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Noriko Tsukagoshi is an acclaimed Japanese marimbist who has earned accolades in concert halls and competitions all over the world. Noriko has won or placed in many major international marimba competitions including the 8th Japanese Classical Music Competition, the 2nd International Marimba Competition in Belgium, the 4th World Marimba Competition in Shanghai, and the 2nd International Marimba Competition in Paris, and the Japanese PAS Percussion Solo Competition. She is an active performer and has performed extensively in Japan as well as Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland, the United Kingdom, Argentina, and the United States.

Noriko was also selected by virtuoso marimbist Keiko Abe as the “Best player” at the 2002 Hamamatsu International Wind Instrument Academy and Festival.

Noriko graduated with honors from Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo in 2006 and performed for the Japanese Imperial Family in the Imperial Palace. She earned a Graduate Artist Certificate from the University of North Texas in 2010.

Noriko’s debut CD “DEAR MARIMBA” has received outstanding reviews including Charles Dutoit who stated; “I have never heard anyone playing the marimba better than Noriko Tsukagoshi. She is totally amazing. Apart from her incredible technique, she is also an extremely sensitive and intelligent musician, who is promised a brilliant career.”

Noriko has released 3 more CDs; “Passion”, “Lauda Concertata by Akira Ifukube and Marimba Concerto by Emmanuel Sejourne” and “Cantabile”.
“Dear MARIMBA” and “Cantabile” are selected as one of the best CDs in Japan by the music magazine “Record Geijutsu” in Japan.

Her CDs are covered by all the major newspapers and have made headlines throughout Japan.

In 2012 Noriko won the 22nd Idemitsu Music Award as a percussion/marimba player for the first time in the award’s history.

Noriko has performed with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Pacific Philharmonia Tokyo Orchestra, Hiroshima Philharmonic Orchestra, Gunma Philharmonic Orchestra, Miyazaki International Music Festival Orchestra, and so on.

Noriko also often appears on TV shows and radio programs in Japan.

She has studied with many teachers including Keiko Abe, Momoko Kamiya, Kazunori Momose, Shinichi Ueno, Mark Ford, Ed Smith, and Christopher Deane.

Noriko represents YAMAHA and Innovative Percussion as an artist/clinician.