Miho Hazama


Miho Hazama is a Tokyo-born composer and jazz musician, based in New York City.

Early life and career

Miho Hazama started to play electric keyboard at the age of three at Yamaha Music Foundation's School, and received attention when she proceeded to the final of Junior Electone Concours '96 at the age of ten.
Hazama attended and graduated the Kunitachi College of Music, where she studied classical composition from Masakazu Natsuda and. While in the college, she was active in composition and arrangement, and provided her works to Yōsuke Yamashita, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra, Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, and.
In 2010, Hazama moved to New York City to study jazz composition in master's program of Manhattan School of Music. While attending, she studied under Jim McNeely, and received 2011 ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards. Hazama obtained her master's degree in May 2012 and recorded her first album Journey to Journey in July 2012.
Yōsuke Yamashita produced her professional debut event in January 2013, held at Tokyo Opera City Tower.
In May 2017, Hazama became a composer in residence of Siena Wind Orchestra.
She was the 2018-2019 composer of the year for the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa.
In June 2019, Hazama was appointed as chief conductor of Danish Radio Big Band.
She is also the Associate Artistic Director of The New York Jazzharmonic.

Awards and honors

As band leader