Mari Takano

Takano's work, and musical voice, has been recognized as among the most distinctive to be found amid Japanese composers of the "post-Takemitsu generation".

[4] Takano's initial reputation in Europe was made while she served as pianist, keyboard player and composer with the contemporary music ensemble Hamburg Consort—later Chaosma—in which she participated with fellow Ligeti students Manfred Stahnke, Hans Peter Reutter, Hubertus Dreyer and Sid Corbett.

Takano has also conducted, and participated in, music courses in the United States, including a master class given at New York University at the invitation of Julia Wolfe in 2009.

[5] Another important proponent of Takano's work is BIS Records' head Robert von Bahr, who issued her first album, Women's Paradise, and commissioned her to write a concerto for flautist Sharon Bezaly.

Several Takano premieres have been held in the United States, including Full Moon (2009) for New York-based violinist Mari Kimura[7] and LigAlien IV (2010) for the Northshore Saxophone Trio, based at Northwestern University in Chicago.