© Photos by Claudia Hansen
...Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental work “Chaconne“ from Partita No. 2 d-Minor (BWV1004), the artist transfers precisely to his instrument ... Nunoya mixes the colors in a sensitive and intelligent way, performs Bach's masterpiece sophisticated and let it preciously shine...
... The Duo (with Benyamin Nuss) provides Piazzolla's Suite Tangata “Silfo y Ondina" the excitement, rhythmic high tension and fine-tuning ... This duo is unbeatable with mallets and finger artistry, and the great common sense for music of every color...
Birgit Jürgens, Hildesheimer Allgemeine Zeitung (HAZ)
...It was a physical, close to a dancing-like experience, to see Nunoya handle with his different mallets in a virtuosic way behind of his marimba. “Magnificent, just great,” over 200 people in the audience in the Dorfkirche agreed…
Reiner Becker Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ)
His thrilling play, his ability to develop sound tapestries full of harmony, to destroy them spectacularly right after, his excellent virtuosity of simultaneously striking different pitches and different dynamics ... all of this drew the 300 visitors to frenetic applause.
Braunschweiger Zeitung
Nunoya was magnetic...his polishing of details was impressive, he brought the softest dynamics down to the level of whispers...His delicate balancing with string instruments produced hauntingly luminous sounds... If the marimba were a more popular solo instrument, Fumito Nunoya would be headed toward a very successful solo career.
Houston Chronicle
Agile and terrifically talented
Boston Herald
Marimbist Fumito Nunoya is a stunning performer who is way overdue to be more widely recognized on the international scene. The depth of his musicianship rivals that of any solo percussionist I've heard."
Nancy Zeltsman
Chair of Percussion Department
The Boston Conservatory & Faculty at
Berklee College of Music
Let’s talk about incredible accuracy; let’s talk about Fumito Nunoya and his unbelievable marimba playing. This CD is a combination of several different worlds—the traditional Western music of Bach sonatas and 20th-century Schwantner together with contemporary Japanese and Chinese compositions. This CD could be a standard-setting recording of the highest level of marimba performance coupled with a great selection of works displaying the true capabilities of the marimba. The two Bach sonatas are examples of absolute accuracy. While anyone may disagree with interpretation, no one would be anything but significantly impressed with the near-perfect renditions. Likewise, the Schwantner “Perpetual Motion” has never taken on such life in a performance, and this recording could set a standard for those wishing to study Schwantner’s work. The CD also contains several Chinese/Japanese works for marimba. Miki’s “Marimba Spiritual” stands as another example of a superior performance on this monumental CD. But the title work, “Red Dragonfly,” best demonstrates the true skills of this performer/arranger when Nunoya performs his own solo marimba arrangement of one of the most beloved songs in Japan. The original melody does not appear until the last part of the work, so with that exception, the material is based on a variation of the song…
F. Michael Combs
Percussive Arts Society
percussive Notes OCTOBER 2007 Issue
I received the debut CD “Red Dragonfly,” including Marimba Spiritual, from Mr. Nunoya in the fall of 2006. I had been very busy, but finally, I made time to listen to the CD. I was planning to scan- listen the piece; however, I could not stop listening to the performance. I decided to focus on it from the beginning to the end. I was dazzled by the performance.
This piece has been performed more than 10,000 times all over the world, and in numerous CDs. However, the performance by Mr. Nunoya and his ensemble were truly amazing. It is one of the best performances I have heard. Their approach of this music is very serious. There is no bluff. The whole ensemble created an overflowing vitality. The marimba solo part was truly splendid, and I was fully satisfied.
I hope they will keep playing this piece, and impressing and satisfying more and more audiences.
Minoru Miki
Composer of "Marimba Spiritual"
I offer my most enthusiastic recommendation on behalf of Fumito Nunoya for his artistry and eloquent demeanor. I invited Fumito to the University of South Florida for a two day session to coach my ensemble, give lessons to advanced marimba students and perform a recital. I found Mr. Nunoya’s comments to be very insightful, helpful and creative. Fumito is sincere, friendly and extremely generous with his time. Fumito Nunoya’s recital was of the highest sense of artistic beauty, intellect and musicality. The students and I will welcome his return visit to Tampa with much anticipation!!!
Robert McCormick
Professor of Music
University of South Florida