Tokyo born composer Miho Hazama is one of New York’s most astounding young talents. Lauded in Downbeat as one of “25 for the Future”, Miho is quickly establishing herself as a force of nature on the world’s stage. As the 2015 recipient of the BMI Charlie Parker Composition Prize, Miho developed her signature ensemble “m_unit”. Now having 3 full length releases on Universal Music Japan/ Sunnyside Records, Miho has written for and expertly showcased the abilities of guest artists such as Joshua Redman, Lionel Loueke, Stefon Harris, and Gil Goldstein, to name a few. Her debut album “Journey to Journey” received the Jazz JAPAN rising star award, and she has been featured in such influential publications as Downbeat, New York Times, NPR, JazzTimes among others.
Composition is her true calling, and in addition to her effort with m_unit, she has created works for many different musical contexts. Most notably, she has composed for Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashley Bouder Project Ballet Company, YAMAHA Symphonic Band, Morgaua String Quartet, to name a few. In 2017, Miho became the Composer in Residence of Siena Wind Orchestra. She is also the Associate Artistic Director of the New York Jazzharmonic.
Miho also has arranged and orchestrated for many ensembles for concerts, recordings, television and film, including Metropole Orkest, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Vince Mendoza, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Shiro Sagisu among many others. As a conductor, she has worked with Danish Radio Big Band, Metropole Orkest Big Band, WDR Big Band and Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, to name a few.
Miho’s awards and honors include the Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize (2015), 24th Idemitsu Music Award (2014), ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award (2011), and she was a Scholarship Recipient of the Manhattan School of Music (2010). She has a degree in classical composition from the Kunitachi College of Music and a masters degree in jazz composition from the Manhattan School of Music, and was honored by the Scholarship Program of Overseas Study for Upcoming Artists from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs.