About
Tokyo Repertory Singers
Bringing Words to Life Through Music
While it is the mission of many musicians to bring music to life, we as vocalists aim to use sound as a tool to bring the words we sing to life to not only incite emotional reactions but also nurture emotional relationships between humans and music. We do this through the interpretation of words and notes that were put on the page by poets and/or composers. By digging deep into the page by hope to reach a deeper understanding of not only the music we sing, but also of the people that wrote it and the cultures they came from. By doing this, we hope to also instill a new appreciation for choral music as well as valuable learning experiences for our singers and audiences.
About Our Repertoire
We do not limit ourselves to any one particular style and challenge ourselves to sing music from not only Japan but also from around the world and from time periods ranging from medieval to the present day.
Choirs around the world often find it difficult to approach music from different cultures and languages, but we at TRS see singing this music as an opportunity to not only improve our skills but also to better our understanding of society.
About Our Activities
TRS holds rehearsals at public facilities throughout Tokyo's central 23 wards every week in preparation for choral competitions, festivals, concerts, recordings, and other performances.
While singing is at the core of what we do, we also endeavor to nurture community within and outside our group through support of our members' activities outside of our choir.
Please visit our recruitment page for more information about how to join us.
Artistic Director & Conductor
Brian Munguia
Born in Oregon, USA in 1988, Brian received his B.A. in Music Instruction from Southern Oregon University and an M.A. in Music from Portland State University. Brian's studied centered around music pedagogy and the study of vocal vocal music of a variety of styles including art music, opera, and choral music.
From his time as a student to the present day, Brian has been involved with a number of vocal ensembles including Southern Oregon Repertory Singers、Oregon Repertory Singers、St. James Collegium Musicum, Toyonaka Philharmonic Chorus, Gaia Philharmonic Choir, and the Metropolitan Chorus of Tokyo. Brian has also had the pleasure of singing under directors such as Paul French、Martin Majkut、Ethan Sperry, Shigeki Nishioka, and Ko Matsushita.
Since his arrival in Japan in 2015, Brian has sung with a number of choirs and learned much about the Japanese repertoire. Using this experience, he would like to make Japanese music more accessible to the world while also helping Japanese performers and audiences approach Western music from a new perspective. This is what prompted his decision to start TRS in 2020.
Voice Trainer
Sadami Yoshida
Yoshida completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in vocal music with a focus in Opera at the Tokyo University of the Arts. In addition to opera, she is also active in sacred music and is a regular soloist for Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
She also runs her own singing studio where she works to train the next generation of singers, some of whom have gone on to study at prestigious schools such as Tokyo University of the Arts and Takarazuka Music school.
Yoshida's Homepage can be found here: yoshidasadami.com
