Takuma Onodera

2025

Nationality: Japanese

Instrument: Piano

Date of birth 2005/04/15

Born in 2005 in Sapporo, Japan, Takuma Onodera started his musical education at the age of five.

He has participated in numerous competitions around the world and has won a variety of prizes. His most recent awards include second prize and the EMCY prize at the Aarhus International Piano Competition in Denmark (2025), third prize at the 19th Ettlingen international Piano Competition in Germany (2024) and the special prize for the best performance of Compulsory Piece in the Semi-Final at the 13th International Paderewski Piano Competition in Poland (2025).

He has also received first prize at Città di Imola (Italy), first prize at the San Jose International Piano Competition, first prize at the OSIMO international Piano Competition in Italy (NO AGE LIMIT), first absolute at the International Piano Competition “Citta di san Dona di Piave” in Italy, first prize at the Great Masters International Piano Competition in Spain (Category E), first prize at the Orbetello piano competition in Italy (Category C), and was one of the finalists at The Vladimir Krainev International Piano Competition (Moscow).

He has performed in Carnegie Hall, Yamaha Hall and Nagoya Yamaha Hall. In 2022, he gave 13 recitals around Japan, including in Sapporo, Tokyo, and Osaka. He has continued to perform internationally, giving two recitals in Hungary in 2024; one at the Solti Hall of the Liszt Academy at the Budapest Spring festival and the other at Hírös Agora Cultural and Youth Center, as well as two recitals in Denmark in 2025. He has also performed R. Strauss Burleske in D minor for piano and orchestra with the Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock in April 2026 and S. Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 with the same orchestra in May 2026.

Takuma has released two CD’s: “Appassionato” on the KNS Classical label (2021) and “Start!” (Octavia Records, 2022). Since April 2024, he has been studying at the Rostock University of Music and Drama under Professor Matthias Kirschnereit. He has been receiving a scholarship from the Familie Rahe Foundation since April 2025.

If you are interested in working with Takuma Onodera, please get in touch with the EMCY Office.

Repertoire

Solo

J. S. Bach:

The Art of Fugue Contrapunctus 1-4 BWV1080
Capriccio on the deaprture of beloved brother in B-flat major, BWV 992

M. Balakirev:

Islamey

B. Bartok:

Three Hungarian Folk Songs from Czik BB 45b Sz 35a
Two Romanian Dances BB 56 Sz. 43
Romanian Folk Dances BB 68 Sz. 56
Suite Op. 14 BB 70 Sz. 62
Out of Doors BB 89 Sz. 81

L. van Beethoven:

Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor Op. 10-1
Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major Op. 10-2
Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor Op. 31-2
Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor Op. 57 “Appassionata”
Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major Op. 110

J. Brahms:

4 Ballades: Op. 10

F. Chopin:

Waltz in major, Op. 34-3
Waltz in D-flat major, Op. 64-1
Nocturne in F-sharp major. Op. 15 No. 2
Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2
Nocturne in C minor Op. 48 No. 1
Ballade No.2 in F major Op. 38
Ballade No.3 in A-flat major Op. 47
Scherzo No.1 in B minor Op. 20
Scherzo No.2 in B-flat major Op. 31
Scherzo No.3 in C-sharp minor Op. 39
24 Preludes Op. 28
Sonata No.3 in B minor Op. 58
Polonaise Fantaisie Op. 61

M. Glinka/M. Balakirev:

The lark

J. Haydn:

Piano Sonata in B minor, Hob.XVI: 32
Piano Sonata in D major, Hob.XVI: 42

F. Liszt:

Trois études de concert “Un sospiro” Des-Dur S. 144/3
Grandes études de Paganini “La Campanella” S. 141/3
Piano Sonata in B minor, S. 178

N. Medtner:

4 Fairy Tales Op. 26-3
2 Fairy Tales Op. 20
6 Fairy Tales Op. 51-6

W. A. Mozart:

Piano Sonata in C major, K. 330
Piano Sonata in B-flat major, K. 570

M. Mussorgsky:

Pictures at an Exhibition

I. J. Paderewski:

Humoresques de Concert Op. 14: No. 3
Album de Mai Op. 10: No. 1. Au Soir

S. Prokofiev:

Piano Sonata No.7

S. Rachmaninoff:

Etude Tableaux Op. 33 No. 2, 6, Op. 39 No. 1, 2, 6, 9
Piano Sonata No. 2 (1931)

M. Ravel:

Gaspard de la nuit
Menutet sir le nom d’Haydn
Sonatine in F-sharp minor

D. Scarlatti:

Keyboard Sonata in D minor, K. 9 L. 413
Keyboard Sonata in F major, K. 17 L. 384
Keyboard Sonata in A major, K. 24 L. 495
Keyboard Sonata in D minor, K. 64 L. 58
Keyboard Sonata in D minor, K. 141 L. 422
Keyboard Sonata in A major K. 208 L. 238

F. Schubert:

4 Impromtus Op. 142

I. Stravinsky/G.Agosti:

The Firebird Suite

I. Stravinsky:

4 Etudes Op. 7

R. Wagner/F. Liszt:

Tannhäuser Overture S. 442

Chamber Music

W. A. Mozart: Piano Quartet in G minor, K. 478

M. Ravel: Piano Trio in A minor

C. Saint-Saens: Piano Quartet in B-flat major, Op.41

With orchestra

B. Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3 in E major, BB 127 Sz. 119

L. van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op37

F. Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-minor, Op. 11

W. A. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, K. 271 “Jenuehomme”

W. A. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K. 453

W. A. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466

P. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23

S. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26

I. J. Paderewski: Polish Fantasy, Op. 19

R. Strauss: Burleske in D minor

S. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor Op. 18

S. Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor Op. 30

Video

2025-03-10

Takuma Onodera - AIPC 2025 - Age 16-21 - 1st round

2025-03-13

Takuma Onodera - AIPC 2025 - Age 16-21 - Semifinal

2025-11-30

Krzysztof Herdzin - “Arrectis Auribus”

Discography

“Appassionato” (KNS Classical label, 2021)

“Start!” (Octavia Records, 2022)

Related competitions

09/04/2027

Aarhus, Denmark

Aarhus International Piano Competition