MAO SONE

Mao Sone

Pianist / Trumpeter / Composer, Arranger / Producer
 

Mao Sone is an internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, widely recognized as a "Jazz Dual-Threat" for his virtuosic mastery of both the trumpet and the piano. As a performer, composer, arranger, and producer, he has developed a borderless, global career.

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After graduating at the top of his class from Berklee College of Music, he completed his master's degree with the highest honors (Summa Cum Laude). By 2014, he had already proven his exceptional talent on the world stage, winning the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Jazz Improvisation Competition and being selected as a semifinalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.

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Sone made his major-label debut in 2018 with the double album Infinite Creature. Since then, he has consistently showcased his versatile output through releases such as Brightness of the Lives, his solo piano album Plays Standards, and the 2025 large-ensemble work Eight Little Pieces.

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In recent years, he has also been deeply involved in cinematic and digital media. For the 2024 Netflix series Beyond Goodbye (Sayonara no Tsuduki), he served as the piano consultant, as well as composer and arranger. His year-long piano coaching for the lead actor, Kentaro Sakaguchi, and his acclaimed soundtrack production generated massive buzz, with social media praising him as a "genius." Furthermore, his starring role in the film Trumpet, which won multiple awards at international film festivals, and his performance at the opening ceremony of EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, prove that his activities transcend traditional musical boundaries into national projects and the silver screen.

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Together with the Tsugaru Shamisen virtuoso Sho Asano in their duo unit "MAOSHO," Sone continues to pursue a one-of-a-kind musical expression that sits at the crossroads of tradition and innovation.