI DIRITTI in Milan, Italy.[31][32][33][34] This unique evening of music connected the sounds and voices of the east and west, while producers and collaborators shared their vision that music is both absolute and life affirming.[35]

On 6 December 2014, Masuda performed at the "Associazione dei Cavalieri di San Silvestro" celebration of Monumentalis Ecclesiae Sancti Silvestri Societas in Tivoli, Italy.[36]

On 8 February 2015, Kento Masuda attended the prestigious 57th GRAMMY Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles. Kento had four official submissions for this year's GRAMMY consideration from his latest album, "Loved One", produced by Kento and Gary Vandy.[37][38][39]

On 5 July 2017, Kento Masuda received an Artisan World Festival Peace International Initiative "Music, Performance & Humanitarian" Award at the United Nations in New York. This selection is based on his continued engagement with the performing arts and commitment to humanitarian projects that promote cultural diversity, cultural preservation, and world peace in addition to your innovative contribution in music. This group is a part of New Generation In Action an organization supported by the United Nations with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations for Economic and Social Development.[40][9]

Masuda attended the 61st Annual Grammy Awards with Swedish pop star Elsa Andren on February 10, 2019.

On 11 May 2019, Kento Masuda performed at the Knights of Saint Sylvester Gala at the St. Regis Rome Grand Hotel, in which he performed for highly distinguished guests, heads of states and business executives.

2020s

On December 21, 2021, Kento Masuda released his 11th album "KENTOVERSE", which was produced by Masuda and multiple award-winning producer Gary Vandy. It utilizes the high-resolution audio, lossless compression, FLAC such as 24bit 96 kHz process for superior sound quality. Each composition conveys emotions in an intricate blend of notes, a matrix of rhythm and tones. The milestones of this album include the compositional commission from the masonic theme of the Great Architect of the Universe to a royal march for the House of Rurikovich, where Masuda also has been honored with the title of Count. Where silence is the soul of everything, where heaven enters the heart and becomes the universe, where time no longer exists, where the instant is eternity. There are moments that mark our lives, moments when time is divided into two parts: before and after.[41]
  1. ↑ "Partial Discography". http://www.garyvandy.com/Albums.html. 
  2. ↑ "Discography". https://cubbysmusic.com/discography/. 
  3. ↑ "Folks that we've had the pleasure of working with...". http://www.charlesellerstudios.com/clientlist.html. 
  4. ↑ "Hiroko Tsuji ファーストアルバムとイタリアレコーディング！" (in ja). https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/3869. 
  5. ↑ "Lane Gibson Recording Studio" (in ja). http://www.lanegibson.com/clients-and-work-samples. 
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LOVE
  7. ↑ "Kento Masuda Attends the Grammys" (in en-US). February 1, 2019. https://newtheory.com/kento-masuda-attends-the-grammys/. 
  8. ↑ "Kento Masuda: Maestro to the Vatican, ISET Agency". ISET Agency. https://www.isetagency.com/kento-masuda-1/. 
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named hon
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named osj
  11. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named INTERV
  12. ↑ "Kento Masuda: A Modern Tale of Musical Genius". Medium. 2 March 2019. https://racheldares.medium.com/kento-masuda-a-modern-tale-of-musical-genius-82dadded4ddb. 
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named JAME
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named km
  15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named DJGB
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ATTA
  17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named tube
  18. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named TR
  19. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ELLER
  20. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MTV
  21. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NME
  22. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named BBC
  23. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ISCON2
  24. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ELLE
  25. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named fes
  26. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named imd
  27. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named barks
  28. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pbl
  29. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named mix
  30. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gary
  31. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 5elements1
  32. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 5elements3
  33. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 5elements4
  34. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 5elements5
  35. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 5elements2
  36. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named SSS
  37. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MasterCard
  38. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Soiree
  39. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gma
  40. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named afi
  41. ↑ Rachel Dares (25 April 2019). "Prodigious Musician and Global Philanthropist: Kento Masuda". Medium. https://medium.com/influence-magazine/prodigious-musician-and-global-philanthropist-kento-masuda-babfa94e7e6c. 
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