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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 and the Tokyo Symphony 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