Asano was invited as a composer to Mittersill Composers Forum in Austria in 2004 Fall. During the forum he wrote a Violin and Viola Duo Piece *“No.1 Hollersbach” as he was inspired by Austrian Ensemble “Die Reihe”’s violinist Willem de Swardt and violist Ursula Kortschak. That was the origin of these suites. In 2005 April-May, he continued to compose No.2-No.7 as he was inspired by the beautiful sound by Kumi Nakajima, and a rich performance of Masashi Sasaki. *Hollersbach is a next town of Mittersill in Salzburg.

Kumi Nakajima, Violin: She started playing the violin at the age of 4. She won the 2nd prize in the National High School Music Competition in 1986. She graduated from the high school attached to the National University of Fine Art and Music, and the University. She majored the viola in the chamber music class, and was charmed by that instrument. She studied more at the graduate school. She won the 2nd prize in the 5th Japan Chamber Music Competition. After completing her master’s degree, she worked as an assistant player at the Toho Music College for 5 years. She studied with Jurgen Kussmaul in Amsterdam for one and half years from May 2001, and played with Anner Bylsma at a concert of Encontros de Musica da Casa de Mateus in Portugal in 2002. She studied dance and theater improvisation applying voice, movements and experiential anatomy, with Patricia Bardi, and composed some music for dance pieces and widened her activities. After returning to Japan, her activities have expanded still more. Now, she plays from baroque to contemporary music and improvisation with 4 instruments (both baroque and modern violin and viola). She started a self-produced concert series “Futakoedori(Bird with two voices) no concert” from 2004. In this concert series, she plays both the violin and the viola, collaborating with various instruments. It is well received by audiences.

Masashi Sasaki, Viola: He graduated the National University of Fine Art and Music in 1993, and was a lecturer of orchestra researches in the university during 1993-1999 , also had performed as a guest soloist with many domestic orchestras. In 1998, He performed solo recital organized by Hikoneshi Cultural Plaza. He studied more in Hamburg in 1999 and on returning to Japan, he assumed principal viola of the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2002, he performed Duo-recital with a Pianist, Takayuki Kuniya in Tokyo and Sendai. In 2003-2004, he received a grant from Matsuo Foundation as a member of Sereno Quartet. He won “Green Wind Prize” at Haramura Musical Seminar. Now He performs as a principal violist of Bach Society Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra and Sereno Quartet. He studied Viola with Sagako Kusanagi, Fumiki Asazuma, Hideki Koguni, Kazunori Kawasaki, Hirofumi Fukai and ensemble with Kiyoshi Okayama.