Members: Misako Ito,Hanae Tomaru,Yoshiko Ikeshiro,Kazuyo Kitadume

Bach, Schubert, Chopin - all classical composers with pieces most know the melody to…’Greensleeves’, ‘Amazing Grace’ - traditionally popular European folk songs that most people are familiar with…it is this ‘a cappela’ group ‘Ensemble Planeta’ that breathe new life into these songs thorugh a truly contemporary stylish approach, creating a distinctive world that surpasses time or age. There is one another person apart from the members of the ensemble that plays a key role in the creation of their sound - that is producer Nahoko Kakiage. In Japan, of recent years, the term/genre ‘classical crossover’ or ‘crossover classical’ has become a household name for that particular style of music and it would not be an overstatement to say that Nahoko Kakiage is the first recognized creator of this style of music. Her work has received critical appraisal not only in Japan but across the world and it is the immaculate combination of her talents and the angelic voices of the members of the group that creates the magic you hear in Ensemble Planeta’s music. Ensemble Planeta have to date released 7 albums (their most recent being the album ‘Largo’ released in November 2006) and every record has been applauded by critics and fans alike - resulting in them appearing in the higher end of the classical charts every time a new album is released. They have also made countless TV/CM appearances over the years - most recently in the TV commercial for pharmaceutical company ARAX’s ‘Norshin’. They also sung the theme song for the Spanish movie ‘El Viaje De Carol’ and wrote the soundtrack for the Studio Ghibli animation movie ‘Taneyamagahara No Yoru’. They are also known for their breathtaking live performances and are constantly touring, playing concert halls all across Japan - in 2006 they performed at the Nagoya Expo, as well as performances in Korea and Hong Kong and following from these succeses, 2007 looks set to be a promising year for the ‘Ensemble Planeta’