Album out now: Akira Kosemaru "Solo Piano"

Akira Kosemura, the acclaimed Japanese composer and pianist and one of the most streamed Japanese classical artists, returns to the instrument at the heart of his music with Solo Piano, his new album out October 30 via Decca Records. The first single, “Spring Night Rain – Main Title Theme” is out now, accompanied by a new visualizer.

https://akirakosemura.lnk.to/solopiano

His first newly recorded solo piano album in three years, following 2023’s SEASONS, Solo Piano sees Kosemura look back across his remarkable body of work and reimagine music originally written for film, television and anime, alongside new compositions. Recorded entirely on a single upright piano, the album strips these pieces back to their essence, creating an intimate dialogue between Kosemura’s past and present.

The album brings together newly reinterpreted versions of music Kosemura has composed for film, television and anime, alongside new original works. Among them are pieces from films including Fragments of the Last Will, True Mothers and The Boy and the Dog, the television drama Meet Me After School, and anime series Honey Lemon Soda and Blue Orchestra.

Personally selecting compositions and recordings that hold particular significance for him, Kosemura revisits his own musical history through the singular voice of the piano. The result is a quiet, contemplative world that connects his past and present, allowing familiar compositions to take on a new life through stripped-back solo performances.

In 2025, Kosemura released the ambitious album MIRAI, featuring seven guest vocalists including Devendra Banhart and Miyuki Hatakeyama. In 2026, he followed with Reach For NAGA, a collaboration with sound engineer Hiroshi Iguchi. With Solo Piano, Kosemura now turns his attention back to the instrument at the heart of his music, bringing together compositions from across his career in a deeply personal new recording.

The track listing for Solo Piano is as follows:

01. Spring Night Rain – Main Title Theme

02. Akira’s Theme

03. Fragments of The Last Will – Main Theme

04. Hikari Satoko and Kiyokazu

05. Honey Lemon Soda – Main Theme

06. Our Promise Kazumasa & Miwa’s Theme

07. Sparkle – Short Version

08. Snowdrop

09. Elegy

10. Lament

11. A Plan with Determination

12. Distant Memory – Slow Version

13. Mimosa, Spring Tenderness

14. Angel’s Tears

15. Imagine

About Akira Kosemura:

Akira Kosemura (he/him) is a composer and pianist hailing from Tokyo, Japan. He is a prolific artist, constantly releasing solo albums and composing music for films, TV drama, games, stage, and commercial music.

Akira founded his own label Schole Records early on after his solo album It’s on Everything released in 2007 while he was still in school. In 2017 and 2018 Akira’s music was ranked in Spotify’s “Most Played Japanese Artists/Songs Top 10”, and his works have been highly acclaimed on media around the world, including US music media Pitchfork, Australian newspaper THE AGE, French public broadcast FIP, and Canadian public broadcast Ici Musique.

Akira’s major score works include Fragments of The Last Will by Takahisa Zeze, the Cannes 2020 featured film True Mothers (Asa Ga Kuru) directed by Naomi Kawase, Hollywood produced drama series Love Is__, the Nintendo Switch game Jack Jeanne produced by Sui Ishida, the TBS drama series Chugakusei Nikki, the contemporary ballet piece MANON, and the Japan Pavilion in Milano EXPO. His music pieces were also featured in the Amazon original movie Jonas Brothers’ CHASING HAPPINESS, the Venice Film Festival Golden Lion awarded director Audrey Diwan’s debut film Mais vous etes fous (Losing It), and the Toho movie Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare.

In recent years, he has worked on projects in different media such as SK-II STUDIO’s documentary The Center Lane (featuring Rikako Ikee), directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, the runway music for a collection from apparel brand TAKAHIROMIYASHITA The Soloist., as well as music for LA MER BLUE HEART, LAND ROVER, and L’OCCITANE. Akira has also co-produced a song with American musician Devendra Banhart.

In addition to his versatility and diverse portfolio, Akira has been working on a world scale. In 2022 he signed a contract with prestigious Decca Records, and the EP Pause (almost equal to) Play was released worldwide. Akira’s music was also sampled in John Legend’s song “The Other Ones feat. Rhapsody” included in his new album Legend Act I & II. And Akira’s first major album SEASONS was released on Decca Records (UMG) on June 30, 2023.