About

The term "early music" does not refer to a specific era.
In other words, it refers to the history of music in the Western countries themselves.
The music has been changed over time according to various people.
One of the great joys of early music is to understand and express the music of the time.
What did it sound like in the past?
Ultimately, no one knows the answer to this question.
But through research and imagination, new discoveries will be made and new approaches to music will open up.
I want to share this new musical experience with the audience and the performers.

Manako Ito

was born in Japan and began playing the violin at the age of seven.
I graduated from the Toho Gakuen High School of Music and studied at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo.
Afterwards, I decided to continue my studies in Europe and attended the Bachelor's programme in concert violin with Prof. Maighread McCrann at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. I completed my Bachelor's degree with distinction and continued my Master's programme.

Around this time, a turning point occurred.
By chance, I attended a lecture on contemporary and baroque music, which strengthened my interest in the long-standing question "What is good music?"
To find the answer, I started studying with Prof Susanne Scholz at the Institute for Historical String Instruments/Violin Instruments in 2014, and I unanimously graduated with distinction with a Bachelor's degree and began advanced Master's programme.

As a member of the ensemble gamma.ut, founded by Prof Scholz,which mainly focuses on the instruments of the Renaissance violin family and the musical techniques of this period, I play all string instruments, not only the violin, but also the tenor viola and bass violins.
I also participate in various early music ensembles,such as die Neue Hofkapelle Graz, das Ensemble Ārt House 17, das Ensemble der Innsbrucker Hofmusik, Ensemble recreation-Barock, Ensemble Zefiro etc., and performed in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Austria, Russia, France.
Furthermore, in 2019 she participated in the opera project "Arianna a Naxos" J. Haydn and "Il buon marito" G. A. Benda as concertmaster of the TEATRO BAROCCO in Baden by Wien in Austria. In 2020 as concertmaster of the Orchestra of the University of Music in Graz, I performed the oratorio "Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno", and since 2021 she led as concertmaster of the ensemble of the Stift St. Paul in Lavanttal (Austria).
I also learn harpsichord tuning and am a member of the harpsichord tuning staff at the University of Music in Graz.

My interest in early music also turned to the instruments themselves and their expressive possibilities, and around 2020 I began restoring and making bows from the Renaissance and early Baroque periods as part of my organ research. I also research accessories for stringed instruments and sell them.

I also taught myself web production and programming since I was young and use these skills to create and manage my own website and create video, audio and other digital content.