Japanese composer, Keiko Abe (1937-present) has had an incredible amount of influence on the music industry throughout her lifetime. The main area which Abe focussed upon was pitched percussion: particularly the marimba (a xylophone-like instrument with metal tubes underneath the wooden bars). With some assistance from Yamaha, Abe expanded the marimba’s range by a whole octave!

Abe has composed 70 pieces for the marimba, gone on world tours to the Americas, Europe and Asia; whilst being a professor at the Toho Gakuen School of Music.

Here is a Youtube clip of Abe’s Dream of the Cherry Blossoms: