Born in Kawasaki in 1964 to musician parents, Megumi Tanabe took up the piano, violin, gamelan, and shamisen, as well as music theory, at a very early age. She studied composition at the Tokyo University of the Arts, graduating with a Bachelor’s and then a Master’s degree. She received an advanced degree in composition from the Paris Ecole Normale de Musique, where she studied with Yoshihisa Taïra. In 1993, she was a finalist in the 62nd Japanese Composition Competition. In 1994, she received third prize in the Sogakudo Competition (also in Japan) for her musical settings of Japanese writings. In 1992, she undertook further study at the Paris Conservatoire with Paul Méfano, graduating with highest honors (premier prix) in 1996. In 1995, the Finnish choir conductor Atso Almila premiered her work Jeux in the closing concert of the 40th Jyväskylä Summer Festival in Finland. She was commissioned by Ensemble Intercontemporain for their 1997-98 season.

© Ircam-Centre Pompidou, 1997