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Risa Minami (南里沙)

Chromatic Harmonica Player, Japan

Risa Minami is a chromatic harmonica player from Japan. From jazz and classical music to Japanese Showa-era pop, enka and video game music, she brings the singing voice of the chromatic harmonica to every genre.

Profile

Risa began playing the piano at 3 and the oboe at 12. She graduated from Kobe College, majoring in oboe, and discovered the chromatic harmonica while at university.

• 2009 2nd place, Open Category, F.I.H. World Harmonica Festival (Germany)
• 2010 Winner of 3 categories and overall Grand Prix, 30th F.I.H. Japan Harmonica Contest
• 2010 1st place, Chromatic Solo Open, 8th Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival (Singapore)
• 2013 Major debut on King Records
• 2014 Endorsement contract with HOHNER (Germany)

She has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra (Bulgaria), the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and the Kyoto Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, and with orchestras in Ukraine.

TV, Commercials and Recordings

• 61st Japan Record Awards (TBS, 2019)
• JR Central TV commercial "Sou da Kyoto, ikou." (Autumn 2016)
• Sony Xperia XZ1 TV commercial (2018)
• Nintendo Switch "OCTOPATH TRAVELER" (SQUARE ENIX) – Tressa's theme
• "Umamusume: Pretty Derby" WINNING LIVE 34 – "Gold-Recollection"
• NHK morning drama "Hanbun, Aoi." and many other recordings

International Activities

• Seoul International Harmonica Festival (Korea) – judge and guest player (2016, 2017, 2023, 2024, 2025), online judge (2021)
• Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival – judge and guest player: Malaysia (2012), Beijing (2018), Jiangyin, China (2024, 2026); participant: Taiwan (2016)
• Taiwan Harmonica Music Festival, Hsinchu (2026)
• 1st Qinyun Dongpo Harmonica Art Showcase, Meishan, Sichuan, China (October 2026)
• Solo concert tour in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai (2019)
• Taiwan: solo recital, Taipei Music Instruments Exhibition, Taiwan Harmonica Music Competition (2018)
• Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Bulgaria – New Year Concert (2013), subscription concert (2014)
• INSO, Lviv, Ukraine (2012)
• Concert in Port Moody, Canada (2017)
• World Harmonica Festival, Germany (2009, 2013, 2017, 2025)

Instrument

HOHNER Super64X (endorsed artist of HOHNER, Germany)

Watch and Follow

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@minamirisa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minami_risa/

Contact

For performance requests and inquiries: southrachel@live.jp